Submit original content for publication on the ICMA Blog.

Share your ideas with fellow ICMA members and local government leaders to advance the profession. We’re seeking thought-provoking, informative, insightful, and actionable content on any of ICMA's priority topics that can help others serve their communities better. Anyone can contribute: city/county managers, senior staff, department specialists, early-career professionals, students, and everyone in-between. All viewpoints are welcome.

Process

  • Submit your idea or draft via ICMA's Content Contributor form, or email to content manager Joe Supervielle at jsupervielle.icma.org.
  • ICMA staff will review and respond with questions or next steps. Response time depends on the volume of submissions.
  • Once a final version is agreed upon, ICMA will perform Chicago Manual of Style copy edits.
  • ICMA will publish as a post on the ICMA Blog, promote on social media, and may include in its Leadership Matters newsletter.

Note that all posts become the property of ICMA upon publication.

Requirements

  • Full name, title, and organization of the author(s), including any relationship with ICMA, i.e., committee membership.
  • Copyright-cleared, high-resolutions lead image 960x540 (or 16 to 9 ratio) attached as a separate file. (ICMA has stock images available as backup.) Optional: Additional high-resolution images included in the text for reference and as original files. Exact dimensions are flexible, but all must be the same width for display purposes.
  • Links as needed: A webinar or event related to the topic, an ICMA committee landing page, external sources members want to share with their peers, i.e., an RFP template or an equity program toolkit.

Word Count

In general, don't worry about word count. Interesting and helpful content for local government professionals is what's important. For reference, 800 to 1,000 is most common, with 500 as a minimum and 1,400 max. Longer posts, or in-depth ideas, can be broken into two parts or even a series of blogs. We can help!

Break the content into sections with section headers or bullet points so it is easier to read.

Two Key Elements

  • An easy-to-remember takeaway for the reader.
  • A compelling call-to-action to close, which is a marketing cliché for “So what?” or “What do you want the reader to do next?”

Best Content Styles

  • Storytelling.
  • Direct knowledge from an established authority.
  • Best practices.
  • Case studies.
  • Practical tips on what has or hasn’t worked.
  • New approaches communities are taking.
  • Visuals. Beyond the mandatory lead image, compelling visuals that reinforce the story.

ICMA Strategic Partners and Sponsored Content

Any submissions from third-party organizations (even if a member is directly involved) likely falls into the category of sponsored content. If there is an existing relationship between ICMA and the outside organization, content may be accepted for the ICMA Blog. In other cases, a paid sponsorship agreement is needed.

Even with a sponsorship, ICMA does not run overly promotional material on its blog. Submissions must be based in thought leadership and be helpful or of interest to our audience of ICMA members and local government leaders.

Sponsored content from external sources will link the organization’s home page at the top of the post and must have no more than one mention of a specific product/service at the end.

Ready to publish with ICMA? Fill out our short Content Contributor form, or send an email to content manager Joe Supervielle at jsupervielle.icma.org.