Learning Objective 5: Explore how to be successful with local government and partners when seeking funding support.

It’s important for your local district financial health to work with your localities and strengthen partnerships. Use the following tips when working with these fellow local officials:

Get to Know You Local Officials

• Schedule short, well-planned face-to-face meetings with Board of Supervisor members during the year.
• Do NOT only show up at budget time!
  
• Get to know the county administration including the County Administrators, Department Directors and School Board Administration.
• Invite local officials to meetings, banquets, tours, farmer programs, etc. Give them a role in these meetings.
• Share newsletters, success stories, positive letters from clientele in support of District program efforts.
• District dam owners should invite local officials to annual dam inspections. Reviewing your Emergency Action Plan yearly with local Emergency Services officials will help to develop a rapport with local officials.
• Show your interest in local issues by attending Board of Supervisor meetings, Planning Commission Meetings, etc.

 Budgeting with your Locality

• Always request additional funds! Localities expect a certain percentage increase from each department annually.
• If you are unsure of county departmental increases, contact the finance department before developing your District budget.
• Don’t hesitate to ask for larger amounts of funding if you need it. Facts, figures, balance sheets and other evidence can be convincing.
• Request face-to-face meetings with budget officers prior to budget hearings to work out details of your budget request. This ensures your budget hearing will run smoother.
• If your locality does not hold budget hearings, request an informal meeting with the finance director or budget officer to review District financial needs and programs.
• Link your annual cost-share investments to your budget request
• Request in-kind services where funding is not available including print services, benefits packages, payroll services, IT support, etc.

Contracting with your Locality

• Contracts and Scope of Services Agreements are an effective way of securing funding.
• Contracts ensure that a locality knows exactly what they are getting for their annual funding allocations.
• Be specific to each locality! An annual plan of work, while important for District operations, is not specific to the locality.
• Offer services that will help localities to meet their local comp plan goals or ordinance requirements. Specific offerings might include educational outreach that a locality can count towards their MS-4 Storm water Permit or outreach assistance for the Chesapeake Bay Preservation Act planning requirements.
• Most importantly, deliver exactly what you promise on time and in a visible fashion.

Importance of Reporting