Shayne Kavanagh

Shayne is the Senior Manager of Research for GFOA and has been a leader in developing the technique of long-term financial planning and policies for local government. He started GFOA's long-term financial planning and policy consulting offering in 2002 and has been working with governments on financial planning and policies ever since. Most recently, Shayne has pioneered the use of computer simulation to “stress test” the long-term financial position of local governments.

Shayne has worked with many governments of different sizes and types on financial planning and policies across the United States and Canada. His work with local governments has earned him a fellowship with the National Academy of Public Administration, a position on the board of advisors for the University of Chicago’s Center for Municipal Finance, and recognition as one of the 100 most influential people in local government by Engaging Local Government Leaders. In 2024, he received the S. Kenneth Howard Award from the Association of Budgeting and Financial Management to honor lifetime achievement by a practitioner in the field of budgeting and financial management.

Shayne's financial planning experience also drives his research at GFOA. He is the author of a number of influential publications on financial planning, including:

• Financial Foundations for Thriving Communities, GFOA’s most complete guidance for how to achieve and maintain the financial health of local governments.

• The leading and highly regarded book about long-term financial planning in local government, Financing the Future.

• Financial Policies: Design and Implementation, GFOA's flagship publication on the topic.

• Informed Decision-Making through Forecasting: A Practitioner’s Guide to Revenue Analysis

• A number of articles on long-term financial planning, financial policies, budget reform, and other related topics for magazines including Government Finance Review, Public Management, School Business Affairs, and Public CIO.

Prior to joining GFOA, Shayne was the Assistant Village Manager for the Village of Palos Park, Illinois, where he was responsible for managing all aspects of financial management operations, including budgeting, utility billing, payroll, and accounting. He received his MPA degree from Northern Illinois University.