USAID missions that take advantage of CityLinks can tap into the extraordinary resources of local governments in the United States. U.S. cities and counties offer expertise and experience, credibility, commitment, and creativity. 

Expertise and Experience

Professional local government managers and department heads make cities work. In today’s environment, they are on the front lines when it comes to anticipating the effects of climate change and developing effective sustainability and resiliency strategies to adapt and mitigate those effects. 

A city or county manager is responsible for implementing the policy decisions of local elected officials. To do that, managers must coordinate and oversee such internal functions as finance and personnel and also ensure that public services are delivered effectively and efficiently. At the same time, they must be mindful of local populations who require food and nutrition assistance, and they must provide leadership in sustainability strategies in all municipal service areas. They hire professional department heads with technical expertise to manage these services—water and sanitation, streets and roads, public safety and emergency management, economic development, and environmental management, for example. 

Thus, a professionally managed city in the United States offers an experienced cadre of experts who can share their knowledge and apply it to urban problems in host cities. 

Credibility

Professional managers in U.S. local governments are qualified by education and experience. Members of ICMA are bound by a time-honored Code of Ethics that is diligently enforced by their peers. Most have graduate degrees, and many have earned the ICMA Credentialed Manager designation, which requires annual participation in professional development activities. 

Local government professionals in the United States operate in an environment of transparency—beyond what is required by law. They understand the importance of public trust and strive to maintain it. Many take the initiative to promote codes of ethics and standards of conduct within their organizations. They are fully versed in the practices of open meetings, competitive procurement, and merit-based hiring. They routinely provide information openly to citizens and include citizens in the decisions that affect them through public hearings, focus groups, surveys, and other feedback mechanisms. 

Commitment

Local government professionals could earn far higher salaries in private-sector jobs, but they are motivated in large part by a commitment to public service. In past city-to-city partnerships facilitated by ICMA, U.S. participants have demonstrated a commitment to sharing their knowledge with their international counterparts, leading to the formation of collegial bonds between the partners. One manifestation of their commitment is the willingness of U.S. participants and their local governments to provide their time and expertise on a pro bono basis. 

Each year, ICMA hears examples of city-to-city partnerships that have endured over time. In these cases the U.S. participants have maintained friendships with their international partners and have continued to provide technical expertise and other resources, including donated equipment, long after the funded project ends.

Creativity

Resource limitations are a fact of life for cities worldwide. But limitations often spur bursts of creativity and innovation. ICMA and its partner, the Alliance for Innovation, actively seek out creative approaches to urban problems and share them through publications, conference presentations, and the online Knowledge Network (icma.org/kn). CityLinks participants can draw on this pool of innovations as they work with host cities to develop locally appropriate approaches. 

Innovation is not a one-way street, however. U.S. participants understand that they can also learn from their partner cities, and they bring back different approaches that they can apply at home. They know that colleagues working with few resources have often found creative solutions to problems they share.

Public Diplomacy

In addition to providing a rich pool of talent for international partnerships, U.S. cities offer USAID a venue for public diplomacy and an opportunity to educate the public about the goals of U.S. foreign policy and the agency’s role in carrying it out. When a city agrees to participate, the governing body may pass a resolution of support. Local media generally cover exchange visits with reports, photos, and interviews. Local service organizations and community groups provide a forum for addresses by program participants.