named programs · 4 · from sources
what they call their work
Awards Program
Recognizes outstanding contributions to local government management through various awards, including the John J. DeBolske Professional Excellence Award.
Management Academy
Offers training sessions on topics such as leadership, council-manager relationships, and legal frameworks for local government managers.
Scholarship Program
Offers scholarships for full and associate members to attend professional development programs, such as those at Harvard University.
Senior Advisor Program
Provides support and counsel from experienced retired members to current local government managers facing challenges.
activities · 13
what they do
direct service · 9
- Administer scholarship program for member professional development Member-Focused Professional Development ScholarshipsOffers scholarships to full and associate members that cover full program costs, including tuition, fees, housing, materials, and most meals. Applications are reviewed by an ACMA selection committee and forwarded to Harvard University for final selection.
- Administers professional awards for local government managersBestows the John J. “Jack” DeBolske Award annually to City/County Managers who demonstrate professional excellence and significant contributions to local government; also awards the Catherine Connolly Outstanding Assistant City/County Manager Award. The DeBolske Award has been presented since 1997, with recent recipients including Wynette Reed (2026), Steven Peru (2025), and Bryant Powell (2024).
- Administers scholarship program for member professional development Member-Focused Professional Development ScholarshipsOffers scholarships covering full program costs—including fees, tuition, housing, materials, and most meals—to full and associate members; manages application review through an ACMA selection committee and forwards selected applications to Harvard University.
- Bestow the Catherine Connolly Outstanding Assistant City/County Manager Award Professional and Organizational Achievement AwardsRecognizes Assistant City/County Managers for outstanding performance through the Catherine Connolly Award.
- Bestow the John J. “Jack” DeBolske Professional Excellence AwardAnnually awards the John J. “Jack” DeBolske Award to City/County Managers who demonstrate professional excellence and significant contributions to local government. The award has been given each year since at least 2018, with recipients including Wynette Reed (2026), Steven Peru (2025), and Bryant Powell (2024).
- Provide career transition support for separated local government managers Community Resource Navigation & ReferralOffers direct support to members who have been involuntarily separated from local government service through Senior Advisors Mike Letcher and Susan Thorpe.
- Provides career transition support for separated local government managers Community Resource Navigation & ReferralOffers direct support to members who have been involuntarily separated from local government service through Senior Advisors Mike Letcher and Susan Thorpe.
- Support individual members in professional advancementProvides direct support to individual local government professionals, including Deputy Finance Directors, Assistant City Managers, and City Managers across Arizona municipalities such as Phoenix, Sierra Vista, Eloy, Chandler, Maricopa, Goodyear, Prescott Valley, Gilbert, and Scottsdale in recent years (2022–2025).
- Supports individual member professional advancement Targeted Educational ScholarshipsProvides direct support to individual members in advancing their careers, including Brandi Flores and Victoria Yarbrough in 2025, David Malewitz and Joshua H. Wright in 2024, Benjamin Bitter and Jenna Goad in 2023, and Ryan Judy, Leah Rhineheimer, and Brent Stockwell in 2022.
capacity building · 4
- Administer the ACMA Management Academy Youth Civic Leadership TrainingHosts annual professional development sessions for local government managers covering core topics such as the Council-Manager form of government, leadership approaches, relationship management, and the legal framework for city/county managers. The Academy was hosted in 2024 and 2025.
- Delivers leadership and management training through the ACMA Management Academy Youth Civic Leadership TrainingHosts the ACMA Management Academy, offering structured training sessions on key competencies for local government managers, including the Council-Manager form of government, leadership approaches, relationship management, and legal frameworks. The Academy was hosted in 2024 and 2025.
- Develop model employment agreement for local government managersCreated the ACMA Model Employment Agreement as a standardized resource to assist members in negotiating or updating city/county manager employment contracts.
- Develops model employment resources for local government managersCreated the ACMA Model Employment Agreement as a tool to assist members in negotiating or updating city/county manager employment contracts.
strategies · 13
how they think
Theories of action extracted from this org's own source material. Click any approach shared with other orgs to see the full field.
- Advancing professional local government management professional-local-government-management unique to this orgThe organization operates as a state affiliate of ICMA to promote excellence in local governance by advancing the professional standards and practice of local government management in Arizona.
- Advancing professional local government management through ICMA affiliation professional-local-government-management unique to this orgOperates as a state affiliate of the International City/County Management Association (ICMA) to promote excellence in local governance by upholding professional standards and ethical leadership in municipal administration.
- Advancing the profession via dedicated professional development programs professional development unique to this orgOffers targeted programs to grow the skills and leadership capabilities of local government managers, focusing on crisis management, policy innovation, and citizen engagement.
- Building capacity through professional development and training professional development and networking unique to this orgStrengthens local government effectiveness by providing education, training, and resources that equip managers with innovative frameworks to address real-world challenges, policy issues, and ethical responsibilities.
- Disseminating best practices and guidance for local government management best_practices_guidance unique to this orgShares best practices and standardized contractual provisions to strengthen negotiations and decision-making between local government managers and governing bodies, improving institutional effectiveness.
- Facilitating professional networking among local government managers professional_networking unique to this orgOrganizes gatherings and forums for city and town managers to connect, share experiences, and exchange effective practices to improve local governance.
- Offering senior advisor support from retired professionals senior advisor program unique to this orgConnects current local government managers with retired practitioners who provide experienced counsel and support on management, political, or personal challenges in public service.
- Peer mentorship and coaching mentorship_and_coaching unique to this orgOffers coaching and career guidance from experienced professionals to support individuals at all career stages in local government, providing new perspectives and advice on projects and challenges.
- Professional development and leadership training professional development unique to this orgDelivers education, training, and intensive interactive programs to build leadership capacity, enhance policy understanding, and equip local government professionals with innovative approaches to managing crises and ethical challenges.
- Providing best practices and guidance for governance best_practices_guidance unique to this orgOffers guidance based on best practices and standardized contractual provisions to improve negotiations and decision-making between local government managers and governing bodies.
- Providing mentorship and coaching across career stages mentorship_and_coaching unique to this orgOffers personalized career guidance, project advice, and fresh perspectives through coaching for local government professionals at any point in their careers to support growth and problem-solving.
- Support for transitioning members member support unique to this orgProvides support services to full members who experience involuntary separation from local government roles, helping maintain professional stability and continuity.
- Supporting displaced local government professionals member support unique to this orgProvides assistance to full members who are involuntarily separated from their roles as managers, administrators, or senior staff in local government, helping maintain professional continuity.
financials · form 990 · fy2022
the money
revenue
Total revenue$478K
Contributions & grants$173K36%
Program service revenue$301K63%
Investment income$1620%
Other revenue$3K
expenses
Total expenses$458K
Program expenses—
Admin / overhead—
Fundraising—
Salaries & benefits$0
Grants paid out$132K
Largest expense lineProfessional Fees
balance sheet
Total assets$746K
Cash$581K
Investments$0
Liabilities$232K
Net assets$514K
Liquid reserves15.2 mo
2 years on record · 2020–2022 · YoY revenue +208.1%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2022
who runs it
paid leadership · 1
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| League of Arizona Cities Towns | Secretary-Treasurer | 15 | $75K |
board members · 7
- Ben Bitter — Director
- Darren Coldwell — Director
- Edith Baltierrez — Director, Associate Rep
- Ginger Spencer — Director
- Jenna Goad — Director, Associate Rep
- Leo Lew — Director
- Ryan Judy — Director
relationships · 30
who they work with
- Arizona Municipal Clerks Association (AMCA) Partner — Shares sponsorship opportunities with ACMA
- Avondale Partner — City Manager from Avondale participated in a 1963 meeting hosted by the organization.
- Casa Grande Partner — City Manager from Casa Grande participated in a 1963 meeting hosted by the organization.
- Chandler Partner — City Manager from Chandler participated in a 1963 meeting hosted by the organization.
- Coolidge Partner — City Manager from Coolidge participated in a 1963 meeting hosted by the organization.
- Eloy Partner — City Manager from Eloy participated in a 1963 meeting hosted by the organization.
- Glendale Partner — City Manager from Glendale participated in a 1963 meeting hosted by the organization.
- Government Finance Officers Association of Arizona (GFOAz) Partner — Shares sponsorship opportunities with ACMA
- Harvard University Partner — Forwards selected scholarship applications to Harvard University for a program for senior executives in state and local government.
- Hayden Partner — Town Manager from Hayden participated in a 1963 meeting hosted by the organization.
- Holbrook Partner — Representative from Holbrook participated in a 1963 meeting hosted by the organization.
- ICMA Network — References the ICMA Model Employment Agreement as a related resource for members.
- ICMA Partner — Established the Senior Advisor Program in 1974 with ACMA.
- ICMA Partner — Partners with ICMA for its CoachConnect mentoring program.
- ICMA Partner — Provides resources to assist managers and managers-in-transition through ICMA's programs and benefits.
- International City/County Management Association Network — State affiliate of ICMA, aligning with its mission to support professional local government management.
- International City/County Management Association (ICMA) Partner — Affiliated with ACMA.
- International City/County Management Association (ICMA) Partner — Affiliated with ICMA
- International City/County Management Association (ICMA) Partner — Susan K. Thorpe serves as a Senior Advisor for both ACMA and ICMA.
- League of Arizona Cities and Towns Partner — Staffs ACMA
- League of Arizona Cities and Towns Partner — Staffs ACMA operations.
- League of Arizona Cities and Towns Partner — The namesake of the John J. DeBolske Professional Excellence Award, Jack DeBolske, was the Executive Director of the League of Arizona Cities and Towns for 40 years.
- Mesa Partner — City Manager from Mesa participated in a 1963 meeting hosted by the organization.
- Phoenix Partner — City Manager and Assistant City Manager from Phoenix participated in a 1963 meeting hosted by the organization.
- Prescott Partner — City Manager from Prescott participated in a 1963 meeting hosted by the organization.
- Tempe Partner — Representative from Tempe participated in a 1963 meeting hosted by the organization.
- Tucson Partner — City Manager from Tucson participated in a 1963 meeting hosted by the organization.
- Wickenburg Partner — Representative from Wickenburg participated in a 1963 meeting hosted by the organization.
- Women Leading Government (WLG) Partner — Shares sponsorship opportunities with ACMA
- various public institutions of higher learning in Arizona Partner — Affiliated with ACMA.