Montgomery earns national recognition for FY2026 budget

The City of Montgomery announced Monday that it has earned the Government Finance Officers Association’s Distinguished Budget Presentation Award for its Fiscal Year 2026 budget, receiving the national recognition on its first submission to the program.

The city said the award marks a milestone in its efforts to strengthen financial transparency and accountability. For fiscal year 2026, the city’s Finance Department developed a more comprehensive budget document and submitted it for independent evaluation against the GFOA’s nationally recognized standards for governmental budgeting for the first time.

Montgomery met those standards on its first attempt.

To receive the award, the city’s budget had to demonstrate proficiency as a policy document, financial plan, operations guide and communications device while satisfying all 14 mandatory criteria established by the GFOA.

“This recognition is especially meaningful because this was our first time pursuing it,” Mayor Steven L. Reed said. “Our Finance team set a higher standard for how we present the City’s finances, put that work before independent evaluators and earned national recognition on the first submission. More importantly, residents now have a more transparent and useful resource for understanding how their City invests public dollars.”

Montgomery’s fiscal year 2026 budget book represents a significant expansion in how the city presents financial and operational information. The document includes the city’s strategic plan, budgeting process and calendar, financial policies, demographic information, departmental budgets and objectives, staffing information, funding sources, debt information and capital improvement planning.

“This was a team effort that required tremendous attention to detail and a commitment to presenting the City’s finances in a way that meets the highest professional standards,” Chief Financial Officer Betty P. Beville said. “We are proud of this recognition, but even more importantly, we are proud of what this document provides to our residents and our organization.”

The GFOA Budget Awards Program includes more than 1,900 participants. According to the GFOA, award recipients represent governments working to improve the quality of budgeting and serve as examples for governments throughout North America.

Montgomery is among a small group of Alabama governments receiving the award during this cycle.

The city’s 2026 Budget Book is available online.