“There are few things in life that are free. Being recognized as an Intelligent Community may just be one of them.”

That was the beginning of the blog on August 5, 2015 about the benefits that communities can expect by successfully applying to be recognized as a SMART21 Intelligent Community via https://www.intelligentcommunity.org/nominations. I have often been asked what the benefits are from the unique ICF Awards Program and I have referred them to the original blog from August 2015. But three years later, I felt we needed to update the original. Besides, the original listed only 12 benefits. Today, we are listing an amazing Top 20 Reasons.

Awards to culminate with the naming of the 2019 Intelligent Community of the Year in June at the ICF Summit in New York City

(July 3, 2018 – New York City) - The Intelligent Community Forum (ICF) today announced “Infinite Learning” as the theme for the 2019 cycle of its prestigious Intelligent Community of the Year Awards Program.  The Forum’s Intelligent Community of the Year will be named in June in New York.  Nominations close on September 21, 2018.  Along the way toward naming the Intelligent Community of the Year, the Smart21 and Top7 will be announced in October and February.

The data for ICF’s research program comes from a continuing study of communities around the world through out Intelligent Community Awards Program. Communities benefit in two ways from submitting a questionnaire:

• They are automatically entered into the Intelligent Community Awards Program and consideration for the Smart21 Communities of the Year in the next three annual Awards cycles.  
• They are eligible to appear in ICF's annual By the Numbers rankings of Intelligent Communities

The goal of the program is to provide communities everywhere – large and small, urban and rural – with evidence-based guidance on becoming an Intelligent Community, and an objective method for measuring their progress. ICF accepts nominations throughout the year and communities may complete and submit a questionnaire at any time.

Download and complete the questionnaire, which you may complete and return by email. It consists of multiple-choice and short-answer questions, plus questions asking for a more extended description of your community’s programs. From gathering information to filling out the form, the questionnaire requires between 8 and 10 hours to complete. 

ICF analyzes your completed questionnaire using a mix of quantitative measures developed over years of experience with Intelligent Communities, and independent evaluation of your community’s programs by an international team of academic analysts.  The current Awards cycle considers data submitted this year as well as data submitted in the previous two years.  Each year's cycle ends in mid-September to prepare for Awards announcements in October (Smart21), February (Top7) and June (Intelligent Community of the Year).  

Not ready to submit a nominations form? You can:

• Learn more about The ICF Method
• Read about the 2019 theme, Infinite Learning.
• Take our 15-minute Community Self-test for a first look at your community's intelligence.

From its growing data set, ICF publishes regular research reports offering insights into the key characteristics of Intelligent Communities, from broadband adoption and lifelong learning to innovation and digital equality programs. These reports help shape national and regional policies on urban and rural development, as well as validating the efforts of community leaders to build a better future.

Submitting communities will be entered into awards consideration and receive written report comparing them to ICF's global data set

(June 28, 2016 – New York City, NY, USA) – The Intelligent Community Forum (ICF) is accepting nominations for the 2017 Intelligent Community of the Year Awards Program. The 2017 Awards Program run by the New York-based think tank will name the 19th Intelligent Community of the Year at the Intelligent Community Awards Dinner, taking place during the ICF Summit on June 8, 2017 in New York City. The Intelligent Community of the Year is a community that is a leader in creating inclusive economic prosperity, solving social problems and enriching quality of life using information and communications technology (ICT). The 2016 recipient was Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

Every year in July, we open the Intelligent Community Awards to new nominations. And every year, we find ourselves engaged in the same strange balancing act.

ICF is a global network of cities and regions with a think tank at its center. That think tank conducts research to learn how cities and regions use broadband and IT to create inclusive local prosperity, to address big social problems, and to enrich their quality of life.

New York, NY – July 10, 2014 - The Intelligent Community Forum announces the opening of nominations for the 2015 Intelligent Community of the Year Awards Program. The 2015 Awards Program run by the New York-based think tank will name the 17th Intelligent Community of the Year, a community that is a global leader in creating wealth and jobs by seizing the opportunities of information and communications technology (ICT). The 2014 recipient was Toronto, Ontario, Canada.