Latest news with #NationalCivicLeague
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Memphis named finalist for All-America City Award
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Memphis is making a name for itself after being named a finalist for the All-America City Award by the National Civic League. It's one of only 20 cities from across the country up for the honor. For more than seven decades, the National Civic League's All-America City Award has 'celebrated outstanding civic innovation, recognizing communities that harness the power of local collaboration to drive meaningful change.' A delegation of local, civic, non-profit, and community leaders will represent the Bluff City this summer in Denver for the next stage of the competition. There, they will present their stories of success and showcase the impact of their initiatives. Highlighted projects include the city's ten-year history of Memphis 3.0, and workforce programs like BDC Business Hub and Moore Tech that create new jobs in the green economy. The 2025 finalists for the title of All-America City include:Akron, OHAlbuquerque, NMAustin, TXCarrboro, NCChelsea, MADelray Beach, FLDenver, COFort Collins, COHampton, MAJacksonville, NCKinston, NCLeominster, MAMemphis, TNPetaluma, CAPort St. Lucie, FLSeattle, WASnyder, TXStatesboro, GATallahassee, FLWestern Riverside Region, CA Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
San Francisco Chronicle
09-05-2025
- Politics
- San Francisco Chronicle
This California region is changing the way America looks at urban governance
The first 19 cities on the list of 20 finalists for this year's All-America City Award, the most prestigious prize in local governance, were no surprise: big, growing cities like Denver, Seattle, Austin, Texas, and distinguished small towns such as Petaluma and Statesboro, Ga. But at the very bottom of the roster sat a puzzle: ' Western Riverside Region, California.' There is no municipality in the state by that name. That's because Western Riverside is not a city. It's an organization of municipalities and other local governments, known as a COG, or council of governments. Its inclusion on the list may be historic. While local regions and counties have won the All-America City Award, the National Civic League, which hands out the award, is unaware of a council winning before. Western Riverside's selection as a finalist also points to the future. As national governments are consumed by political conflict, they neglect bigger problems like climate change, disease, corruption and inequality. So, the work of handling these difficulties falls to local governments. But local governments often lack the capacity to address such big problems. In response, local governments around the world are collaborating to build capacity. Which is where a council of governments comes in. COGs are voluntary associations that assist member local governments with planning, coordination and technical assistance on issues that cross jurisdictional lines. There are 23 council of governments in California. Some of them —particularly the Association of Bay Area Governments, Southern California Association of Governments and San Diego Association of Governments — are well-known for transportation planning. The Western Riverside Council of Governments does not draw as much notice as these COGs. But it has contributed significantly to one of the fastest-growing regions in 21st century California. Western Riverside provides a 'collective voice' for the county government, two regional water districts, the county schools superintendent and 18 demographically and politically diverse cities. The municipalities range from young Eastvale and Jurupa Valley in the county's northwest corner to Temecula on the San Diego County border. If Western Riverside's 527-square-mile region were one city, it would have more than 2 million people, making it the second most populous municipality in California and the fifth most populous in the country. This growth might not have occurred without the COG, which was formed to restore the Inland Empire's economy and improve planning during a severe recession in the early 1990s. One challenge was making room for the Stephens' kangaroo rat, a Western Riverside native, which was listed as an endangered species in 1988. Combined with the recession, new legal protections for the rat had drastically slowed development in the area. Through the COG, governments came together to establish a county habitat conservation agency, which through public forums, created a Stephens' Kangaroo Rat Habitat Conservation Plan. The initiative ultimately protected 46,000 acres from development for the benefit of the rat and for human recreation. The plan also made it easier to build affordable housing and infrastructure in other parts of Western Riverside. The Western Riverside Council of Governments, with a staff of 35, is unusual for the breadth of its programs and its willingness to experiment and innovate to enhance the governing capacity of its member cities. Among its major initiatives are two fellowship programs to produce skilled government workers, particularly in energy and environmental sustainability. The Western Riverside Council of Governments Public Service Fellowship, launched in 2016, places students in city and county agencies and funds up to 100% of their salaries. In 2022, Western Riverside launched a fellowship with the Inland Regional Energy Network to train university and community college students to work for local agencies on municipal energy audits, climate planning and energy-saving measures. Western Riverside also encourages residents to volunteer their time to enhance the government's reach. Its Love Your Neighborhood program has placed over 5,000 volunteers on environmental projects, from community clean-ups to stormwater pollution prevention. Its new Regional Food Rescue Program fights food waste and climate change by enabling direct donations from restaurants and other food-generating businesses to a network of more than 50 food banks and nonprofits. The COG's community engagement and capacity building skills are almost certainly why it was recognized as a finalist by the National Civic League, founded by Louis Brandeis, Teddy Roosevelt and other municipal leaders in 1894. The civic league's All-America City Award recognizes 'communities whose citizens work together to identify and tackle community-wide challenges and achieve uncommon results.' This year's award theme emphasizes 'strengthening environmental sustainability through inclusive community engagement.' Representatives from Western Riverside — and members of its all-female executive team — are expected to join reps of the 19 other finalists to 'present their stories' in late June in Denver, where the All-America City designation will be awarded to 10 cities.
Yahoo
04-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Austin one of 20 finalists for environmental sustainability innovation award
AUSTIN (KXAN) — Austin was named as a finalist for an award that recognizes innovative efforts to strengthen environmental sustainability through community engagement. The city of Austin was one of 20 finalists for the 2025 National Civic League's All-America City Award. According to the city, its Climate Equity Plan, which included contributions from more than 200 community members and organizations, contributed to the nomination. The city said the plan included: Achieving net-zero community-wide greenhouse gas emissions by 2040 Achieving 90% waste diversion by 2040 Reducing single-occupancy vehicle dependency with plans for a new light rail Expanding Austin Energy's clean energy portfolio Ensuring Austin's water needs are protected amid increasing climate pressures through Austin Water's 100-year plan 'This decade of bold action and innovation demonstrates Austin's dedication to environmental sustainability, resilience, and equity — core values driving our vision for a thriving, inclusive community,' said Austin City Manager T.C. Broadnax. 'As highlighted in our Community Participation framework, Austin's greatest asset is its people: passionate about our city, committed to its improvement, and determined to see this vision become a reality.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
01-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
City of Kinston named finalist for 2025 All-America City Award
KINSTON, N.C. (WNCT) — The City of Kinston has been named one of 20 finalist communities for the prestigious 2025 All-America City Award, a national honor recognizing civic innovation, collaborative leadership, and inclusive community engagement. The award, presented by the National Civic League, celebrates communities that exemplify a shared vision for progress and demonstrate the power of civic capital in tackling pressing challenges. This year's theme, 'Strengthening Environmental Sustainability through Inclusive Community Engagement,' shines a spotlight on local efforts to advance climate resilience, protect natural resources, and empower residents in shaping sustainable futures. The All-America City Award, established in 1949, is the nation's longest-running civic recognition program. Kinston previously received the honor in 1988 and 2009, and now has a chance to bring the title back home in 2025. The winners will be announced at the national event this June in Denver. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
