The nation's oldest award for civic accomplishment, the All-America City Award is presented to 10 communities annually by the National Civic League and is supported by All-State Insurance. 1999 marked the 50th anniversary of the award.

What are the criteria by which communities are judged?

The winners are selected based on several factors. The first is a broad-based citizen involvement in community issues. Is there a broadly shared decision making process involving public, private, and non-profit participation? Is there recognition and involvement of diverse segments of the population? Does the community creatively mobilize and utilize its resources? Do major projects address and significantly impact the community in light of its challenges, resources, and circumstances? Is the community willing to confront critical issues and address its most important needs? Winning communities must clearly demonstrate project results.

How difficult is it to win the All-America City Award?

In 1999 there were 93 applicants. The field was narrowed to 30 finalists. Ten communities were chosen to receive the award. Four thousand communities have applied for the honor in the award's 50 year history. Fewer than 500 have won.

Where is Tri-Cities, TN/VA?

The Tri-Cities region stretches over the Northeast corner of Tennessee and the Southwest corner of Virginia. The three cities referred to in the community name are Johnson City and Kingsport in Tennessee, and Bristol, a city which is actually bisected by the Tennessee-Virginia state line. The Tri-Cities, TN/VA region also includes 57 smaller communities (such as Greeneville, TN and Abingdon, VA) in 14 counties surrounding Bristol, Kingsport, and Johnson City.

Who lives in Tri-Cities, TN/VA?