MTA's Unique Credentialing Program Sets the Leadership Standard
The Township Governance Academy (TGA) is a unique and valuable credentialing program intended to give township elected and appointed officials and personnel the knowledge and skills needed to make effective decisions for the benefit of their township. It’s designed to professionally challenge you and enhance your experience serving in your township.
Scroll down for more details or download the informational brochure here.
Strengthen your board's financial foundation with MTA's Winter Academy!
This December, MTA can help your board master the fundamentals of township finances, assessing and taxation. Join our Winter Academy at the Bay Pointe Inn in Shelbyville December 8 & 9 for one (or both!) of the courses described below:
F-103: Township Finances (6 TGA credits)
Tues. Dec. 8th ~ 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Includes light breakfast & lunch
We’ll review the board’s role in establishing a powerful budgeting process, techniques for protecting your financial assets, determining the correct amount of reserves and early warning signs of potential financial problems. Fulfills TGA course F-103 (6 credits) and Red Book Ready Chapter 8: Accounting, Budget & Lawful Expenditures.
F-105: Fundamentals of Assessment & Taxation (4 TGA credits)
Wed. Dec. 9th ~ 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Breakfast served at 8 a.m.
From assessment and board of review meetings, all the way to tax collection, it’s essential that board members have an understanding of how the process works. Learn more about the Headlee Amendment and Proposal A, as well as truth-in-taxation, assessing and equalization. Delve into a variety of revenue sources coming into the township, including millages, administrative fees and special assessments. Fulfills TGA course F-105 (4 credits) and Red Book Ready Chapter 10: Assessing & the Board of Review.
Save $50 when you register for both!
Not enrolled in TGA? No worries! These courses are designed for anyone in township governance who wishes to deepen their knowledge and enhance their leadership skills.
Need lodging? Make your lodging reservations with Bay Pointe Inn directly; call (888) GUN-LAKE and reference MTA’s Winter Academy. Reserve by Nov. 7 to secure MTA’s discounted rates!
Download the full brochure here or register online today!
About Township Governance Academy
For hundreds of local officials statewide, MTA’s unique Academy offers new ideas, shares “best practices” in township government and provides a hands-on approach to help leaders deal more 
effectively with everyday issues that township boards face.
Here’s how it works:
The self-paced program consists of 70 required credits, obtained by attending a curriculum of 11 courses and earning electives credits. The coursework is divided into three categories:
- Foundations Courses (28 credits)
- Boardsmanship Courses (24 credits)
- Electives (18 credits)
After completing each course, TGA candidates take what they’ve learned a step further by trying out an idea or concept of their choosing in their township and reporting the results to MTA using the Practical Application Commitment form.
It’s a simple process, but one that helps you apply the knowledge by putting what you’ve learned into action. Project work requires board collaboration: You must be an MTA member affiliated and working cooperatively with your township to enroll and complete the TGA program.
- For the current catalog of upcoming and available TGA courses, click here.
- The entire TGA curriculum is available in our Online Learning Center so you can embark on your journey online, when and where it works best for you! Click here to browse our virtual options.
- Please note that a graduation requirement is to complete at least two of the 11 courses in person. Why? Graduates report that one of the most valuable parts of the program is the connection they develop with their peers in the classroom on their path to graduation—something that simply cannot be replicated online.
- Have you completed TGA courses in the recent past but aren’t yet enrolled? Good news! Credit can be applied retroactively up to six months prior to enrollment, so be sure to take that step soon.
- Ready to enroll? Click the button below or download the fillable application here and mail to MTA.
Still uncertain? Click here for a message from TGA instructor Sue Radwan, who helped MTA design this exciting, innovative credentialing program.
Upcoming TGA Courses
Click here for the current 2026 course catalog.
Earn 3 Elective credits for attending MTA’s fall 2026 Regional Meetings or U.P. North Summit! Details can be found here.
December 8 & 9: Winter Academy at the Bay Pointe Inn, Shelbyville
- F-103: Township Finances (6 credits)
- F-105: Fundamentals of Assessment & Taxation (4 credits)
On-demand Courses: The entire TGA curriculum is available on-demand in MTA’s Online Learning Center. Click here to browse the catalog of virtual classes.
Note: At least two in-person courses are required in order to graduate.
Hoping to graduate in 2027? Click here for next steps.
Searching for TGA Forms?
* Fillable PDF
Join the Graduating Class of 2027!
Think you may be ready to graduate at MTA’s Annual Conference April 19-22, 2027? Here’s a checklist to help you determine your graduation status:
- Have you completed all the required courses in the TGA curriculum, or are you striving to do so by April 1, 2027?
- Have you turned in all of your Practical Application Commitment Forms for each course, including the final version with the “Summary of Results” section filled out? Note: Completed forms are due one month prior to graduation.
- Did you complete at least two of the required TGA courses in person?
- Will you have you earned 18+ elective credits by April 1, 2027?
- Have you started your Final Project?
If your answers are (mostly!) yes, you may be ready to join the elite ranks of TGA Graduates! Contact MTA’s Education Coordinator via phone at (517) 321-6467 ext. 234, or email us to confirm your eligibility or to ask any of your credit-related questions.
