The National Civic League recognizes ten communities each year for outstanding civic accomplishments. To win, each community must demonstrate innovation, inclusiveness, civic engagement, and cross sector collaboration by describing successful efforts to address pressing local challenges. More than 600 communities have won the award, some as many as five times. All-America Cities have shown the ability to innovate in such areas as job creation, neighborhood revitalization, crime reduction, new housing for low income people, improving education, and engaging youth.

The award program was founded in 1949 when a newspaper reporter approached the National Civic League (then known as the National Municipal League) with the idea of naming the 10 best governed cities each year. Instead, the league created a program that recognized cities for civic achievements. Today the award competition is open to neighborhoods, towns, cities, counties and metropolitan regions. In their applications, AAC finalists briefly tell their community stories, list two of their most pressing challenges and three outstanding community projects.

Congratulations to 2014 award winners who have an ICMA member manager or assistant manager:

San Pablo, California, Matt Rodriguez, city manager

Brush! Colorado, Monty K. Torres, city administrator

Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Lee Feldman, city manager

Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Jeffrey A. Pomeranz, city manager

Independence, Oregon, David E. Clyne, city manager

Brownsville, Texas, Ruth Osuna, assistant city manager

Hampton, Virginia, Mary B. Bunting, city manager

Eau Claire, Wisconsin, Russell Van Gompel, city manager.

Read the 2014 All-America Cities summaries. Information on the 2015 All-America City Awards is available on the National Civic League's website.