Flagship nlc Reports
Municipal Infrastructure Conditions Report 2026
Communities across the country depend on reliable infrastructure to ensure public safety, economic opportunity and quality of life. Over the past several…
City Fiscal Conditions 2025
The National League of Cities’ 40th annual City Fiscal Conditions report offers a comprehensive snapshot of the financial health of…
State of the Cities 2025
In the dynamic realm of local governance, the State of the Cities report captures local leaders’ collective vision and unwavering…
Featured resources: Advocating for strong federal-local partnerships
Featured resources: AI in Action
Featured resources: Housing
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AI in Action Case Study: Rancho Cordova’s AI and Robotics Ecosystem
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AI in Action Case Study: Reorienting Permitting Around Resident Experience
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Arlington, TX: Using Creative Communications to Explain the Annual Budget
Cities in Action: Young Harris Financial Literacy Engagement
Cities in Action: Energizing the KC BizCare Small Business Support Ecosystem
The Policy Compass in Roanoke, VA: Child Care as Workforce Strategy
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AI in Action Case Study: Reorienting Permitting Around Resident Experience
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AI in Action: Municipality Case Studies Collection
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Arlington, TX: Using Creative Communications to Explain the Annual Budget
What Local Leaders Should Know About DOJ’s New Model Cities Initiative
- Yucel Ors
How El Paso Is Advancing Cross-Border Coordination and Growth
- Tomeka Lee
How Milwaukee is Boosting Connectivity for First Responders
Join 600 Mayors to End Child Hunger
- CitiesSpeak Guest
The Policy Compass in Tacoma, WA: Unlocking Workforce Access by Addressing Child Care
Two Days, One Question: What is in Store for the Economic Futures of Cities?
- Corianne Rice
How NLC’s AI & Emerging Tech Forum Is Advancing Responsible AI in Local Government
- Christopher Jordan
Railroads’ Safety Investments Showed Progress
Building a Resilient Water Workforce in U.S. Cities
Making Housing Vouchers Work
- CitiesSpeak Guest
Communities Invest in Fire Safety with ARPA Dollars
- Jordyn Taylor
Workforce Intelligence Is Becoming a Competitive Advantage for Cities
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Executive Actions Fact Sheet: Protecting the Great Lakes from Invasive Carp
HelloNation: Bring Your City’s Story to Life
Senate Moves Historic Housing Legislation Forward with 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act
- Michael Wallace
From the Event: How Rural Community Leaders Are Creating Opportunity
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From the Event: Young Municipal Leaders Virtual Meeting
Infrastructure Funding: Smart Strategies for Forging Resilience
No Kid Hungry Announces Expanded Impact of the Mayors Alliance to End Childhood Hunger Through a $1.5 Million Investment by Dollar Tree
What the Housing for the 21st Century and ROAD to Housing Acts Mean for Local Governments
- Michael Wallace
Beyond the Vest: What an Officer’s Body Armor Can’t Protect
NLC University Presents: Navigating Municipal Finance Opportunities
As AI Spreads Through City Hall, Chief AI Officers Emerge
- Christopher Jordan
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Executive Actions Fact Sheet: Putting America First in International Environmental Agreements
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Executive Actions Fact Sheet: Preparing Americans for High-Paying Skilled Trade Jobs of the Future
Building the Full Continuum: Lebanon NH’s Strategy for Housing Supply, Stability & Homelessness
- CitiesSpeak Guest
From Town Hall Up: Why Housing Affordability Starts Locally
- CitiesSpeak Guest
Mayors Sound Off On What Works for Workforce Development
- McKinzie McGuire
Enhancing Public Safety: Why Community Responder Models are the Smart Solution to Addressing Homelessness
- Maryam Ahmed
CitiesSpeak Podcast: Clarence E. Anthony, NLC CEO & Executive Director at City Summit in Salt Lake City
Understanding Technical Assistance at NLC
- Seth Eli Barlow
Understanding the Current Housing Finance Residential and Economic Outlook
- Stephanie Onuaja
Regenerative Design: Building to Renew Our Ecosystems and Communities
Data Centers Are Coming: Are You Prepared?
Cities Look to the Future on Water Infrastructure Funding and Programs
- Carolyn Berndt
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Executive Actions Fact Sheet: Achieving Efficiency Through State and Local Preparedness
FEMA Announces New Counter-UAS Grant Program to Empower Cities, Towns and Villages
- Yucel Ors
Philadelphia’s Housing Crisis Demands Bold Action — Mayor Parker’s $2 Billion H.O.M.E. Plan Delivers
- CitiesSpeak Guest
Building the Blueprint: Why Cities Must Treat Talent as Infrastructure
- CitiesSpeak Guest
City Summit Kicks Off in Salt Lake City
- Melissa Williams
Award Winning Public Private Partnerships Improve Healthy Housing Resident Service Delivery
- Becky O’Meara, MSW
Addressing the Decline of Civility in Public Discourse
- Melissa Williams
Talent as the New Infrastructure: How Cities Can Compete in the Age of AI
- CitiesSpeak Guest
What You Can Do Now to Make Sure Your Residents Get Their Money Back This Tax Season
- Patrick Hain
Strategies to “Stack the Deck” for Homeowners
What Yesterday’s Wisdom Can Add to Today’s Health Crisis: The Journey Behind a New Mayor’s Mission to Bring Wellness into the Spotlight
- CitiesSpeak Guest
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Resource Collection: Extension & Municipal Collaboration
Highlights and Takeaways from NLC’s Participation in NYC Climate Week
By:
- Steve Patterson
- Carolyn Berndt
- Brigid Deegan
Five Year Review: How State Laws Have Impacted Local Decision-Making
- Julia Bauer
New Toolkit Guides Communities in Building Resilience to Wildfires
- Carolyn Berndt
AI-Powered Education & Digital Equity for Municipalities
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Municipal Infrastructure Conditions 2025
How to Train Municipal Staff for AI
- Christopher Jordan
Why Public Procurement Should Matter to Every Local Elected Official
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From the Event: Smart Budgeting for Modern Challenges-Lessons from City Leaders
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Executive Actions Fact Sheet: Removing Barriers to American Leadership in Artificial Intelligence
A 360° Approach to Early Childhood Workforce Supports
By:
- Lara Burt
- Kathryn Shibuya
How to Grow and Support Your Early Childhood Workforce
By:
- Lara Burt
- Kathryn Shibuya
Expanding Opportunity for All: How to Increase Employment for People with Disabilities
Why Every City Must See Housing as a Workforce Issue
- Lindsay Rapkin
Unlocking Potential, Powering Communities: Investing in Adult Education Programs
- Stephanie Martinez-Ruckman
From Data to Decisions: How Newport News Turns ACS Data into Life-Saving Action
- CitiesSpeak Guest
Get 100% Federal Support for Developing Infrastructure Asset Financing Strategies
By:
- Kyle Funk
- Brittney D. Kohler
Mayors and Representative Kiley: NLC’s Mayors’ Education Task Force Convenes to Address Education Priorities
By:
- Brandis Stockman
- Stephanie Martinez-Ruckman
Transit’s Big Impact in Smaller Urban Areas like Flagstaff
- CitiesSpeak Guest
Charting a New Path: A Leadership Story in Stamps, AR
- Katya Mayer
How Focusing on Early Literacy Can Create a Generation of Readers
By:
- Lara Burt
- Kathryn Shibuya
Honolulu’s Early Eviction Mediation and Rental Assistance Program’s Success
- CitiesSpeak Guest
Building a Community of Care: How a City in Vermont Empowers their Arabic-Speaking Community
- Justin Chu
Development Without Displacement: Centering Communities Through Housing Preservation
- Tomeka Lee
Mayoral Support of Summer Learning Programs: An Interview with Madison, WI Mayor Rhodes-Conway
- Brandis Stockman
Unlocking Efficiency: Best Practices for Development Review Success
Southern Success Stories: 20 Cities Creating Opportunity
By:
- Kayla Anthony
- Rosanna Mulcahy
Use AI to Transform City Operations
Five Things Local Leaders Should Know about the American AI Action Plan
- Angelina Panettieri
State of the Cities 2025
Rapid Grants, Innovative Ideas: Developing Economic Mobility Strategies in 2025
- Justin Chu
Saving Lives in a Warming World: How Public-Private Partnerships Can Deliver Critical Heat Relief
Development Without Displacement: Safeguarding Municipalities Near Transit Projects
- Tomeka Lee
Transforming Public Safety Through Partnerships: Focused Deterrence in Dallas
- Maryam Ahmed
Dallas City Leaders Approve Landmark Ordinance to Support Missing Middle Housing
- CitiesSpeak Guest
NLC Joins LocalGov 250: A Celebration of Local Government in American History
- Clarence E. Anthony
Seattle, WA: Community Response Model
Arizona Mayors Tackle Political Polarization
By:
- Ian Grice
- Jordyn Taylor
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From the Event: Innovative Capacity Building with the Lincoln Vibrant Communities Teams Program
Reimagining Your Civic Assets: A Blueprint for Future-Ready Cities
Small But Strong: Celebrating the Progress of Small Cities
- Cole Calloway
How St. Louis Put Equity on the Scoreboard
- CitiesSpeak Guest
Economic Mobility: How Cities Can Support Entrepreneurs Earning Less Than 100K
By:
- Rosanna Mulcahy
- Safaya Fawzi
America’s Housing Comeback: Why The Moment for Housing Is Now
- Steve Patterson
Women Lead the Way: Lessons from WIMG 2025 Summer Conference
- Sarah Minster
What’s Next? Celebrating the One-Year Anniversary of the Housing Supply Accelerator Playbook
- Stephanie Onuaja
Which Health and Wellbeing Technical Assistance Cohort is Right for You?
- Megan Greig
Small Cities Month: Big Impact in Small Communities
- Carmel Jones
Building a New Model: Cincinnati’s Financial Freedom Blueprint in Action
- CitiesSpeak Guest
What is the 2026 Census Test (for the 2030 Census) and Why is it Important?
- Dante Moreno
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From the Event: How Police Departments Can Support and Strengthen Community Mental Health and Violence Prevention Programming
Elevating Complete Streets Policies with Green Infrastructure
Data Centers and Local Environmental Considerations
- Kelly Aves
Strengthening Local Momentum for a Skilled EV Workforce
By:
- Kyle Funk
- Michael Bartlett
How Your Local Library Can Help Expand Access to Nature
- Melanie Robinson
GoFundMe and Cities: Supporting Your Community in the Moments that Matter
How Cities Can Spark Economic Transformation through Entrepreneur-Led Economic Development
- Tomeka Lee
How Cities are Creating Paths Forward for Formerly Incarcerated Residents through Green Jobs Programs
- Ayesha Mehrotra
NLC Launches High Performance Leadership Cohorts
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From the Event: Healthy Housing Learning Lab: Sustainable and Resilient Housing Solutions
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From the Event: Tackling the Housing Crisis with Policy & Technology
From the Event: Addressing the Rise of Incivility Town Hall
Leveraging Urban Tree Canopies to Unlock Community Resilience
- Brigid Deegan
Boosting Your Community’s Environmental Impact: Why Recycling Education Matters
Innovative Approaches to Civic Engagement
- Christopher Jordan
Promoting Healthy Community Dialogue: Civic Discourse 101
By:
- Kyle Funk
- Julia Bauer
Calling All Municipalities – Safe Streets Grants Available Now
By:
- Kyle Funk
- Brittney D. Kohler
NLC’s Research Advisory Committee Strengthens Partnerships & Expands Local Government Research
- Sarah Minster
Catalyzing Biodiversity on Buildings
- CitiesSpeak Guest
Powering The Future: How Chick-fil-A is Testing Solar Microgrids
Innovative Approaches to Dual-Purpose Solar
- Kelly Aves
CitiesSpeak Podcast: Accelerating America’s Housing Comeback with DC Mayor Muriel Bowser
What Cities Need to Know about Lead Service Line Replacement Requirements – and How to Fund It
- Ayesha Mehrotra
Advancing Cities of the Future with Sustainability and Innovation
- Catherine L. Werner
Five Years Since the COVID-19 Pandemic: Reflections from NLC CEO & Executive Director Clarence Anthony
- Clarence E. Anthony
Celebrating Women in Municipal Government
- Fiona Duncan
How Diversified Funding Can Improve Public Health in Your City
- Megan Greig
How NLC’s Filling the Gap Tool Helps Communities Unlock Housing Finance
By:
- Stephanie Onuaja
- Sarah Minster
The State of GovTech: A Must-Attend Conference for City Leaders on the Leading Edge of Innovation
Update on Elective Pay Tax Credits: What Cities Need to Know
By:
- Dante Moreno
- Carolyn Berndt
Members Only
From the Event: Evidence-based Approach to Building a Thriving America
A Comprehensive Guide for Local Leaders on Managing PFAS Waste
- Carolyn Berndt
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2025 US Department of Housing and Urban Development Local Government Priorities in the 100 days
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2025 US Environmental Protection Agency Local Government Priorities in the 100 days
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2025 U.S. Department of Commerce Local Government Priorities in the 100 days
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2025 U.S. Department of Agriculture Local Government Priorities in the 100 days
Ready and Resilient: Building Better Cities, Towns and Villages for the Future
- Steve Patterson
5 Ways Local Officials Can Support the Early Childhood Workforce
- Annika List
Catalyzing Change: Building a Sustainable Economic Ecosystem
- Tomeka Lee
How Mobile Classrooms Help Cities Reach Children & Families Experiencing Homelessness
- Lara Burt
How Four Cities Are Building Early Learning Systems
- Amirh Moore
Cooking Up Inclusion: How Norfolk’s Bon Appétit Initiative is Boosting Small, Women- and Minority-owned Businesses
- Rosanna Mulcahy
Southern California Wildfire Response: How City Leaders Can Help
Housing for Returning Citizens in Small Cities: Challenges and Solutions
- Tony McCright, Jr.
Chattanooga’s PILOT Reimagined: Honing a Powerful Housing Tool
- CitiesSpeak Guest
The Path Home in Newark, NJ: Strategies to End Chronic Homelessness in Cities
NLC Wrapped: Our Top Blog Posts of 2024
- Jeremy Grossman
How Cities, Towns and Villages are Improving Recycling Practices
- Carolyn Berndt
Building Opportunities: How Chattanooga’s Blueprint Program Inspires the Next Wave of Economic Inclusion
- Rosanna Mulcahy
Congressional Movement on Workforce Reauthorization Legislation
- Stephanie Martinez-Ruckman
How San Francisco is Boosting College Enrollment for All Youth
- Patrick Hain
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Lessons from the 2023-2024 Cities of Opportunity Action Cohort
What Congress Could Finish by the End of 2024
- Michael Wallace
How Hartford is Strengthening the Early Childhood Workforce
- Annika List
Elevating Communities to National Prominence: Welcome to Hello Nation
How Jacksonville is Building Partnerships and Supporting the Early Childhood Workforce to Create Quality Services
- Annika List
8 Ways City Summit 2024 Celebrated 100 Years of Strengthening Cities
- Jeremy Grossman
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Racial Equity Bond Markets Resource Bank
Cities Prepare for Air Taxis and Drones with NLC’s New Aviation Forum
- Brittney D. Kohler
Opportunity & Impact: Investing in City & Community Partnerships Toward Safety
Celebrating Five Years of the City Inclusive Entrepreneurship Program
By:
- Safaya Fawzi
- Tomeka Lee
Future of Cities: Innovative Strategies to Empower Small Businesses
Federal Funding Opportunities That Support Resilient Infrastructure, Smart Surfaces
By:
- Kyle Funk
- Brigid Deegan
Growing Small Towns: Why Local Leaders Should Join NLC’s Small Cities Council
- Ebone Clifton
Good Governance: Why it Matters to You and Your Community
Stressed Parents, Stressed Cities: Understanding the Surgeon General’s Advisory on Parental Stress
By:
- Lara Burt
- Sarah Weller-Pegna, MPH
Attracting and Retaining Talent in City Government: Become a Great Place to Work
Centennial Brief Resource Collection
Are City Leaders Ready for AI?
FirstNet: Collaborating for Safer Communities
Opportunities for Municipal Paid Leave Policies
By:
- Julia Bauer
- Patrick Rochford
- Jordyn Taylor
A New Era of Fines and Fees Reform: Tackling Youth Restitution
- Chanell Hasty
4 Lessons to Guide Cities in Wastewater Monitoring Efforts
Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month with NLC’s HELO
By:
- Rita Soler Ossolinski
- Eli Craveiro Frankel
Celebrate Workforce Development Month!
By:
- McKinzie McGuire
- Lindsay Rapkin
Federal Workforce Legislation Hits Critical Juncture – Take Action!
- Stephanie Martinez-Ruckman
North Carolina Internship Program Offers Workforce Development Model
Innovative Hydrogen Technology Benefits Public Works Projects
National League of Cities Recognizes Presidential Platforms’ Commitment to Local Public Safety Programs
- Yucel Ors
Good Jobs in Great Cities
- McKinzie McGuire
Fulfilling Basic Needs: 6 Ways Cities Can Support Postsecondary Residents and Institutions
- Lindsay Rapkin
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Tempe, AZ: Hometown for All Housing
States and Cities Made Their Climate Wish Lists. Now They Need $25 Billion to Do It
Municipalities Reimagining Community Safety Through Group Violence Intervention
- Sarah Minster
City AI Governance Dashboard
IRA Elective Pay Provision for Clean Energy: 5 Steps to File
Promoting Community Civility to Reduce Local Political Violence
By:
- Julia Bauer
- Julia Glickman
Summer & Learning Programs: A Mayor and Superintendent Collaboration in Madison, WI
What Does the Surgeon General’s Declaration on Gun Violence Mean for Cities?
- Sarah Weller-Pegna, MPH
Legacy Reborn: Reenergizing a Historically Black Shopping District
- Tomeka Lee
How are Local Governments Investing Opioid Funds? The Supplantation Debate Explained
- Sarah Minster
From the Event: Building Strong Communities: Understanding and Investing in Today’s Youth-Serving Workforce
State of the Cities 2024
Transforming Muskogee: From Historic Port to Entrepreneurial Hub
- Samantha Pedrosa
Three Local Authority Trends and Insights
By:
- Julia Bauer
- Patrick Rochford
Members Only
From the Event: Healthy Housing Data Symposium
What is Community Violence Intervention? Innovative Approaches to Reduce Violence in Cities
- Emanuel Boo Milton
Small Cities Month: How One Community Made a Big Impact on NLC’s Centennial Roadshow
- Ebone Clifton
Towards Resilient Economies: Southern Cities’ Commitment to Inclusive Procurement
By:
- Rosanna Mulcahy
- Jordyn Battle
Chicago, IL: Community Violence Intervention
Manufactured Housing: Making Homeownership Attainable
- Stephanie Onuaja