GFOAT Corpus Christi Fall 2026

Local government finance is complicated. Communicating it doesn’t have to be.

Residents may never read a budget document, but they regularly have questions about taxes, rates, spending, infrastructure, services and financial decisions. Sharing the numbers is the starting point. Effective communication adds context and meaning to help people understand what those numbers mean for their community.

This session looks at government finance through a communicator’s lens. Using examples from Texas communities and beyond, we’ll explore how to translate complex financial information without sacrificing accuracy, build financial literacy, choose communication approaches based on what people need to know and use creativity to make financial topics more approachable. We’ll also look at the continuing importance of government websites as the authoritative source for financial information, even as technology is changing how people find answers.

Participants will leave with a practical framework for working with their communications teams to move financial information from numbers to understanding.