Overview | Grant and Award Opportunities | Key Programs

Overview

• Legislative Advocacy — Representation of municipal interest before Congress and the Obama-Biden Administration.

• Best Practices Clearinghouse — Online database of nearly 2,000 best practices from local governments across the nation.

• Conferences — Reduced registration fee for Annual and Winter meetings.

• Live Webcasts — USCM Member mayors have the opportunity to engage with and have their questions answered by Tom Cochran, conference staff, and officials from Federal department, focusing on various topics such as the COPS program and the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG). These webcasts are archived and available anytime after the webcast is over.

• Flickr Photo Site — The U.S. Conference of Mayors uses the popular online photo sharing web site Flickr to share its professional photos to allow ease of access for mayors. Photos of mayors and other officials, including Congressional and White House Cabinet members at USCM events and programs are available for viewing and download for public relation use to member mayors. Check it out at flickr.com/usmayors.

• Opportunities to Serve on USCM Committees and Task Forces to Shape National Policy — The work of the Conference is guided by several Standing Committees.Every full member mayor has the opportunity to participate directly in the debate and selection of the Conference of Mayors' policy.

• City ARRA (American Recovery and Reinvestment Act) Czar Discussion Center — This Discussion Center is designed to be used by officials or staff members having overall responsibility for the coordination and/or implementation of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act in their cities. City ARRA "czars" may use this Center to post questions regarding implementation that may be answered by their counterparts in other cities or Conference of Mayors staff members.

• Metro Economies Economic Tracking — The U.S. Conference of Mayors Metro Economics Center publishes annually a series of economic reports on the nation's 362 metro areas.  These reports calculate and forecast each metro area's gross metropolitan product (GMP), labor income, and job generation that can be used in economic development strategies.  The Center also produces special metro economy reports on such topical issues as transportation reform and green jobs.  The reports are prepared by IHS Global Insight and results are a benefit of USCM membership.    

• Legislative Action Alerts — Members receive correspondence through rapid response email system, notifying and requesting Mayors to engage directly with Congressional delegation on important legislative issues.

• Networking Opportunities with Other Mayors and Business Leaders

• Local, National, and International Media Publicity — broad exposure via USCM press outreach through releases, statements and coordinated interviews w/ print, t.v. broadcast, internet and radio outlets.

• U.S. MAYOR Newspaper — The official bi-monthly publication of the Conference of Mayors. It provides a vehicle for reporting on the issues that affect our cities, and a forum for mayors to speak out on current issues and get information as help in their role as the chief elected official of the city.U.S. Mayor covers national trends, federal legislation and regulations, and any city priorities of interest to mayors in their role as urban leaders. One-year subscription included in membership.

• USCM Publications — All members may receive complimentary copies of a wide range of publications including Best Practices, case studies, guidebooks, and research reports.

Award and Grant Programs
(Updated December 8, 2010)

City Water Conservation Achievement Award
This award recognizes leadership and innovative solutions and is intended to identify model municipal water conservation initiatives which can be leveraged to provide technical assistance through best practices.

• Sponsor: Siemens
• Award Categories: Two $10,000 Awards (no population categories)
• 2010 Award Schedule:
  • Mid-November: Application Period Opens
  • December 15: Applications Due
• Winners will be presented at the 79th Winter Meeting in 2011
• Website: http://usmayors.org/waterconservation2011/
• USCM Contact: Rich Anderson (202) 861-6795 randerson@usmayors.org

DollarWI$E Summer Youth Campaign Grants
Each year through the Summer Youth Campaign, DollarWI$E encourages mayors to incorporate a financial education component into their cities’ summer youth employment programs. Cities may use these grants to provide incentives for youth to develop good financial habits, to establish evaluation techniques for the financial education component of their SYEPs, or other innovative ideas.

• Sponsor: Bank of America
• Award Categories: Five $4,000 Awards (no population categories)
• 2011 Award Schedule
  • December 8: Application Period Opens
  • January 7: Deadline
• Winners will be presented at the 79th Winter Meeting in 2011
• Website: www.dollarwiseonline.org
• USCM Contact: Dustin Tyler Joyce (202) 861-6759 or djoyce@usmayors.org

Cans for Cash City Recycling Challenge
To encourage recycling, the program challenges cities to compete against each other in aluminum can collection and innovative campaigns for monetary awards.

• Sponsor: Novelis
• Award Categories: 1-American Recycler Video of the Year Award ($5,000), 3-Most Cans Collected Awards ($5,000 Each), 3-Most Innovative Ideas Awards ($5,000 Each), and 4-Most Innovative with a Keep America Beautiful Partner Awards ( $5,000 each PLUS $2,500 for the KAB affiliate)
• 2010 Award Schedule:
  • June-Sept.: Sign up
  • Oct1-31: Collection Period
  • Nov. 31: Applications and Totals Due
• Winners will be presented at the 79th Winter Meeting in 2011
• Website: www.cans4cash.com
• USCM Contact: Susan Jarvis (202) 861-6760 sjarvis@usmayors.org

City Livability Award
Established in 1979, the City Livability Awards honors mayors and their governments for developing programs that enhance the quality of life in urban areas.

• Sponsor: Waste Management
• Award Categories: Large Cities (over 100,000 population) and Small Cities (under 100,000 population). Each Category has 10 awards: 1- First Place, 5 Outstanding Achievement and 4 Honorable Mentions.
• 2011 Award Schedule
  • January : Preliminary Application Period Opens
  • Early-March : Preliminary Applications Due
  • Late-March : Finalists Notified and Submit Full Applications
  • Late-April 25: Finalists’ Applications Due
  • Mid- May: Recipients Notified
• Winners will be presented at the 79th Annual Meeting June 2011 in Baltimore.
• Website: http://www.usmayors.org/citylivabilityawards
• USCM Contact: Jocelyn Bogen (202) 861-6727 jbogen@usmayors.org

2010 Mayors’ Climate Protection Awards
This award program recognizes and honors mayors for their outstanding and innovative practices to increase energy efficiency in their cities and to help global warming.

• Sponsor: Wal-Mart
• Award Categories: One Large City (over 100,000 population) and One Small City (under 100,000 population)
• 2011 Award Schedule
• January: Application Period Opens
• April: Deadline
• Winners will be announced at the 79th Annual Meeting in Baltimore
• Website: http://www.usmayors.org/climateprotection/awards.htm
• USCM Contact: Babette Penton (202) 674-3379 or bpenton@thebulfinchcompany.com

DuPont-USCM Lead-Safe for Kids Sake
In the 9th year of the awards; close to $5 million awarded since 2002. The awards are given to mayors who propose innovative approaches to make their cities lead-safe through remediation, education or community outreach efforts.

• Sponsor: DuPont
• Award Categories: Excellence, Distinction and Best Practice. Each category has one award ranging from $50,000-$200,000.
• 2011 Award Schedule:
  • Mid-January: Application Period Opens
  • Early-May: Deadline
• Winners will be announced at the 79th Annual Meeting in Baltimore
• Website: http://www.cusponline.org
• USCM Contact: Alexander Cochran (202) 661-6364 or alexander@bgrdc.com

Excellence in Public/Private Partnership Award
The purpose of these awards is to recognize outstanding public/private partnerships to inspire other cities and companies to work together in improving the quality of life in American cities.

• Sponsor: The United States Conference of Mayors
• Award Categories: Two Awards for Excellence and up to Eight Awards for Outstanding
• 2011 Award Schedule
  • June: Application Period Opens
  • October: Deadline
• Winners will be presented at the 80th Winter Meeting in 2012
• Website: http://www.usmayors.org/buscouncil/
• USCM Contact: Judy Reid (202) 861-6736, jreid@usmayors.org

Leadership in the Arts Awards
This award program honors elected officials and artists that have demonstrated outstanding leadership in the advancement of the arts.

• Sponsor: Americans for the Arts & The United States Conference of Mayors
• Award Categories: One Mayoral Award, One Governor, One Congressional, One Artist
• 2010 Award Schedule:
  • Fall : Nominations
  • November 19: Deadline
• Winners will be presented at the 79th Winter Meeting in 2011
• Website: http://www.artsusa.org/news/annual_awards/public_leadership_nominate.asp
• USCM Contact: Jocelyn Bogen (202) 861-6727 jbogen@usmayors.org

DollarWI$E Innovation Grants
Through these grants, DollarWI$E seeks to recognize and fund local financial education efforts that are both innovative and adaptable by other communities.

• Sponsor: Bank of America
• Award Categories: Two $20,000 Awards (no population categories)
• 2010 Award Schedule:
  • November 1: Preliminary Application Period Opens
  • November 19: Preliminary Applications Due
  • December 1: Finalists Notified and Submit Full Applications
  • December 15: Finalists’ Applications Due
  • December 20: Recipients Notified
• Winners will be presented at the 79th Winter Meeting in 2011
• Website: www.dollarwiseonline.org
• USCM Contact: Dustin Tyler Joyce (202) 861-6759 or djoyce@usmayors.org

Key Programs

• Brownfields - The Conference has taken a national leadership role in the promotion of brownfields redevelopment, producing reports to highlight the problem and successful ways cities have promoted redevelopment, holding conferences to encourage information sharing, and successfully lobbying Congress for changes in the law.

• Cancer Awareness - The Conference's comprehensive Cancer Awareness Program focuses on meeting the needs of underserved and special populations by providing information about various cancers to all Mayors, who can then chart their own courses to promote cancer awareness in their communities.

• Cities United for Science Progress (CUSP) - CUSP, a partnership of the Conference and DuPont, visits cities across the country and teams up with mayors to assist them in creating healthier, safer and more innovative and economically vibrant cities through science-based solutions. The partnership sponsors Science in the Schools days during which DuPont scientists visit local schools to promote science education. It also awards $750,000 annually in grants to cities for outstanding lead safety initiatives.

• Conference of City Human Services Officials - An affiliate of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, the U.S. Conference of City Human Services Officials, created in 1981, is the national organization of city government officials responsible for assisting cities to meet the human services needs of residents.

• Council for Investment in the New American City - The primary goal of the Council for Investment in the New American City is to create a dynamic coalition of mayors, CEOs, businesses and non-profit organizations to promote a new urban renaissance across America through significantly increased public/private investment in urban neighborhoods and communities. The Council establishes forums to develop and advocate for policies to remove barriers to, and create incentives for, private investment in cities. It helps create new models for public/private cooperation in the areas of affordable housing, environmental infrastructure, business development, transit-oriented development, and urban amenities.

• Deferred Compensation Program - Through its partnership with Nationwide Retirement Solutions, the Conference provides financial solutions for municipal employees to plan for life events through retirement planning educational programs and attractive investment options.

• Employment Training and Workforce Development - The Conference takes the lead in calling national attention to the problems and potential of urban America related to employment and training and workforce development. Workforce Development Council meets regularly.

• HIV/AIDS - The Conference was one of the first national organizations to respond to the AIDS epidemic. Today, the Conference works closely with the Centers for Disease Control by offering prevention grants, prevention publications, and technical assistance.

• International Programs — The Conference of Mayors maintains strong working relationships with organizations of mayors in a variety of countries, including Argentina, China, France, Germany, Israel, Spain, and Japan. In addition, the Conference of Mayors is engaged in building a network of international mayors to encourage the sharing of best practices and model programs. The Conference also briefs delegations of international mayors who come to the United States and from time to time organizes international missions to other nations.

• Mayors' Business Council - Demonstrating the importance of public-private partnerships to address urban challenges, the Mayors Business Council is an integral part of the structure and activities of the Conference. The Council meets and works directly with the elected leadership and the membership of the Conference. Members of the Business Council are invited to participate in the Conference's Annual and Winter Meetings, at which priorities are set and policy decisions are made.

• Mayors' Healthy Cities Campaign - launched in the spring of 2004 in response to the nation's growing obesity epidemic and its relationship to chronic diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease.  The Mayors' Healthy Cities Campaign focuses on ways that mayors can have an impact on the health of their constituents by: 1) Promoting the benefits of regular exercise and healthy eating; and 2) Establishing policies and programs that will facilitate physical exercise and healthy eating, particularly among low-income individuals and racial and ethnic minorities. Information exchange is the core of the Campaign, which provides a forum for Mayors to share best practices and effective policies.

• Mayors' Institute on City Design - The Mayors' Institute on City Design is a program dedicated to improving the design and livability of America's cities through the efforts of their mayors. The program, established in 1986, is administered by the American Architectural Foundation, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts and the U.S. Conference of Mayors. The Institute hosts symposiums for mayors on city design organized around presentations and roundtable discussions.

• Mayors' Initiative on Leadership in Education - The Mayors' Initiative for Leadership in Education, a partnership of the Conference and The Broad Foundation, hosts forums around the country for mayors and education leaders to provide technical assistance and share best practices regarding mayoral leadership in education reform.

• Mayors' National Dollar Wi$e Campaign - The Mayors' National Dollar Wi$e Campaign is the official financial literacy and education outreach effort of The United States Conference of Mayors and its Council for the New American City. Since 2004, over 170 cities across America have officially joined this effort, with many more participating in various ways. Dollar Wi$e encourages mayors and city staff to address the growing need for financial literacy in our nation's cities. To assist cities in their efforts, the Mayors' National Dollar Wi$e Campaign works to build partnerships with national organizations, including federal agencies, nonprofit groups, and corporations that offer technical support, curriculum, and financial support. The Dollar Wi$e Summer Youth Campaign invites mayors to integrate financial education into their cities' summer youth jobs programs.

• Mayors' Water Council - The Conference's Urban Water Council assists local governments in providing high quality water resources in a cost effective manner. The Council provides a forum for local governments to share information on water technology, management methods, operational experience, and financing of infrastructure development. The Council monitors and responds, as appropriate, to federal legislative, regulatory or policy proposals affecting the delivery of municipal water services. The Council also provides a forum to assist local government in exploring competition and public-private partnership approaches, and alternative methods of financing water infrastructure development.

• Municipal Waste Management Association - Affiliated with the Conference, the Municipal Waste Management Association is dedicated to and driven by the needs of municipal solid waste directors, environmental commissioners and public works professionals. MWMA promotes operational efficiencies, facilitates information, fosters innovation, and promotes legislative advocacy on Superfund, brownfields redevelopment, clean air, and clean water issues.

• Partner America - Partner America is a public-private partnership created by the Conference and American Management Services to help small and mid-sized businesses improve profits and sales through management technical assistance in hundreds of cities and every state across the nation. It is the first initiative focused specifically on combining the resources and programs offered by local and federal government agencies, with the management expertise provided by private enterprise, to implement profit-improvement programs for U.S. businesses.

• Partnership for Working Families - The Conference and the Annie E. Casey Foundation established the Partnership for Working Families to build national attention and support for the challenges facing working families in America today. The joint effort will catalyze cities to improve economic opportunities for working families across America. The Partnership has an on-going effort to promote outreach on the earned income and child care tax credits, and sponsored several discussions among mayors on working family issues.

• State and Local Legal Center - The State and Local Legal Center was established in 1983 to advance the collective interests of state and local governments before the U.S. Supreme Court. Since its creation, the Center has filed nearly 200 "friend of the court" briefs to defend against the erosion of local government authority and fiscal integrity.

• The U.S. Conference of Mayors Climate Protection Center - The Center will conduct a series of on-going and escalated activities to serve the needs of mayors, as they strive to meet the goals set forth by the U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement, the 2030 Challenge and other, similar climate change initiatives. The Center will provide regular resources for mayors and focus on a variety of key areas including: communications and grassroots; annual awards program (honoring individuals who have assisted cities or the nation on global warming); Climate Protection Council; continue to hold national summits and forums on energy and environment with a focus on Climate Protection; coalition building with other environmental leaders and supporters; outreach to international partners;  push forward congressional agenda such as new Energy and Environmental Block Grant; and work with other Committees within the U.S. Conference of Mayors.