GMA Headlines
December 1, 2021
Georgia Department of Transportation
The Local Maintenance and Improvement Grant (LMIG) program provides funding to counties and cities for road construction and maintenance.
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November 29, 2021
KABOOM!
Our Community-Built Playspace grants are a partnership between your community, one of our dedicated funding partners, and KABOOM!. As a Community Partner, you'll lead a process that will center your community's voices — both kids and adults — to design, plan, and build a new playspace using our signature community-build model. *Specific to Greater Atlanta area*
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November 29, 2021
Georgia Department of Natural Resources
These grants help develop and improve wildlife-viewing opportunities that increase public awareness and appreciation of nongame wildlife, rare native plant species and natural habitats.
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November 29, 2021
Rural Utilities Service (of USDA)
The Broadband ReConnect Program furnishes loans and grants to provide funds for the costs of construction, improvement, or acquisition of facilities and equipment needed to provide broadband service in eligible rural areas. The application window for the third round of funding is now open.
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November 22, 2021
National Civic League
The Award, bestowed yearly on 10 communities (more than 500 in all), recognizes the work of communities in using inclusive civic engagement to address critical issues and create stronger connections among residents, businesses and nonprofit and government leaders.
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November 18, 2021
Global Business Coalition for Education (GBC-Education)
GBC-Education is looking for innovative approaches and big ideas to increase youth skills and employment opportunities across the country.
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November 18, 2021
Forest Service of USDA
The Community Forest and Open Space Conservation Program (Community Forest Program) of the Forest Service offers a unique opportunity for communities to acquire and conserve forests that provide public access and recreational opportunities, protect vital water supplies and wildlife habitat, serve as demonstration sites for private forest landowners, and provide economic benefits from timber and non-timber products.
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November 18, 2021
Federal Transit Administration
FTA’s Enhancing Mobility Innovation program advances a vision of mobility for all – safe, reliable, equitable, and accessible services that support complete trips for all travelers. The program promotes technology projects that center the passenger experience and encourage people to get on board, such as integrated fare payment systems and user-friendly software for demand-response public transportation.
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November 18, 2021
National Endowment for the Humanities
The Landmarks of American History and Culture program supports residential, virtual, and combined format projects that situate the study of topics and themes in K-12 humanities within sites, areas, or regions of historic and cultural significance.
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November 18, 2021
National Institute of Standards and Technology
NIST PSCR is seeking applications from eligible applicants for activities to accelerate research, development, production, and testing of key public safety capabilities related to mission critical voice, location-based services, user interface/user experience, and public safety analytics.
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November 18, 2021
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Choice Neighborhoods Implementation Grants support those communities that have undergone a comprehensive local planning process and are ready to implement their plan to redevelop the distressed public and/or assisted housing and neighborhood.
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CitySmart by VC3
November 15, 2021
Joe Howland, Chief Information Security Officer, Sophicity
Compliance. One of those necessary operational activities that you know is working when nothing bad happens. When compliance doesn’t work, however, you open the door to significant risk.
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November 12, 2021
Georgia Environmental Finance Authority
The Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) is a federally-funded loan program that provides funding for a wide variety of water quality and non-point source projects, as well as water and energy conservation projects. The Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) is a federally-funded loan program that provides funding for water supply projects that address a public health or compliance related problem, as well as water and energy conservation projects.
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November 9, 2021
Alison Cline Earles, Senior Associate General Counsel CIPP/US, Georgia Municipal Association
This article is not legal advice or a substitute for legal advice. It reflects the author’s understanding of published treasury guidance as of October 28, 2021.
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November 8, 2021
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention / National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
NIOSH / CDC invites grant applications for Training Project Grants (TPGs) that are focused on occupational safety and health training.
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Public Square
November 8, 2021
Robert Steuteville, Congress for the New Urbanism
Street trees have many benefits, but their climate impact is becoming more important all the time.
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November 8, 2021
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) National Center for Injury Prevention
and Control (NCIPC, Injury Center) is soliciting investigator-initiated research to understand and
prevent firearm-related injuries, deaths, and crime.
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In Oct. 2021, municipalities across the state participated in Georgia Cities Week through a variety of events, initiatives and proclamations. Watch this video to see how communities celebrated.
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November 3, 2021
Federal Emergency Management Agency
The Flood Mitigation Assistance Program is a competitive grant program that provides funding to states, local communities, federally recognized tribes and territories. Funds can be used for projects that reduce or eliminate the risk of repetitive flood damage to buildings insured by the National Flood Insurance Program.
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November 3, 2021
Federal Emergency Management Agency
Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) will support states, local communities, tribes and territories as they undertake hazard mitigation projects, reducing the risks they face from disasters and natural hazards.
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November 3, 2021
Economic Development Administration
EDA’s American Rescue Plan Good Jobs Challenge aims to get Americans back to work by building and strengthening systems and partnerships that bring together employers who have hiring needs with other key entities to train workers with in-demand skills that lead to good-paying jobs.
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November 2, 2021
Department of Homeland Security - FEMA
The AFG Program is one of three grant programs that constitute the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA’s) focus on enhancing the safety of the public and firefighters with respect to fire and fire-related hazards.
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The MWCA provides an opportunity for all citizens of Monroe to experience the arts including their beautiful garden with painted sidewalks, sculptures and fountain.
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During the August recess, city officials across the state had the opportunity to build relationships with Georgia’s U.S. Senators and share information about the local perspective on infrastructure needs and other topics.
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The Senate-passed Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), if signed into law, would make unprecedented federal investments in broadband infrastructure and technology.
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Georgia’s Cities spoke to GMA general counsel Rusi Patel on what cities can legally do in regard to COVID-19 mandates and policies.
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November 1, 2021
By Rusi Patel, GMA General Counsel
The past few years have been incredibly challenging for people across the country, including local government officials. The economic and public health challenges have caused the number of people who are in dire financial straits to blossom.
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November 1, 2021
By Nikki Perry
Listening may be the most important thing city leaders can do when planning for the future.
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“The future belongs to those who prepare for it today”—this famous quote is one to consider for city leaders looking to attract young workers, entrepreneurs and community leaders.
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As cities reopened and employees started returning to the office, two city managers almost 300 miles apart had the same vision of providing essential diversity, equity and inclusion training for their cities.
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Since 1991, GMA has worked with cities in Georgia to facilitate the purchase of real estate projects for a variety of project types including city halls, police/fire stations and public parks, theaters and greenspaces among others.
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Georgia state legislators are anticipating Gov. Brian Kemp’s call for a special session on reapportionment in late fall, which could include local legislation.
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The Partnership for Inclusive Innovation recently announced that the cities of Woodbury and Concord, along with Pike and Spalding Counties, were selected to participate in its 2021 Georgia Smart Communities Challenge, which allows localities across the state to apply for research assistance that empowers them to envision, explore and plan for a “smart” future.
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The small North Georgia city of Ball Ground has made big strides toward state certification, becoming the third in the state to earn the new Risk Reduction Certificate from the Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police (GACP).
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Cities across the nation are seeing great shifts in the workforce due to technology, changing demographics, a global pandemic and the call for more remote work options.
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November 1, 2021
By Becca J.G. Godwin
For the first time in Griffin’s 181-year history, city employees have certified a plan to promote diversity and inclusion within its workforce.
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November 1, 2021
AmeriCorps
The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARP) provides additional federal resources to AmeriCorps Seniors in order to assist communities in COVID-19 recovery. This funding will be made available throughout the United States, with a particular interest in programs that will serve communities hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic.
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November 1, 2021
Rebecca Rice and Elizabeth Turner, Georgia Family Connection Partnership
What do young people need from their communities? How can decision-makers change local systems to better support younger constituents? What can adults do to ensure youth have the desire and information they need to become active, contributing members of their communities now—and in the future?
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CitySmart by VC3
October 25, 2021
Joe Howland, Chief Information Security Officer, Sophicity
As spammers and scammers get better at their jobs, their techniques grow more sophisticated. Here are five hidden red flags that could fool you if you’re not skeptical enough.
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Links and contact information for the state and federal agencies providing a range of resources.
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October 19, 2021
U.S. Economic Development Administration (of the U.S. Department of Commerce)
The Economic Adjustment Assistance program is EDA’s most flexible program, and grants made under this program will help hundreds of communities across the nation plan, build, innovate, and put people back to work through construction or non-construction projects designed to meet local needs.
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Public Square
October 19, 2021
Robert Steuteville, Congress for the New Urbanism
The unsung alley has the potential to create an intimate American urbanism, it just needs a little attention from urban designers.
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October 12, 2021
National Park Service (NPS) Historic Preservation Fund
The National Park Service’s (NPS) Underrepresented Community Grant Program (URC) is intended to diversify the nominations submitted to the National Register of Historic Places to include communities that are currently underrepresented.
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October 12, 2021
National Park Service (NPS) Historic Preservation Fund
Save America’s Treasures grants from the Historic Preservation Fund provide preservation and/or conservation assistance to nationally significant historic properties and collections.
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In late August, the the 2020 Decennial Census numbers were released for all cities. You can access this information and a full list of resources. This data is also available on GMA's website and will be released in Easier to Use Formats on September 16, 2021.
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As local officials, your role is critical and much appreciated in the development of the State’s Strategic Transportation Plan and the Statewide Transportation Improvement Program.
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People have long loved getting outside in Dahlonega, but this year, the city took a step towards making its outdoor recreation more accessible to all.
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October 6, 2021
By Donovan Rypkema, Principal, Place Economics
Preferences on where to live are changing. Early in the pandemic, there were news stories claiming an exodus from cities into less dense areas. As of today, that pattern seems to have been largely exaggerated.
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October 6, 2021
By Larry Hanson, GMA Executive Director
Through this time, one common ingredient is that city leaders have stepped up courageously to be voices of stability, encouragement and hope for the citizens they serve.
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October 6, 2021
By Jim Thornton, GMA President
While serving as mayor or as a city councilmember is mostly a thankless job, it does have an upside. As we ride around or walk through our cities, we can point to things that are good, and things that are getting better, and projects that are happening, at least in part because of our work.
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Toccoa Community Development Director Connie Tabor has been recognized for her tireless efforts in restoring her city’s historic downtown district with the Starr Award, presented by the Georgia Cities Foundation (GCF).
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The Robert W. Woodruff Foundation was presented with the Georgia Cities Foundation’s Renaissance Award Aug. 9 at the GMA Annual Convention.
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Brookhaven City Clerk Susan Hiott was named the Georgia Municipal Clerks Association’s 2021 Clerk of the Year during the GMA Annual Convention.
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The City of Ethics program began in 1999 and was developed by a panel of business and government leaders to encourage cities to adopt and adhere to a set of key ethical principles and adopt a local ethics ordinance.
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On Aug. 9, five city leaders were inducted into the Municipal Government Hall of Fame, which was established in 1992 to recognize current and past municipal officials who exemplify the very best in public service and who, throughout their careers, have made extraordinary contributions to municipal government, and have been strong supporters of GMA.
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If you want to attract and maintain the best employees, having a desirable workplace culture definitely pays off.
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October 4, 2021
Smart Growth America
Form-based codes are widely recognized as tools to improve the character of a place, encourage physical activity, and strengthen resilience to climate change.
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