The Center for State and Local Government Excellence Inc

What it reported doing in 2020

Research -a nationally recognized research center serving the information needs of state and local government officials, the media, the academic community, and other stakeholders with research on retirement, health & wellness, and public workforce topics:1. Published 19 research reports and infographics: - retirement: - an introduction to police and fire pensions (feb 2020), with the support of icma-rc. - have localities shifted away from traditional defined benefit plans? (apr 2020), with the support of icma-rc. - 2020 update: market decline worsens the outlook for public plans (may 2020), with the support of icma-rc. - the status of local government pension plans in the midst of covid-19 (aug 2020), with the support of icma-rc. - health and wellness benefits: - use of individual medicare marketplaces for public sector retiree health care: a guide for elected officials (mar 2020) and webinar (3/16/20), with the support of willis towers watson. - survey results - a focus on public sector financial wellness programs: employee needs and preferences (apr 2020) and webinar (4/22/20), with the support of the wells fargo foundation. - case studies of successful local government financial wellness programs (oct 2020), with the support of the wells fargo foundation. - a guide to local government and military partnerships in public health (jun 2020), with the support of the center for sharing public health services/Kansas health institute. - financial wellness programs for state and local employees: a quick reference guide (jul 2020), in collaboration with ipma-hr and nast, with the support of the wells fargo foundation. - financial wellness fact sheet series (oct 2020), in collaboration with ipma-hr and nast, with the support of the wells fargo foundation. - workforce: - primer: how does the public health workforce compare with the broader public sector? (mar 2020) and webinar (4/3/20), with the support of the de beaumont foundation. - successful collaborations between local government and public health: exploring multisector partnerships to improve population health (nov 2020) and webinar (11/17/20), with the support of the de beaumont foundation. - state and local government workforce: 2020 survey (apr 2020) and webinar (5/14/20), in collaboration with ipma-hr and naspe, with the support of icma-rc. - survey results - k-12 public school employees and views on retirement (jun 2020), and webinar (8/26/20), in collaboration and with the support of icma-rc. - survey findings: public sector employee views on finances and employment outlook due to covid-19, infographic (jun 2020), and webinar (6/18/20), in collaboration and with the support of icma-rc. - k-12 education employee views on covid-19 infographic (aug 2020), in collaboration and with the support of icma-rc. - african american state and local government employees: views on covid-19 infographic (sep 2020), in collaboration and with the support of icma-rc. - infographic: state and local government employment (nov 2020), in collaboration and with the support of icma-rc.2. Added fy2019 data to the public plans database (ppd), which is updated quarterly with data from plans that released their comprehensive annual financial reports in the previous quarter. The free, interactive database (publicplansdata.org)-a joint project with boston college center for retirement research and the national association of state retirement administrators-was expanded from 190 to 200 state and local pension plans (118 state-run and 82 locally-run), comprising 95 percent of public plan membership and assets nationwide.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 100%; rating input score 100
• Program expense ratio: 86.2%; rating input score 86
• Fundraising efficiency: $32.54 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 67; 67th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: 2 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 33
  • Compensation committee: Missing
  • Independent consultant: Missing
  • Other Form 990s reviewed: Pass
  • Written employment contract: Missing
  • Compensation survey or study: Missing
  • Board or committee approval: Pass
• Foreign activity oversight: Limited
• Grant itemization coverage: 100%; rating input score 100; 74th percentile among comparable filings
• Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
• Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 7 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 78
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Pass
  • Document-retention policy: Pass
  • CEO compensation review process: Fail
  • Other executive compensation review process: Fail
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Pass
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

• Operating margin: -54.7%; rating input score 2; 2nd percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 0; rating input score 0; 0th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: Limited
• Officer compensation ratio: 24.9%; rating input score 11; 11th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 2.6% per year; rating input score 100; 45th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 0.1% per year; rating input score 100; 24th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: -0.8% per year; rating input score 0; 19th percentile among comparable filings