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Membership

ICMA Service Awards

Service awards recognize and honor ICMA members' dedication to public service and professional management at the local level.

ICMA Service Awards are based on the total years of full-time, paid employment in a local government. They are granted at 10 and 20 years of local government service. After 20 years, awards are presented in five-year increments.

Who is eligible to receive a service award?

Any Full member who has been a member of ICMA for a minimum of five years is eligible. Dues payments must be current.

When are they presented?

They are presented every fall at the ICMA Annual Conference. Members receiving awards for 25 years of service are recognized from a reserved seating section of the audience during a special ceremony at the closing session of the conference.

Members receiving awards for 30 years or more of local government service will be recognized individually on stage. The awards are mailed after the conference.

In July, individuals receiving 25-year or higher awards will be invited to the service awards ceremony. RSVPs must be submitted by July 31. Due to increasing numbers, RSVPs cannot be accepted after July 31 or at the conference.

How do I know if I am to receive an award?

Each year, ICMA generates a list of members whose records indicate that they will be eligible for service awards at the annual conference. For the calculations, ICMA assumes that members currently employed by a local government will still be working for local government through the end of that calendar year.

Members are asked to review the list and contact awards@icma.org with questions by June 15. List changes cannot be accepted after June 30.

How are service awards calculated?

All full-time appointed service with any type of local government organization counts towards a service award, even if that service was prior to joining ICMA.

How is "local government organization" defined for the purposes of calculation?

It includes virtually any local public entity, including those currently eligible for recognition (i.e., local governments, councils of governments, and state associations of local governments) as well as those that are not eligible for recognition (i.e., special districts and authorities). It also includes time spent on the staff (not as a consultant) of ICMA and such related organizations as the National League of Cities, National Association of Counties, Public Technology Institute, and affiliate international associations.

Is ICMA Member in Transition time included in the calculations?

Yes. Starting in 2004, the time a Corporate member spent as an ICMA Member in Transition (defined as involuntary separation from a CAO or other senior position) will count toward service award eligibility as long as he/she returned to local government employment.

What do the awards look like?

Awards for 10 and 20 years of service are ready-to-frame certificates. Awards for 25 and 30 years are plaques. Awards for 35 years or more vary by year. They include paperweights and other desktop display pieces. 25-year and higher award recipients have the option to choose either a physical award or a Fund for Professional Management contribution made in their name.