All-America City Program

The Youth Initiative Challenge

For over 54 years the All-America City Award has encouraged and recognized civic excellence, honoring communities of all sizes (cities, towns, counties, neighborhoods and regions) in which citizens, government, businesses and voluntary organizations work together to address critical local issues. Since 1949, over 500 communities have earned the All-America City designation.

By focusing attention on successful problem solving and community building efforts, the All-America City Award hopes to boost the confidence of public officials and citizens in their own ability to change their communities into better environments for families and children.

As a commitment to America's Promise, the National Civic League has issued the Youth Initiative Challenge. Starting in 1997, NCL has asked that at least one program from each All-America City applicant document ways in which the lives of children and youth have been tangibly improved in the applicant community.

General Colin L. Powell, Chairman of the President's Summit for America's Future has commended the All-America City Award program for focusing on youth initiatives. Powell states, "The goal of America's Promise is to provide two million American youngsters by the year 2000 with the basic resources they need to make it in today's world. There is only one way we can reach that goal and that is by community action at the grassroots level. By issuing their...challenge, ...the National Civic League [has] given our effort a major boost."

Recent winners and finalists of the All-America City Award have risen to the Youth Initiative Challenge. The National Civic League has created this web page so that these communities can teach and inspire communities throughout the nation who are struggling with similar difficult local issues.

Capsule summaries describe the youth initiatives developed by each of the All-America City Award winners and finalists for the last few years.

Each American city has problems, but some have created opportunities for success and developed problem solving strategies that work. Hopefully, this page will help other communities to replicate their successes.

« About the All-America City Program