The Certified City of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, & Belonging (Certified City of DEIB) was created to recognize cities that adopt policies and practices promoting diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging within their municipal government and community.
Before applying for certification, cities will be required to meet certain pre-application thresholds.
- The city must adopt two resolutions affirming its commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. One resolution states the city's intent to apply for certification (see sample) while the other resolution is one to be adopted annually that declares the city's continuing commitment to the program (see sample).
- A majority of the city’s governing body must complete at least 3 hours of approved Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion training. GMA’s “Making Cultural Diversity Work” training course, Embrace Webinars, regional workshops or other comparable training would meet this criteria.
- The city must host at least 2 interactive Community Dialogue meetings within one calendar year, targeting city residents, community interest groups, and/or stakeholders such as business owners or community leaders, for the purpose of discussion or feedback on current projects or city services, and learning about community needs.
- A city must apply for certification in at least two categories to receive initial certification, with Community Dialogue/Stakeholder Engagement being one of those initial categories.
Cities may achieve certification for addressing equity and inclusion in the following seven categories:
- Workforce Housing
- Education
- Health & Wellbeing
- Public Safety & Restorative Justice
- Community & Economic Development
- Municipal Workforce Development & Employment
- Community Dialogue/Stakeholder Engagement (required)
Four tiers of certification may be achieved based on the number of categories a city chooses to address. The tiers are as follows:
- Bronze: 2 categories (including the required Community Dialogue/Stakeholder Engagement)
- Silver: 3-4 categories
- Gold: 5-6 categories
- Platinum: 7 categories
Once certified, the city will maintain certification for three years as long as it meets the following requirements:
- Adopt a resolution every year affirming its commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging.
- Hold at least two community stakeholder meetings each year to listen, help identify barriers to engagement, seek input, and develop solutions.
At the end of the initial three-year certification period, the city will need to apply for recertification. To be recertified, the city must demonstrate that it continues to work towards equity and inclusion in the categories in which it is certified.
Please fill out this interest form to receive updates about this program.
Contact
Alexandra Campos Castillo (They/Them)
Program Manager for Georgia City Solutions
Office: 678.539.6757
Email