Clay County Earns GFOA Award for Outstanding Achievement in Popular Annual Financial Reporting

Clay County, Missouri — Clay County has received the Government Finance Officers Association’s (GFOA) Award for Outstanding Achievement in Popular Annual Financial Reporting (PAFR Award) for its 2024 Popular Annual Financial Report.

The award recognizes governments that produce high-quality financial reports designed to communicate complex financial information in a clear, accessible, and reader-friendly format for the public. Clay County’s report was evaluated on criteria including reader appeal, understandability, creativity, distribution methods, and overall effectiveness in communicating the County’s financial story.

The Popular Annual Financial Report (PAFR) is intended to provide residents with a concise and understandable summary of the County’s financial condition and operations. The award reflects Clay County’s ongoing commitment to transparency, accountability, and public engagement.

According to GFOA, eligibility for the PAFR Award requires a government to first earn the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting for its Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR). Clay County recently received its first-ever Certificate of Achievement for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2024.

With the addition of the PAFR Award, Clay County has now earned GFOA’s “Triple Crown” for fiscal year 2024, which includes:

• The Distinguished Budget Presentation Award
• The Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting
• The Award for Outstanding Achievement in Popular Annual Financial Reporting

The Triple Crown distinction is one of the highest recognitions in governmental finance and budgeting. In 2023, St. Louis County was the only county in Missouri to receive all three awards.

Each eligible PAFR submission is reviewed by an independent panel of judges who assess reports against nationally recognized standards and best practices in governmental financial communication.

About GFOA

The Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) advances excellence in government finance by providing best practices, professional development, resources, and practical research for more than 25,000 members across the United States and Canada.