ICMA’s 2023 Local Government Excellence Awards honor individuals and programs that have created a legacy of change in the local government profession. Nominations are open to ICMA members in the United States and international jurisdictions, of all community sizes, interested in honoring an individual or program recognizing excellence in local government. 

Awards are conferred in the areas of Professional Awards and Program Excellence.

Professional Awards recognize individual achievement:

• Award for Career Excellence in Memory of Mark E. Keane
• Award for Career Development in Memory of L. P. Cookingham
• Assistant Excellence in Leadership Award in Memory of Buford M. Watson Jr.
• Academic Award in Memory of Stephen B. Sweeney
• Early Career Leadership Award in Memory of William H. Hansell Jr.

Program Excellence Awards recognize local governments and their chief administrators for innovative and successful programs in the areas of:

• Community Equity and Inclusion
• Community Health and Safety
• Community Partnership
• Community Sustainability
• Strategic Leadership and Governance 

Nominations accepted through March 9. Award recipients will be notified by the end of July and honored during the ICMA Annual Conference in Austin, Texas, featured in a fall issue of PM magazine, and highlighted on other platforms throughout the year. 

Individuals with questions can contact Joyce Lee, senior program manager, at jlee@icma.org or 202-962-3656.