The City of Knoxville has again been recognized by its North American peers for leading by example and effectively and openly presenting its budget. The Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) has presented the City’s Finance Department with its 35th Distinguished Budget Presentation Award.

The City has received the prestigious award 34 years in a row, dating back to 1989.

In receiving the award, Knoxville satisfied established peer-reviewed guidelines that are designed to assess how well a budget serves as a policy document, a financial plan, an operations guide and as a means of communications.

The GFOA awards are challenging to earn. Fellow financial planners closely scrutinize the City’s work and hold the Finance Department staff to rigorous high standards.

“The GFOA is hardly a household name, but to me and my staff, this award means a lot,” City Chief Financial Officer Boyce Evans said. “It’s a testament to the professionalism of the Finance Department staff, but also, it speaks volumes about the City’s culture and our commitment to transparency.”

The award reflects the City’s commitment to meeting the highest principles of governmental budgeting, according to GFOA. That, in turn, City officials say, promotes engagement and dialogue with City residents and stakeholders as financial decisions are made together as a community.