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Financial Transparency and Communicating With Citizens Ann Ebberts, PMP AGA CEO May 2018

Financial Transparency and Communicating With Citizens Ann Ebberts, PMP AGA CEO May 2018. AGENDA - Transparency Driven by Legislation - Data – What is It Good For? - Communicating with Citizens. Transparency ….

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Financial Transparency and Communicating With Citizens Ann Ebberts, PMP AGA CEO May 2018

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  1. Financial Transparency and Communicating With Citizens Ann Ebberts, PMP AGA CEO May 2018

  2. AGENDA- Transparency Driven by Legislation- Data – What is It Good For?- Communicating with Citizens

  3. Transparency … • Definitions include words like: openness, accountability, straightforwardness and candor • Aspects of transparency relevant to management practice: • information disclosure • clarity, and • accuracy Transparency is not an end in itself, but a tool that helps improve outcomes.

  4. http://analytics.usa.gov 4/24/2018

  5. Transparency Driven By Legislation

  6. Public Sentiment • Public opinion of federal government is low • Citizens can’t find reliable information • “How much money is being spent? • “What are we getting for our tax dollars?” • Government financial reports are hard to understand

  7. Federal Legislation 1990 – The Chief Financial Officers Act • Created OMB positions for the Deputy Director of Management and the Controller • Provide for improvement of systems of accounting, financial management, and internal controls to assure the issuance of reliable financial information and to deter fraud, waste, and abuse • Provide for the production of complete, reliable, timely, and consistent financial information for use by the executive branch of the Government and the Congress

  8. Associated Federal Legislation • 1993 - Government Performance and Results Act • 1996 - Federal Financial Management Improvement Act • 2002 - Improper Payments Information Act • 2006 - Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act • 2009 - The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act • 2010 - Improper Payments Elimination and Recovery Act • 2011 - Government Performance and Results Modernization Act • 2013 - Improper Payments Elimination and Recovery Improvement Act • 2014 - Digital Accountability and Transparency Act • 2014 - Government Reports Elimination Act • 2015 - Fraud Reduction and Data Analytics Act • 2016 - Grants Oversight and New Efficiency Act • 2016 - Program Management Improvement and Accountability Act

  9. AGA Picture

  10. USA Spending.gov • USASpending.gov

  11. www.USAspending.gov – FY17 Total Spending

  12. USASpending.gov FY 18 Spending (Q1)

  13. https://datalab.usaspending.gov/contract-explorer.html

  14. https://fedspendingtransparency.github.io/data-lab/

  15. All USDA WorkforceUSDA Accounting & Budget

  16. www.USAspending.gov – FY17 Total Spending a

  17. FY 17 -- Total Spending Per Capita

  18. FY 17 – Per Capita . . . . Some Details

  19. DATA . . . What Is It Good For?

  20. Walking in the rain

  21. Examples of Users of Financial Data: USAFACTS.org Truth in Accounting

  22. USA Facts

  23. Our Nation in Numbers

  24. Some Findings from the Survey: • Americans are numbers junkies and 88% prefer fact and figures, in an analyzed form (not raw data) • Americans have little trust in the data they see from state, local or federal governments, yet believe elected officials should use data to inform decision making • 88% believe a single source of information is critical to an informed debate • People are interested in how they personally compare with others: • Salaries for job categories and in certain locations, housing prices, tax rates, availability of services, etc.

  25. Harris Poll

  26. Truth in Accounting (TIA): “Financial State of the States – 2016” • www.truthinaccounting.org • www.statedatalab.org • Report released September 2017 • $1.5 T in unfunded debt, $832.6 B in pension debt

  27. 50 State Ranking • Burden Grades: • A: Surplus >$10K • B: $100 – 10K • C: $0 - $4,900 • D: $5K - $20K • F: > $20K

  28. Timely or Tardy? Days after end of Fiscal Year End: “Tardy states” did not publish their financial reports within the 180-day deadline. * Alabama and New Mexico had still not published their 2016 CAFRs as of June 30, 2017.

  29. Truth in Accounting (TIA) a: “Financial State of the Cities” www.truthinaccounting.org www.statedatalab.org Released January 2018 • Ranks 75 most populous cities • $335.4B in unfunded debt • $210.7B in pension debt • $119.5B in retiree healthcare • Remaining $ (other post employment benefits)

  30. Truth in Accounting Truth in Accounting (TIA) Washington DC: • Taxpayer Burden: +$1,300 • Grade: B • A surplus!!! • Timely Submission 171 Days • Officials promise only what is affordable • Well-funded pension and retiree healthcare plans

  31. Who Else will Use the Data? • CFOs, auditors, inspectors general…. • Government executives and program managers • State and local policy-makers and managers • Private entrepreneurs • Oversight entities • Academics/ researchers • General public How do (or will) YOU use the data???? • Who Else Will Use the Data?

  32. Communicating with Citizens Communicating with Citizens

  33. USDA -- Seeking Input from Customers, Citizens

  34. Picture of Men entering an AGA Office

  35. Citizen-Centric Reporting (CCR) – since 1997!Fostering innovative means of communication between governments and their citizenry www.agacgfm.org/ccr • “Giving the citizens numbers they can understand.” • -Governing • “A government’s obligation to the people for its actions and use of resources” • - AGA’s definition of accountability . . . Access to spending data is a first step. The CCR provides a next logical step to informing our citizens.

  36. CCR: Page 1 • Vision Statement • Basic demographics • Strategic goals and accomplishments This CCR – Created by AGA’s Government Case Challenge winning team – NC State University! CCR: Page 1

  37. CCR: Page 2 • Key service areas • Progress toward strategic goals or deliverables • Demonstration of accomplishments (2-5 years) for non-financial outcomes CCR: Page 2

  38. CCR: Page 3 • Revenue and cost data for major delivery areas • Well-labeled charts, graphs and tables • Reference audit conducted • Provide URL for more detailed financial information CCR: Page 3

  39. CCR: Page 4 Challenges, moving forward: • Economic changes • Tax cuts or increases • Unemployment • Education • Environmental aspects • Ask for feedback CCR: Page 4

  40. Examples of Federal Agencies that Create CCRs Architect of the Capital Department of Homeland Security Federal Aviation Administration US Patent and Trademark Office

  41. Communicating with Citizens via the CCR • Benefits of creating a CCR for your agency: • Simplicity, clarity of data presentation -- demographics, finances, services, challenges, accomplishments • Clear line of sight from spending to results • Engagement with the public • Send your CCR to AGA to receive comments, suggestions for improvement – ccr@agacgfm.org • AGA recognizes well designed and informative CCRs with an AGA Certificate of Excellence • AGA recently cited by Public Interest Research Group for progressive work with CCR (page 30 of the report) https://uspirgedfund.org/reports/usf/following-money-2018 • Communicating with Citizens via the CCR

  42. Check out AGA’s 2018 Spring Journal • Agile Project Management on Government Finance Projects • Collaboration Between Resourcing and Operations – Keys to Mission Success • The March of the Robots • Applying the Basics of Federal Financial Management to SaaS Delivery Models • Digital Finance – The Robots are Here • The Evolution of Federal Financial Reporting to Digital Financial Reporting . . . and more . . . Check out AGA’s 2018 Spring Journal

  43. What will YOU write about?Submit your article online: www/agacgfm.org/resources • no more than 2,500 words; • original work • accompanied by a 50-word (or fewer) abstract and concise author biographies

  44. FREE AGA Tools for YOU!Tools, Checklists, Guides, Research, ERM Daily Newsfeedand more….Visit:www.agacgfm.org/intergov

  45. AGA – Upcoming Events • Professional Development Training – July 22-25, Orlando, FL • More than 90 sessions to choose from ( up to 24 CPEs) • Two Executive sessions: • Sunday Session – Developing Alternative Approaches to Human Capital Challenges • New “Tech Tuesday”– Executives Explore Technology Initiatives, Challenges and Successes in Gov’t • Internal Control & Fraud Prevention – Sept 21-22, Wash DC • Two days – Successful approaches to big problems

  46. Reach to me – Ann Ebberts aebberts@agacgfm.orgCheck out our website: www.agacgfm.org

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