Cities 101 is a public resource developed by the National League of Cities to introduce and explain municipal government in the United States. There are many ways cities are created, and there exists considerable variation in their power and authority.
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.
NLC Corporate Partners have a wide range of resources to help communities. Below are links to tools, articles, websites, videos and other resources, categorized by topical area. These resources are updated regularly.
"Emerging Issues" is the title of a monthly column by NLC staff member Bill Barnes in Nation's Cities Weekly newspaper. The columns focus on issues and topics --- beyond or beneath the day-to-day news --- that affect municipal governments and regions and the people who live in them.
Municipal Action Guides provide helpful background information on various topics in a new concise format intended to offer guidance to municipal officials faced with decisions. the Toolkits provide local officials with step by step plans to implement successful solutions to a variety of challenges.
NLC provides an applied think tank capacity by developing, conducting, and reporting research on programs and issues affecting city and towns.