The deadline for submitting applications for the 2011 All-America City Award is March 14. The award is given by the National Civic League (NCL) to ten communities each year for outstanding civic accomplishments. Applications can be downloaded from the NCL website ( www.ncl.org).

Criteria for winning the All-America City Award include: Civic engagement and collaboration; inclusiveness and recognition of diversity; innovation and creative leveraging of community resources, and demonstrable impact and achievement.

To be selected as a finalist, applicants fill out a five-page form, listing two critical challenges facing the community and three examples of successful community based problem-solving. One of the projects must be youth-oriented. Cities, towns, villages, neighborhoods, counties and metropolitan regions are eligible for the award.

Finalists for the completion will be announced in early April. Each finalist community will send a delegation to make a presentation to a jury of civic experts during a three-day event June 15-17. An estimated 800 people will travel to Kansas City, Missouri, a five-time winner of the award, to participate.

All-America Cities benefit by increasing community pride, networking with civic activists from across the country and gaining national recognition for community work well done. The AAC designation has helped communities win grants and new resources and attract new employers.

The National Civic League is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that fosters innovation, community problem-solving and civic engagement at the local level. In addition to offering the All-America City Award, NCL publishes the Model City Charter and the National Civic Review. Through its Community Services program it offers technical assistance to cities and organizations seeking to undertake public planning, problem-solving and decision-making efforts on issues such as fiscal sustainability and literacy.

For more information on the All-America City Award or the National Civic League, call Mike McGrath at 571 4343 or visit  www.ncl.org or the All-America City blog at www.allamericacityaward.com.