Hamilton County, Ohio, was nominated to the 2005 ICMA Annual Awards Program for its Community Revitalization Initiative Strategic Plan. In order to combat inner-ring suburb decline, the county engaged many public, private, and civic sector volunteers to discuss the problems of the older declining communities and devise strategies for solving them. The plan includes a vision statement and six corresponding goal areas: preserve buildings, attract new residents, build a sense of identity, invest in older communities, provide transportation alternatives, and put 21st-century infrastructure in place for business development.