OCALA, Fla. (Oct. 1, 2021) – The City of Ocala, along with the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA), has announced the City has received GFOA’s Distinguished Budget Presentation Award for its budget in the fiscal year beginning October 1, 2020. This award is the highest form of recognition in governmental budgeting; although not consecutive, the City has previously been awarded this honor a total of 30 times throughout the years.
The award represents a significant achievement by the City, including the commitment of the Ocala City Council, senior leadership, and the budget department to meet the highest principles of governmental budgeting. To earn this recognition, a city must satisfy nationally recognized guidelines for effective budget presentation.
These guidelines are designed to assess how well a city budget serves as:
- Policy documents
- A financial plan
- An operations guide
- A communications device
Budget documents submitted for review must be rated "proficient" in all four categories and in the fourteen mandatory criteria within those categories to receive the award.
There are over 1,600 participants in the Budget Awards Program. The most recent Budget Award recipients, along with their corresponding budget documents, are posted quarterly on GFOA's website. Award recipients have pioneered efforts to improve the quality of budgeting and provide an excellent example for other governments throughout North America.
About Government Finance Officers Association
Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) advances excellence in government finance by providing best practices, professional development, resources and practical research for more than 20,500 members and the communities they serve.
