1. The National Civic League’s 2016 All-America City Awards Finalist Informational Call

2. Congratulations!
Your community is among the Finalists for the 2016 All-America City Awards…. now what do you do?!

3. Agenda Before the event: The AAC Event: What to Expect
Making it happen: delegations, presentations, & fundraising
Be prepared!
Costs associated with AAC event
Hotel & travel
Dates & Deadlines
The AAC Event: What to Expect
Not just a competition!
Orientation
Presentations to the Jury
The Civic Action Fair/Cultural Entertainment Showcase
Innovation Forum
Award ceremony
Share while you’re there!

4. Before the event: Making it Happen
Select your delegation
Average delegation size: 25
Make sure that you have someone there to represent each of your projects
Make sure your delegation is representative of your community
BRING PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS
Youth
Everyday folks

5. Before the event: Making it Happen
Create & rehearse your presentation
All presentations are different – no one “right” way
View videos of past presentations
Talk to past finalists (if you don’t have a mentor and would like one
Fundraising
Local businesses and business associations, local foundations, service clubs and fraternal organizations, philanthropic individuals
Fundraising receptions, dinners and other community events
Invite everyone in your community who wants to pay their own way
Encourage delegate’s employers to sponsor the cost for one participant
Talk more about presentation guidelines later in the powerpoint
I can provide everyone with some quotes from past communities about economic benefits to help appeal to businesses for contribution

6. Before the Event: Be Prepared
Before the Event: Be Prepared! Costs associated with AAC event… and what we’ve done to help!
Registration
4 free registrations, thanks to the event sponsors
Discount Code for Eventbrite: SponsoredRegistationYOURCOMMUNITY
Ex: SponsoredRegistrationAsheboro
Also free: members of the media and children 5 and under
Each additional registration for your delegation is $100
Eventbrite: america-city-awards-tickets
Civic Action Fair
Participation cost included in registration
Shipping materials to hotel ahead or time or checked baggage fees
Workshops, Site Visits, and Ideas Festival
Included in registration

7. Before the event: Hotel & Travel
Hotel & Connections Info
NCL has secured a group rate at the Downtown Denver Sheraton
All community delegates should stay at host hotel
All reservations should be made online: housing.com/NCL/WebHousingForm.php
Questions about hotel reach out to Rusty Farmer at
Other options: Consider chartering a bus for your delegation. It is usually much less expensive than flying a large group and it can be a great chance for you to bond!

8. Before the Event: Dates & Deadlines
Ongoing: send clips of all media coverage to:
Make hotel reservations through Connections Housing – April 15th
Consider buying an ad in the event program- submit by April 28th
Delegate Registration through Eventbrite - May 16th
 Participate in Social Media contest (optional) – June 2nd
 Submit nomination for the Youth Leadership Award (optional) – June 2nd
Submit act for Cultural Entertainment Showcase (optional) – June 6th  
Ship materials for Civic Action Fair for arrival at hotel on June 15 or 16, (shipping instructions to follow)

9. Additional Awards
Social Media Award
Youth Award

10. The 67th Annual All-America City Awards

11. What to Expect: Not Just a Competition
Opportunities Abound! Get new ideas for your community by:
Networking with other communities throughout the event
Attending workshops and site visits
Attending the presentations of other communities (bonus: the jury notices and loves this!)
The All-America City Experience:
MEWHU9w

12. What to Expect: Registration and Captain Briefings
Thursday evening 6:00pm – 8:00pm
Friday morning beginning at 8:00am
One person will pick up all registration material for your community to distribute. Let your community members know who will be picking up the materials for your group.
Captain Briefings
Friday, Saturday and Sunday morning at 7:00am
Receive all information for the day and any updates

13. What to Expect: Orientation & Celebration
When: Friday, June 17th at 3:00p.m. What: Kickoff to the All-America City Awards! Part pep rally, part information session, and part celebration! Followed by a Welcome Reception with hors d’oeuvres Why: 1) Come cheer your community 2) Gain valuable information about the event 3) Special Guests include W.K. Kellogg Foundation’s AJ Jones

14. What to Expect: Presentations to the Jury
Rehearsals​
Official Rehearsal: on stage and timed, very structured​
Extra Rehearsal: one hour to be used however you wish (not on stage, but a meeting room will be available)
Sarah will send out sign-up sheet closer to the event​
Presentations​
Entry/Exit:  2 ½ minutes to set-up and 2 ½ minutes to exit​
Presentation: 10 minutes​
Jury Q & A: 10 minutes​
Rules for props, music, etc.​
Designated spot to record your ​Presentation​
No live streaming
NOTE: You will be facing the Jury, not the audience!

15. What to Expect: Presentations to the Jury
Jury Questions: You never know what the jury may ask, but there is a good chance that they will want to know about:
Main criteria: innovation, civic engagement & collaboration, inclusiveness/diversity, and impact
Specific questions about your individual projects
Demographics
Current events in your community
Your answers: Keep them short and to the point; do not “dance” around the question. Also, make sure that there is more than one person answering questions for your group. Participant perspective is important!
It takes strength to acknowledge weaknesses and ways to improve

16. What to Expect: Civic Action Fair/ Cultural Entertainment Showcase
Civic Action Fair (Saturday, June 18):
Chance for you to showcase your community​
NCL provides: one 8’ table, 2 chairs​
Set-up (Saturday afternoon) and break down (Saturday evening)​
Giveaway ideas (Dos and Don’ts)​
NOTE:  Neither the Civic Action ​Fair nor the Cultural Entertainment ​Showcase are part of the ​competition. I t is a chance ​for you to network and have fun!​

17. What to Expect: Cultural Entertainment Showcase
Past “entertainers” have included mariachi bands, high school jazz bands, an African dancer, and a junior rodeo star! Performance time will be determined by the number of groups participating.
NOTE: Neither the Civic Action Fair nor the Cultural Entertainment Showcase are part of the competition. It is a chance for you to network and have fun!

18. What to Expect: Workshops
Friday:
Skill building, presentations and discussions about successful ways to address the needs of youth in our communities
Sunday:
Peer Learning Workshops
Finalist communities’ informal discussions of their projects
Benefit:
As a leader in your own community, you will have the opportunity to interact with other leaders to discuss the key factors to community success in addressing pressing local issues. Participants will have the chance to share their own insights and learn from others’ experiences. Participants will leave with ideas and models that they can take away and apply at home. 

19. What to Expect: Award Ceremony
Pre-Awards Reception (6:00 – 7:00 pm) light hors d’oeuvres will be served – not dinner
Awards Ceremony (7:00-8:30 pm): Announcing ten All-America Cities, Recognizing AAC finalists, and Announcing AAC Youth award winner and the Social Media award winner.
Post-Awards Reception (8:30-10:30 pm): Dancing and light hors d’oeuvres; everyone is invited to celebrate!
Dress Code: None! Some communities choose to dress up, while others choose to wear their matching community t- shirts. Casual dress is perfectly acceptable.

20. What to Expect: Share While You’re There!
Share your AAC experience with your community in real time! Make use of social networking tools such as:
Facebook City-Awards/
Twitter
use hashtag #AAC16
@AllAmericaCity
@NationalCivic

21. Call us at NCL (303) 571-4343 or send an email message at aac@ncl.org
More Questions?
Call us at NCL (303) or send an message at

22. We look forward to seeing you
in Denver!
Good luck!