Each year, Polco is proud to celebrate local governments with the Best in Governance Awards — the nation's only awards program honoring communities for both resident experience and measurable outcomes. These awards shine a light on the jurisdictions that stand out as the most effective, innovative, and community-centered across the country, as measured through national data.
Over the coming weeks, we'll announce the Top Performers across essential areas of community livability. Today, we're kicking off the series with the Trust in Government category.
Trust is the bedrock of the relationship between residents and their local governments. The National Community Survey (The NCS) captures this broad concept through a wide range of measures — from residents' perceptions of government honesty, fairness, and transparency, to their confidence in the direction of the community and the quality of services provided. In short, trust reflects both how people view their leaders' integrity and how satisfied they are with the value and performance of local government.
The Voice of the People awards for Trust in Government honor the cities and counties that excel in these areas. In addition to recognizing the five communities with the highest ratings nationwide (Excellence), we also celebrate the five jurisdictions that achieved the biggest transformations (Transformation) — those that made the most significant gains in earning residents' trust and confidence.
Together, these ten communities exemplify innovation, responsiveness, and the pursuit of excellence in governance.
The communities recognized as Top Performers represent the very best in public engagement and transparent decision-making. The National Champions in each category will be announced in October.
Congratulations to all of this year's Top Performers. We're honored to showcase your leadership in building stronger, smarter, and more connected communities. Visit our awards page for more information about Polco's Best in Governance Awards.