City of Ocala Budget Department Earns Prestigious Distinguished Budget Presentation Award

The City of Ocala is proud to announce that its Budget Department has been awarded the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award by the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA). This honor highlights the City’s dedication to producing a budget that meets the highest standards of clarity, accountability, and strategic planning.

To earn this recognition, the City of Ocala demonstrated proficiency in meeting rigorous, nationally recognized guidelines for effective budget presentation. The guidelines evaluate how well a budget functions as:

• A policy document
• A financial plan
• An operations guide
• A communications device

The award underscores the hard work and dedication of Ocala’s Budget Department in producing a comprehensive and accessible financial plan. The City’s budget was rated “proficient” in all four categories and the 14 mandatory criteria required for this distinction.

The GFOA's Budget Awards Program includes over 1,700 participants, and recipients like the City of Ocala set a benchmark for budgeting excellence across North America. A list of recent award winners and their budget documents is available on the GFOA’s website, showcasing best practices in governmental finance.

The City of Ocala remains committed to upholding these standards of excellence as we plan for a fiscally responsible future that meets the needs of our growing community.

For more information about this award, please contact GFOA’s Technical Services Center at 312-977-9700 or via email at budgetaward@gfoa.org.