Media Contact: Jennifer Ciaccia | 216-250-5863, jciaccia@cuyahogacounty.gov

Cuyahoga County, OH - Cuyahoga County has been awarded three 2026 Achievement Awards from the National Association of Counties (NACo). The awards honor innovative, effective county government programs that strengthen services for residents. This year, the Cuyahoga County Taxpayer Assistance Program earned NACO’s Best in Category distinction, a recognition awarded to just 18 programs nationwide. In addition, the County received Achievement Awards for the Online Bail Posting Project and the Post Adoption Card Scanning Project.

“National recognition from NACo underscores the supportive work being done across Cuyahoga County every day,” said Cuyahoga County Executive Chris Ronayne. “These programs solve real challenges for residents, and reflect our commitment to collaboration, innovation, and excellence in government.”

Cuyahoga County Taxpayer Assistance Program

The Cuyahoga County Taxpayer Assistance Program was introduced as a solution to the growing issue of senior homeowners struggling to keep their homes due to financial and economic challenges. The program simultaneously helps seniors manage their tax burden and supports them with financial counseling to develop a plan for long-term home stability.

“Our Taxpayer Assistance Program was created to give seniors the tools and support they need in order to navigate financial challenges and hold onto the homes they know and love,” said Cuyahoga County Treasurer Brad Cromes. “We are proud to see this program recognized for its impact on our residents Countywide.”

Cuyahoga County Online Bond Posting Project

Traditionally, securing a bond has meant taking time out to visit an agency’s office, filling out paperwork, and waiting for approval. In an effort to ease the burden for those posting bonds and for those managing the process, Cuyahoga County's Clerk of Courts recently introduced the Online Bond Posting option, the first of its kind in the state of Ohio.

Cuyahoga County Post Adoption Card Scanning Project

The Post Adoption Card Scanning Project is an initiative that was introduced to preserve and manage many thousands of adoption records that had accumulated over nearly 100 years. These records have been stored in a variety of filing formats over the years. The collaborative effort between the County's Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Information Technology resulted in the development of a secure, searchable digital system that now safeguards the records.

Cuyahoga County is deeply appreciative of this recognition from NACo and proud to see our innovative programs celebrated at a national level.

Each year, NACo’s Achievement Awards recognize outstanding programming in 18 categories aligned with the vast, comprehensive services counties provide. The categories include children and youth, criminal justice and public safety, libraries, management, information technology, health, civic engagement and more. Launched in 1970, the program is designed to celebrate innovation in county government. Each nominated program is judged on its own merits and not against other applications.