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City Practice Resources
When your city is seeking solutions, avoid reinventing the wheel by using the City Practice Resources compiled by the staff of the National League of Cities.
All of these resources describe successful efforts of cities of all sizes around the U.S. If the information looks interesting, you can dig deeper by directly contacting the right person in that city by using the phone and/or email information provided. Build your own program on the success of what you learn from others.
Four City Practice Resources are now available:
City Practice Online Database
City Practice Publications
Municipal Resources Update
Municipal Reference Service Inquiry Service (NLC members only)
City Practice Online Database
City Practice Online Database is a searchable collection of over 6,000 local government programs and practices. These are current programs in cities and towns across the nation, and the collection covers a multitude of topics. A brief description outlines the basic information, and the name of a staff person is provided so that you can learn more about the program.
Search the City Practice Online Database. Search tips are available online.
If you need additional search assistance, call the Municipal Reference Service at 202-626-3130 (8:30-5:00 EST)
or email mrs@nlc.org.
City Practice Publications
City Practice Briefs
City Practice Briefs provide a selection of city practices and programs on specific topics to assist municipal officials faced with decisions. Each City Practice Brief provides a summary of five to ten city programs along with contact information and is designed to facilitate networking.
Municipal Action Guides
Municipal Action Guides provide helpful background information on various topics in a concise format intended to offer guidance to municipal officials faced with decisions. Each Municipal Action Guide is designed to identify a current challenge, outline strategies for addressing the challenge, list action steps that can be taken, include examples of effective city practices and programs, and identify other resources that are available.
Click on a topic link below to access the downloadable publications on that topic:
Economic Opportunity & Vitality Public Finance
Equity & Inclusiveness Public Safety
Governance & Structure Sustainability
Housing & Community Development Transportation & Infrastructure
Economic Opportunity & Vitality
City Practice Briefs:
Business Attraction and Job Creation
Economic Development: Universities and Small Cities
Economic Development and Sustainability
Local Workforce Development Programs
Renaissance Zones
Retail Redevelopment
Small Cities Economic Development
Municipal Action Guides:
Building on Your City's Economic Strengths
Building Partnerships for Economic Vitality
City-Developer Relations: Working Together Toward Successful Redevelopment
Downtown Revitalization: A Gateway to Local Economic Development
Strengthening Your Local Workforce
Equity & Inclusiveness
City Practice Briefs:
Citizenship and Naturalization Resources
Earned Income Tax Credit Programs
Employment & Business Ownership -- An Immigrant Integration Brief
Financial Literacy and Counseling Programs
Taking Action to Address Poverty
Municipal Action Guides:
Using Poverty Simulations to Build Support for Poverty Reduction Initiatives
Governance & Structure
City Practice Briefs:
Engaging Citizens in Public Work
Making Municipal Government Work
Partnering for Public Work
Small Cities Share Solutions
Working with Governments
Municipal Action Guides:
Legislating for Results Series:
-- Getting Information on the Right Things
-- Getting Understandable and Good Quality Information on Results
-- Using Outcome Information in Strategic and Program Planning
-- The Operating Budget
-- The Capital Budget
-- Reviewing Results and Costs of Key Services and Policies Throughout the Year
-- Encouraging/Motivating Personnel to Continually Improve Service Outcomes
-- Motivating Contractors and Grantees to High Levels of Performance
-- Communicating with Citizens and Media
-- Building Council and Staff Capacity and Interest
Protecting Essential Records from Disasters
Working Productively with 21st Century Citizens
Housing & Community Development
City Practice Briefs:
Affordable Rental Housing Initiatives
Anti-Predatory Lending Ordinances
Foreclosure Assistance Resources
Foreclosure Prevention Practices
Housing and Service Programs for the Homeless
Municipal Action Guides:
Establishing a Land Bank to Manage Vacant, Abandoned and Foreclosed Properties
Housing Assistance for Municipal Employees
Housing Trust Funds
Linking Housing and Community Services
Seizing Opportunities to Develop and Preserve Affordable Housing
Public Finance
City Practice Briefs:
Alternative Revenue Sources for Cities
Public Safety
Municipal Action Guides:
Preparing for Pandemic Influenza
Protecting Essential Records from Disasters
Sustainability
City Practice Briefs:
Alternative Fuel Programs for Municipal Fleets
Economic Development and Sustainability
Global Models in Sustainable Energy
Municipal Action Guides:
Greenroofs
How Cities Can Work to Reduce Fuel Consumption and Increase Efficiency of Services
Transportation & Infrastructure
City Practice Briefs:
Infrastructure Solutions for Cities and Towns
Municipal Action Guides:
Local Roles in Integrating Transportation and Land Use
Municipal Resources Update
The Municipal Resources Update is designed to provide NLC member city staff and local elected officials with helpful information about the decisions they make in their city everyday. This email update is sent to National League of Cities members at least quarterly, disseminating NLC resources and publications. For more information, or to subscribe to the Municipal Resources Update, contact Jamie Durana at durana@nlc.org.
Download recent issues of Municipal Resources Update:
February 2009
September 2008
June 2008
April 2008
Municipal Reference Service Inquiry Service
The Municipal Reference Service (MRS) Inquiry Service is available to cities that are members of the National League of Cities and the state municipal leagues.
The librarians of MRS will consult with you to determine what you need and recommend resources with relevant information.
Phone: 202-626-3130 between 8:30 and 5:00 Eastern Standard Time
Email: mrs@nlc.org
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