The Voice of the People Awards (VOP) are the only awards given in local government based on the opinion of community residents. They are presented jointly by National Research Center (NRC) at Polco and the International City / County Management Association (ICMA). Award-winning communities embody the spirit of The National Community Survey™ (The NCS™) and display commitment to best practices in moving their communities forward.
The National Community Survey (The NCS™) is the gold standard in community assessments. This benchmarking survey provides a comprehensive and accurate picture of resident input on livability, local government services, policies and management.
The awards for Excellence recognize communities that received the highest marks from residents in the previous year and are at the top of the cohort of The NCS participants.
The awards for Transformation recognize communities that have seen significant increase in favorable ratings in resident responses over repeated administrations of The NCS.
Awards are also given to local government organizations that demonstrate the best online engagement on the Polco platform.
Damema Mann
Director of National Engagement
The Voice of the People Awards are given for Excellence and Transformation in each “facet” of community livability as measured by The NCS. The facets of community livability include: Safety, Mobility, the Natural Environment, the Built Environment, the Economy, Recreation and Wellness, Education and Enrichment and Community Engagement. These facets reinforce the Foundations of Livability, which make a community a place where people want to live.