Award Categories

Cal Cities Partners Award for Excellence in City-Business Relations

• Partnerships in reviewing and planning community programs and projects
• Collaborative efforts in engaging the leadership of the private, nonprofit, and labor sectors in addressing community problems
• Involvement in the development of effective and respected leaders within the community
• Cooperation in identifying and planning for the future needs of the community
• Innovations in creating a vibrant economic climate that also respects the full spectrum of community needs
• Helps to foster a unique synergy and pride, either citywide or by neighborhood, that translates into a healthy community both economically and culturally

Community Services and Economic Development

• Innovative programs enhancing the community through programs involving libraries, recreation, schools, etc.
• Engagement of community-based organizations
• Volunteer programs
• Services to the young, elderly, disabled, marginalized and newly immigrated
• Programs that advance the economic vitality of the community, including those that anticipate economic development opportunities appropriate for your city

Economic Development through the Arts

• Successful programs that illustrate how investment in the arts has stimulated the local economy through tourism, festivals, and cultural attractions including performing arts
• Innovative arts programs (i.e. music, dance, theatre, visual arts, museums, etc.) that were established through a collaborative partnership
• Adopted city policies or ordinances that integrate the arts and culture into their General Plans, specific plans, or other city council adopted policies

Enhancing Public Trust, Ethics, and Community Involvement

• Promotion and celebration of ethical practices both in city hall and the community
• Procedures, policies and relationships that demonstrate effective and respectful deliberation and handling of public issues
• Structural arrangements that enhance efficient anticipation and processing of the public's business
• New and risk-taking programs and policies that promote community involvement in public decision making
• Successful efforts that encouraged diversity among civic programs and policies that promoted public trust in city government; ethics in public office; and programs/policies that foster civic pride among all sectors of communities including the youth, seniors, businesses, non-profits, and those with special needs
• Development of civic leadership skills and resources among all groups in the city
• Collaboration with local media to ensure awareness of key issues and situations in the city

Health and Wellness Programs

• Innovative programs pertaining to the health and wellness of city residents
• Health and wellness programs that are collaborative with other public and non-profit agencies and the private sector
• Innovative planning efforts to promote city design that encourages healthy lifestyles

Housing Programs and Innovations

• Proven programs that deliver needed affordable housing
• Procedures that support development of housing at all economic levels appropriate for a city
• Innovative housing designs that are conducive to good land use planning and jobs balance, while preserving natural resources
• Planning that is supportive of sound, healthy, safe and community-oriented neighborhoods.
• Innovations in design, density, infrastructure, public services and effective creative financing
• Programs that are collaborative with other public and non-profit agencies and the private sector

Intergovernmental Collaboration

Programs that demonstrate innovative but replicable examples of collaboration among cities, counties, schools and/or special districts in service to children and families.

• Joint provision of public services
• Joint use of public facilities
• Using alternative methods to work through intergovernmental disputes
• Efforts to seek public input on cross jurisdictional issues
• Joint study sessions that lead to collaborative joint policymaking processes

Internal Administration

• Promotion of positive workplace atmosphere and employee morale
• Efficiencies in fiscal aspects of operations
• Demonstrated effectiveness in communicating information on the condition of a city's finances and fiscal condition
• Innovative budgeting providing optimum use of resources
• Public records access and clarity
• Innovative use or development of technology for internal administration or public service
• Improvements in communications and information management

Planning and Environmental Quality

• Sound long-term strategic planning, systems and policies to meet anticipated needs
• Innovative planning and land use programs
• Education and involvement of the public in the planning process
• Programs that strive to balance conflicting interests in land use
• Activities that best balance the needs of people with respect for the physical environment, consider the needs of the locality and the region, and plan ahead for the needs of the future
• Environmental quality preservation and enhancement
• Effective and appropriate use of natural resources

Public Safety

• Crime and fire prevention efforts
• Citizen information and training
• Disaster preparedness and homeland security
• Crisis response programs
• Physical and mental health support and emergency medical services
• Juvenile delinquency prevention and rehabilitation programs

Public Works, Infrastructure, Transportation

• Proven programs that provide for the economical development and maintenance of public works facilities and infrastructure
• Effective public transportation systems, streets and roads
• Outstanding management of innovative public works programs
• Demonstrate examples of resident involvement or community agency cooperation and partnerships that have improved planning or delivery of services

Ruth Vreeland Award for Engaging Youth in City Government

• Youth commissions that have maintained active and diverse youth involvement and that have provided young people with a real voice in their city's public decision making
• Collaborative efforts between cities and other agencies (schools, public agencies, non-profits, churches, and private) to inform and engage youth about city issues and their community
• Promotion of understanding of local government by young people; their own roles and responsibilities as citizens; and their engagement in the community in ways that advance this understanding and benefit the community
• Improvements in how the student community functions in terms of attitude, involvement, knowledge and the skills of good citizenship