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NEWS
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Many Winning Communities Attract Companies, Jobs, and Strengthen Tax BaseDENVER - Is your community an All-America City? If you earn this prestigious designation, it could generate powerful economic benefits for your local economy. The All-America-City Award is the oldest and most prestigious community recognition event in the country. The Award recognizes exceptional grassroots community problem-solving and is earned by communities that work cooperatively to tackle challenges and achieve results. "We have created an average of 1,000 new manufacturing jobs per year since winning the All-America City award in 1989," said Shane Homan, vice president of the Chamber of Commerce in Tupelo, Mississippi. "Our service sector jobs have grown equally as fast. The Award validates our community's quality of life and is used proudly in all of our economic development and corporate recruitment efforts." Since 1949, the All-America City Award has encouraged, and recognized, civic excellence. It honors communities of all sizes - cities, towns, counties, neighborhoods and regions - in which citizens, government, businesses and volunteer organizations work together to address critical local issues. Communities that meet challenges in innovative and collaborative ways can become an All-America City. "It's been described as 'a Nobel prize for constructive citizenship,'"
said Christopher T. Gates, President of the National Civic League. "That's
how George H. Gallup, the famous pollster and one of the Award's founders,
described the All-America City Award 50 years ago. That description
holds true today." "Since winning the award in 1990, 71 companies have relocated here, bringing in 3,900 new jobs as of 2003. These new jobs are generating an annual payroll of more than $100 million," said Paul Anderson, Chair of Jobs Plus, in Coeur d' Alene, Idaho. "The Award gave us the credibility and pride to encourage these companies to relocate." The National Civic League is now accepting applications for the 2004 Award. Since 1949, more than 500 communities in all but two states have earned this prestigious status. Cities, towns, neighborhoods, counties and regions are encouraged to apply. Applications are due March 11, 2004. The 30 finalists will be announced April 12, 2004, and will advance to the 55th Annual All-America City Awards ceremony in Atlanta, Georgia, June 10-12, 2004, where 10 winners will be selected after making presentations to a national panel of judges from all sectors of society. For more information, or to receive an application for the 2004 All-America City Award, contact Gary Chandler at the National Civic League. Call 303-571-4343, or write to gchandler@ncl.org. Applications and information also can be accessed at www.ncl.org/aac/. The National Civic League (NCL) is one of the leading proponents of
citizen democracy in the United States. Founded in 1894 by Theodore
Roosevelt and other government reformers, it is a nonprofit, nonpartisan
organization dedicated to building community and promoting political
reform at the local level. NCL accomplishes its mission through facilitating
community processes and conducting and publishing research on political
reform and community building. Through its All-America City Award program,
NCL also celebrates community engagement efforts across the nation.
2004 All-America City Award
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