100 Best Communities for Young People
100 Best Communities for Young People, presented by ING, recognizes and celebrates extraordinary community-wide efforts to improve the well-being of youth and end the nation’s dropout crisis. The 100 Best range from large cities to suburbs, counties and rural towns. Winning efforts are as varied as local needs, imaginations and willingness to work together. Any community committed to its young people – and acting on that commitment – should apply.
To register for the 100 Best Communities for Young People presented by ING, just follow these 4 easy steps:
- Login to your www.americaspromise.org account by clicking Login at the top of this page. If you don’t have an account on our site, you’ll need to create one first.
- If you are creating an account on our site for the first time, be sure to look for an e-mail from our system requesting that you validate your e-mail address to activate your account.
- Once you have activated your account, or signed in if you already have one, come back to this page and click on “Register for 100 Best” on the right-hand side, or click on the link embedded in the paragraph below.
- Complete the brief form to register entitled “100 Best Communities Registration” and click submit. You’ll receive an e-mail thanking you for your registration for the competition and containing information about the rest of the process.
Note that this registration is not an application for the competition, but the first step in the application process. You will be notified via e-mail of acceptance of your registration within 24 hours of submitting this form. Once your registration is accepted, you will be able to access the full 100 Best online application (later in March), which will be the system for submitting your application for the competition.
Remember that full applications will be due June 1, 2010.
The competition:
- Showcases innovative community solutions to the challenges young people face
- Motivates local leaders to work together for real change
- Channels civic pride into effective action on behalf of young people
- Builds awareness of our nation’s dropout crisis and the supports children need to succeed
- Demonstrates the importance and effectiveness of collaboration through partnerships
- Helps communities share successful strategies
- Challenges all communities to become great places to grow up
Listen to the Introductory 100 Best Conference Call to learn more
What Winning Communities Gain:
- National recognition and media exposure
- Financial and logistic support to celebrate selection at a local event
- Commemorative awards to be displayed in the community
- Exposure to Alliance partner resources and the insights of other winning communities through an innovative online space to exchange ideas
- Invitations to exclusive online informational events featuring Alliance partners designed to strengthen local efforts
How To Apply
Representatives of communities can apply online at this page. Applications for the 2010 competition will be available Monday, March 1, and must be completed by Tuesday, June 1. Technical support conference calls and webinars will be offered at regular intervals during the application period.
Questions?
Please contact Jordan LaPier, Senior Director, 100 Best Communities for Young People, at (202) 657-0635 or 100BestHelp@americaspromise.org.