Contact: Michele Frisby, Director, Public Information, mfrisby@icma.org, 202-962-3658

To gain further insight into the practices, policies, programs and partnerships that communities in the United States undertake under the umbrella of “smart city initiatives,” ICMA, the International City/County Management Association, has partnered with the Smart Cities Council (SCC) to conduct a first-ever national research study of the topic. The survey will be administered to 3,428 communities this month, with results available in August 2016.

ICMA is second only to the federal government in the collection, analysis, and dissemination of research focused on issues related to local government management. Through expansive partnerships with local governments, federal agencies, nonprofits, and philanthropic funders, the organization gathers information on topics such as sustainability, housing, aging communities, economic development, homeland security, and alternative service delivery, as well as performance measurement and management data on a variety of local government services—all of which support related training, education, and technical assistance.

As producer of the internationally recognized Smart Cities Readiness Guide and Smart Cities Week, which attracts thousands of stakeholders to Washington, D.C. each year, SCC will assist ICMA members and other local government employees and stakeholders in better understanding how communities use smart technology to enhance their livability, workability, and sustainability.  SCC joins ICMA’s Strategic Partners Program as an executive-level partner and as such will gain the opportunity to showcase leading practice solutions and thought leadership in the area of smart technologies to local government leaders.

“Infrastructure improvement and development and community sustainability are priorities for local governments and the ICMA members who lead them, so teaming up with the Smart Cities Council right now makes perfect sense,” said Robert J. O’Neill, Jr., executive director of ICMA. “SCC aggregates a global wealth of smart technologies and solutions from which our members can benefit.”

“We look forward to engaging with the ICMA membership and supporting them with educational resources and practical tools to further their smart cities initiatives—from energy and water to telecommunications and transportation,” said SCC Chairman Jesse Berst. “The Council’s expertise with integrating technology into new and existing infrastructure to improve efficiencies and citizen access will undoubtedly be a huge benefit to ICMA members and their communities."

The 2016 Smart Cities Survey will examine a number of important research questions related to local government smart city activities, including:

• What are the top local government priorities for livability, workability, and sustainability?
• How are communities currently using smart technologies to achieve their goals?
• How are communities currently identifying and implementing smart city technology projects?
• What drives communities to the use of smart city technologies and what are barriers to their use?
• How are communities collaborating around smart cities initiatives?
• In what other ways can local governments leverage smart technologies to enhance the quality of life in their communities?

The Smart Cities Survey will be administered to chief administrative officers in U.S. local governments with populations of 25,000 or greater in April 2016 and will close by August 2016. Once analyzed, the results will be disseminated broadly.

About ICMA
ICMA, the International City/County Management Association advances professional local government management worldwide. Our mission is to create excellence in local governance by developing and advancing professional management to create sustainable communities that improve lives worldwide. ICMA provides member support; publications; data and information; peer and results-oriented assistance; and training and professional development to more than 10,000 city, town, and county experts and other individuals and organizations throughout the world. The management decisions made by ICMA's members affect millions of individuals living in thousands of communities, from small villages and towns to large metropolitan areas.

About the Smart Cities Council
The Smart Cities Council (SCC) is a global coalition of the world’s foremost smart city practitioners. It envisions a world where digital technology and intelligent design have been harnessed to create smart, sustainable cities with high-quality living and high-quality jobs that are livable, workable, and sustainable. The Council, which has worked on more than 11,000 smart city projects since 2010, is comprised of more than 45 member companies advised by more than 80 independent organizations, including 11 universities from 7 countries as well as national laboratories, standards bodies, climate advocacy groups, and development banks. Collectively, the Council’s members and advisors employ more than 1.5 million people worldwide.