For Immediate Release                                                                                  
Denver, Colorado
March 31, 2009
Contact: Mike McGrath
mikem@ncl.org
303 571 4343

Finalists Named for 2009 All-America City Award

Denver, Colorado--The National Civic League today announced the finalists in the 60th annual All-America City Awards competition, which will be held June 17-19 in Tampa, Florida.  The honor is given to ten winners each year for outstanding civic accomplishments.   This year’s finalists have created jobs, revitalized their downtowns, and reduced crime, among other accomplishments.

“The All-America City Award (AAC) is like a civic ‘Oscar’ for communities of all sizes,” said National Civic League President Gloria Rubio-Cortés. “It’s unique because it recognizes the efforts of entire communities.  AACs demonstrate inclusiveness, collaboration, civic engagement, and innovation.”

An All-America City has a proven capacity for community-based problem solving, grassroots civic engagement and cooperation between sectors (public, private and nonprofit). To become a finalist, each participant completed an application documenting three community projects that address local challenges such as job creation/economic development, environmental sustainability, neighborhood revitalization and disaster recovery.

Listed alphabetically by state are the 2009 finalists:

Phoenix, Arizona                        Windsor Heights, Iowa                Toledo, Ohio
Fort Smith, Arkansas                 Wichita, Kansas                          Wooster, Ohio
Inglewood, California                 Pocomoke City, Maryland          Toledo, Oregon
Rancho Cordova, California      Rockville, Maryland                   Erie, Pennsylvania
Windsor, Colorado                     Salisbury, Maryland                    Providence, Rhode Island
Tampa, Florida                           Somerville, Massachusetts         Chattanooga, Tennessee
Bensenville, Illinois                   Belton, Missouri                           Rowlett, Texas
Carbondale, Illinois                   Albany, New York                        Caroline County, Virginia
Fort Wayne, Indiana                 Benson, North Carolina
Richmond, Indiana                    Kinston, North Carolina
South Bend, Indiana                 Clinton, North Carolina
Des Moines, Iowa                     Statesville, North Carolina

The June 17-19 awards program will be an excellent opportunity for journalists and broadcasters who cover government, business, schools, crime, or neighborhood/community issues to catch up on the latest strategies for local problem solving.

 “This year is the 60th Anniversary of the All-America City Awards.  We are inviting all former winners (more than 500 of them) to come to the event in Tampa to be recognized, and to share their lessons learned and community stories with their peers,” noted Rubio-Cortés.

During the three-day competition, a delegation from each community will present its challenges and solutions to a jury of national experts from across the United States. At least one community project must focus on the needs of young people.

The 2009 awards program will feature Innovation Forums to promote peer-to-peer dialogues among the finalist communities and regional and national leaders.  Topical dialogues and panel discussions on “green” solutions, immigrant integration, race relations, and economic recovery strategies will be featured, along with a planning session for future AAC alumni activities.
The All-America City Award is an honor achieved by more than 500 neighborhoods, villages, towns, cities, counties, and regions across the country.   Some have won the award multiple times. 

This year’s AAC Awards are sponsored in part by Prudential, MWH Global, Inc.,  Mile High United Way, Jones Day, Southern California Edison, Southwest Airlines (The Official Airline of the AAC Awards), Tampa Marriott Waterside Hotel and Marina (The Sole Official Headquarters Hotel of the AAC Awards) and Marriott International. 

Headquartered in Denver, Colorado, the National Civic League strengthens democracy by increasing the capacity of our nation’s people to fully participate in and build healthy and prosperous communities across America.  Founded in 1894 by Theodore Roosevelt and other government reformers, NCL is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that accomplishes its mission through training, technical assistance, publishing, facilitating community-wide strategic planning and awards programs. It publishes research on government structures and reform and community building innovation (The National Civic Review, Civic Index, and 8th Edition of the Model City Charter). In addition to the All-America City Awards, NCL conducts the MetLife Foundation Ambassadors in Education Awards to be announced in April. 

For more information on NCL and its programs, visit www.ncl.org