ICMA’s Local Government Excellence Awards honor individuals and programs that have created a legacy of change in the local government profession, and a new category has been added this year recognizing individual achievement: the Advocacy for the Profession Award in Honor of Martha Perego.

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.

• Advocacy for the Profession Award in Honor of Martha Perego

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 will be accepted through March 29. Award recipients will be notified by the end of July and honored during the ICMA Annual Conference in Pittsburgh/Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. Award winners will also be featured in the special Awards 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.