Public Management (PM) Magazine relies on article submissions from ICMA members and others in the local government space sharing their expertise. We're searching for interesting and insightful stories on a variety of topics to advance professional local government thought leadership.
Access our full editorial guidelines here. Article pitches and submissions can be sent to Kerry Hansen, senior managing editor, at khansen@icma.org.
Check out the PM Editorial Calendar for 2025:
JANUARY: YOUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT CAREER
Leadership, career development, career transitions
Deadline for article submissions: November 1, 2024
FEBRUARY: COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT & STABILITY
Tactics and challenges, placemaking, polarity management
Deadline for article submissions: December 1, 2024
MARCH: FINANCE & BUDGETING
Innovations in finance management and budget preparation, strategic planning
Deadline for article submissions: January 1, 2025
APRIL: COUNTY MANAGEMENT
Issues and challenges impacting the management of counties
Deadline for article submissions: February 1, 2025
MAY: MENTAL HEALTH
Prioritizing/destigmatizing mental health for local government leaders and their communities,
digital supplement on racial equity and social justice
Deadline for article submissions: March 1, 2025
JUNE: INSIDE ICMA
Exploring membership benefits, training and education offerings, leadership opportunities
Deadline for article submissions: April 1, 2025
JULY: CLIMATE CHANGE & SUSTAINABILITY
Adapting to climate change, recycling strategies, environmental justice, brownfields
Deadline for article submissions: May 1, 2025
AUGUST: COUNCIL–MANAGER FORM OF GOVERNMENT
Advocacy, ethical leadership
Deadline for article submissions: June 1, 2025
SEPTEMBER: ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Thriving economies, shared mobility, housing, decreasing inequities
Deadline for article submissions: July 1, 2025
OCTOBER: INSPIRING LEADERS & INNOVATIVE COMMUNITIES
Stories of ICMA award recipients and award-winning communities
Deadline for article submissions: August 1, 2025
NOVEMBER: LOCAL GOVERNMENT WORKFORCE
Trends and challenges, hiring and retention, performance management
Deadline for article submissions: September 1, 2025
DECEMBER: PUBLIC SAFETY & EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
Leadership during a crisis, police/fire/EMS services, disaster preparedness, public health
Deadline for article submissions: October 1, 2025
Regular Monthly Departments:
- Ethics Matter!
- Letter from the CEO/Executive Director
- IDEALS (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, Leadership, Social Justice)
- Women in Leadership
- Assistants and Deputies
- Tech Updates
Frequent Topics:
- Global engagement
- AI and cybersecurity
- Gnarly/wicked issues
- Small towns and rural communities
- Innovation