A city focused on environmental sustainability, one of six Factors in the ICF Method defining success for cities and regions in the 21st Century

(New York, USA and Tallinn, Estonia – April 6, 2021) – When Tallinn, Estonia was named the Intelligent Community of the Year in October 2020 by the Intelligent Community Forum (ICF), one factor in its selection was a commitment to environmental sustainability. In May of that year, Tallinn had been shortlisted by the European Commission as one of four finalists for the 2022 European Green Capital Award. The city followed up these achievements by launching a new brand as a Green Global City.

Communities from eight nations, including Vietnam and the United Kingdom, named this year

(24 February 2021 – Township of Langley, City of Maple Ridge & New York City) – At the conclusion of a virtual conference hosted by the Township of Langley and the City of Maple Ridge in British Columbia, Canada, and in a simultaneous global announcement online from its New York City headquarters, the Intelligent Community Forum (ICF) today named the world’s Smart21 Communities of 2021.

Selection of this group of regions, cities and towns begins the think tank’s annual nine-month process which will conclude when ICF names the 2021 Intelligent Community of the Year in October 2021 at the ICF Summit. Each has applied the six principles of the ICF Method to begin building inclusive economic prosperity, social health and cultural richness, which together make a community strong and resilient. Most have been working on their programs for several years.

First Baltic Community Ever Named, Succeeds Taoyuan, Taiwan as Number One

(29 October 2020 – New York City) – For the first time in the twenty-one-year history of the award, the Intelligent Community Forum honored an Estonian city with its top award today when it named Tallinn, Estonia as its 2020 Intelligent Community of the Year. Tallinn has been engaged in the Intelligent Community Awards program for over a decade, having been previously named to the list of the ICF’s Top7 Communities six times since 2007.

“Last year we had a community on the other side of the world that had been working on the ICF Method for eleven years and finally was recognized as the Intelligent Community of the Year. This year we have another great city that worked even longer on the process, learned from places like Taoyuan and others and has blown people away with their thoroughness and dynamic qualities. Tallinn is, by anyone’s measure, a place that looks like our future needs to look,” said ICF Co-Founder Louis Zacharilla.

(October 14, 2020 - New York City) – The Intelligent Community Forum (ICF) today published its latest book, From Connectivity to Community. Written for community leaders, economic development professionals, legislators, educators and business leaders, the book provides principles and roadmaps for achieving local economic, social and cultural growth amid the immense disruptions of the digital age.

Growth in the local economy, in the social richness of a community and in its traditions and culture are the things that make a community worth living in. It is what attracts outsiders to settle there, what keeps people and employers from moving away, and what makes possible every other thing residents love about the place called home. Today those things are under siege all over the world from massive waves of change in the economy, in society and in culture generated by technology change.

Annual Awards Program to culminate in October 2021 with the announcement of the 2021 Intelligent Community of the Year

(September 21, 2020 – New York City) – While preparing to announce its Intelligent Community of the Year for 2020 in October, the Intelligent Community Forum (ICF) has opened nominations for the next cycle of its prestigious international awards program for cities and regions.

The Awards Program, which is run by the New York-based think-tank, will name its 22nd Intelligent Community of the Year at the 2021 ICF Global Summit in October 2021. The 2020 cycle, currently in progress, will conclude on October 29 at this year’s virtual ICF Global Summit.

Announcement to be part of a 2.5-day conference, “From Surviving to Thriving” using the ICF Method

(New York, NY, USA; Maple Ridge, BC, Canada and the Township of Langley, BC, Canada – September 10, 2020) – The Intelligent Community Forum (ICF) today named Maple Ridge and the Township of Langley in British Columbia, Canada as co-hosts of the February 2021 ICF Smart21 Conference: From Surviving to Thriving using the ICF Method. The Smart21 Communities announcement will take place as part of a 2.5-day conference from February 21-23, 2021.

(May 20, 2020 - New York City) – The Intelligent Community Forum (ICF) today released Investment-Ready Abbotsford: The Story of an Intelligent Community. The new research report details a multi-year program developed by ICF and the leadership of Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada to deepen understanding of today’s economic development challenges and opportunities, and to contribute to the evolution of new strategies and programs.

“Abbotsford is typical of small-to-midsize cities around the world in having a legacy industry – agriculture in their case – that cannot provide job growth today. It is not typical in its ambition to change that situation and build a dynamic, job-creating economy on the solid foundation of its agricultural strengths. Investment-Ready Abbotsford tells its story.”

ICF’s Global Summit will take place October 21-23 in Dublin, Ohio, USA, with the Intelligent Community of the Year announcement on October 22

(New York, NY, USA and Dublin, OH, USA – April 2, 2020) – In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, ICF and its host city of Dublin, Ohio, USA have rescheduled the Global Summit from its original June dates to October 21-23, 2020.

Rescheduling the Summit will also push back the awarding of the Intelligent Community of the Year to October 22. ICF is taking this opportunity to revamp its future awards program schedule as well. The deadline for nominations for the 2021 cycle will move to January 7, 2021, with the Smart21 (semi-finalist) announcement scheduled for February.

Nominations are being accepted now for 2021, and communities are invited to download the questionnaire from www.intelligentcommunity.org/index_questionnaire. By submitting it, they will receive a free Snapshot report comparing their readiness and performance to ICF’s global data set.

Small and Midsized Communities from Four Nations Become Finalists to be named Intelligent Community of the Year at ICF Global Summit in Dublin, Ohio, USA in June

(New York, USA and Taoyuan, Taiwan – 10 February, 2020) – In an announcement this evening at an international conference at Taoyuan, Taiwan, the Intelligent Community Forum (ICF) named the Top7 Intelligent Communities of 2020. The 18th annual Top7 list includes cities and counties from the United States, Canada, Australia and Estonia. One of these seven finalists in the think tank’s annual awards program will be named the Intelligent Community of the Year at the ICF Summit in June in Dublin, Ohio, USA on June 18th. (www.icfsummit.com)

In alphabetical order, the Top7 Intelligent Communities of 2020 are:

• Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
• Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
• Hudson, Ohio, USA
• Markham, Ontario, Canada
• Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia
• Tallinn, Estonia
• Westerville, Ohio, USA

(January 23, 2019 – New York City, NY, USA) – The Intelligent Community Forum (ICF) has released a comprehensive ranking of sustainability in cities and regions in a dozen nations that have been identified as Intelligent Communities. Sustainability is one of the six key factors defining Intelligent Communities in the ICF Method.

Sustainability is considered a success factor because it offers multiple benefits to the economic, social and cultural life of communities. Quality of life in a community is tied to the environment within the community, from air quality to water pollution. Communities must take action toward sustainability goals to improve their quality of life and protect themselves from harm – all while contributing to the health of the world.