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Mike McGrath, Nat’l. Civic League,
303-571-4343; mikem@ncl.org

2013 Competition Puts Spotlight on Veterans

Dubuque a Finalist for 2013 All-America City

DUBUQUE, Iowa – Dubuque is one of 20 communities invited by the National Civic League to the annual All-America City Awards (AAC) competition, June 14-16, in Denver, Colorado.
The All-America City Award is sponsored by the National Civic League and recognizes 10 communities annually for outstanding civic impact and action planning. Winning applicants demonstrate innovation, inclusiveness, civic engagement, and cross-sector collaboration by describing successful efforts to address pressing local challenges. The designation gives the winning communities “bragging rights” that can help them recruit new businesses, increase jobs, and obtain grants for community betterment projects in the future.
This year, the program is spotlighting community-wide initiatives that honor and benefit veterans and military families. Dubuque first received the All-America City designation in 2007. Dubuque also received designation in 2012, when the competition focused on efforts to improve grade-level reading.
Listed alphabetically by state, the finalists for the 2013 competition are:
• Birmingham, Alabama
• Downey, California
• Brush, Colorado
• Colorado Springs, Colorado
• Montrose, Colorado
• Fort Lauderdale, Florida
• Miami Lakes, Florida
• Sarasota County, Florida
• Peoria, Illinois
• Dubuque, Iowa
• Owensboro, Kentucky
• Natchitoches, Louisiana
• Canton, New York
• Dunn, North Carolina
• Garner, North Carolina
• Thomasville, North Carolina
• Folly Beach, South Carolina
• The Colony, Texas
• Norfolk, Virginia
• Platteville, Wisconsin

Dubuque’s application was a collaborative effort led by the City of Dubuque and the Dubuque Area Chamber of Commerce with involvement from numerous business and non-profit sector partners. The application featured a community background section and detailed descriptions of three community-driven projects: veteran-oriented programs, workforce development efforts, and the Historic Millwork District revitalization initiative.
“The entire community should be proud that Dubuque has again been selected as a finalist for this prestigious recognition. It is especially gratifying to reach this level of the competition with the program’s emphasis on local support programs for veterans,” said Dubuque Mayor Roy D. Buol. “I also want to thank the individuals and organizations responsible for preparing Dubuque’s application and I look forward to supporting the efforts to prepare for the competition in June.”
“All-America Cities set an example and a standard of excellence for local problem solvers throughout the country,” said NCL President Gloria Rubio-Cortes. “This is an award that gives us hope, ideas and inspiration as we look for ways to address the difficult challenges we face as communities and as a nation.”
“AAC is more than an awards program,” noted NCL Interim Chair Liz Hollander. “It gives communities a unique opportunity to celebrate their successes, but also to take a clear-eyed look at their civic capacities.”
Once described by pollster George Gallup as a “Nobel Prize” for civic accomplishment, the awards have been given to more than 600 communities since its inception in 1949. Some have won it as many as five and six times. Not just cities, but neighborhoods, towns, counties and metropolitan regions can apply for the prestigious award.
To qualify for AAC, participants fill out applications listing three examples of successful community change. Applicants are encouraged to use the National Civic League’s “Civic Index,” a widely used tool for assessing community strengths and weaknesses. In their applications, they describe their capacities for civic engagement, collaboration, inclusiveness, and innovation. NCL will produce a report based on the finalists' projects to inform communities seeking to improve their current initiatives or establish new ones benefiting veterans and military families. Next year, the 65th anniversary of the program, the focus will be on communities that foster healthier lifestyles for their residents.

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Sponsors and partners of the 2013 All-America City Award include: The Piton Foundation; Carl and Lily Pforzheimer Foundation; PCL Construction Enterprises, Inc.; Southwest Airlines – The Official Airline of the All-America City Award; Greenberg Traurig; Merrick & Company; City of Aurora, Colorado; BBVA Compass; City of Dublin, California; El Pomar Foundation; FirstBank; City of Lakewood, Colorado; Alameda Gateway; RubinBrown; U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and Veterans of Foreign Wars. The Kettering Foundation is a research partner. The Colorado National Guard is a partner.
NCL is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that strengthens democracy by increasing the capacity of groups and individuals to participate in and build healthy and prosperous communities. NCL publishes the Model City Charter and the National Civic Review, and conducts programs, research and technical assistance on topics like fiscal sustainability, healthy communities, transportation-oriented development, environmental stewardship, racial equity and immigrant integration. For more information see: www.allamericacityaward.com or www.ncl.org or contact: Mike McGrath at mikem@ncl.org, 303-571-4343.

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A PDF version of this news release is available online at http://www.cityofdubuque.org/newsreleases

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