Leadership & Governance

Strengthening Local Leadership Through Civil, Effective Governance

California’s local governments face a myriad of challenges from housing and homelessness, to climate, to budget shortfalls to aging infrastructure. Elected leaders and staff cannot effectively address these challenges without a strong foundation of good government – trust, accountability, responsiveness and transparency. ILG’s Leadership and Governance pillar helps local government leaders build that foundation, develop leadership skills, and increase public trust.

Silhouette of a hand casting a vote into a ballot box.

Ballot Measures and Campaigns

Local officials and staff often have questions about what can and can’t be done during campaign season. ILG offers resources to help answer this…

People reviewing graphs and charts in a meeting, using a calculator and documents on a table.

Budgeting and Financial Management

Local governments rely on sound budgeting and financial management to efficiently manage operations and provide essential services to the public. This…

A group of people seated in a room, listening attentively.

Effective Meetings

Meetings are central to democratic decision-making. Leaders can increase the effectiveness of public meetings with thoughtful advance planning and by taking a few simple steps. The Institute’s Meeting Resource Center aims to help local officials and agency staff in these efforts by providing practical tools and useful materials.

A golden balance scale on a desk next to an open laptop.

Ethics & Governance

In California, state and federal laws create a complex set of requirements that guide elected officials and agency staff in their service to their…