The National League of Cities (NLC) and engineering firm CH2M HILL have announced that the City and County of Denver is a finalist for the 2008 Awards for Municipal Excellence. The awards recognize cities and towns for outstanding programs that have improved the quality of life in their communities.

Denver’s 5 By 5 Project provides the city’s Head Start families with children under the age of five year-round access and educational opportunities at 12 of Denver’s top cultural venues free of charge. The goal of The 5 By 5 Project is to strengthen families and support school readiness.

"We are honored to be named a finalist for this prestigious award," said Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper. "We salute our cultural partners for their collaboration on The 5 By 5 Project; this program simply would not be possible without their support."

Hickenlooper also praised the Office for Education and Children staff for its role in implementing the program. He added: "Cultural experiences afforded by The 5 By 5 Project combine with the learning opportunities offered by Head Start to give our children the best possible foundation for school and life, regardless of family income."

Of 173 nominations received by NLC, 57 programs were selected as finalists. Denver and its "5 By 5 Project" are one of 10 finalists in the population category over 501,000. The winners of 2008 Awards for Municipal Excellence will be announced at NLC’s Congress of Cities and Exposition in Orlando, Florida, November 11-15. A complete list of the finalists can be found on NLC’s website at www.nlc.org

More than 6,000 families have participated in The 5 By 5 Project in its first three years, making more than 60,000 visits to the cultural venues. As a result, Denver’s low income children are having valuable learning experiences and parents have an increased sense of belonging to, and ownership of, the community.

Nominated programs were judged on the following criteria: successful public-private partnership ventures; productive citizen and community collaborations; effective management of municipal resources; innovative government policies; project implementation with tangible results; and/or the ability to replicate the project in other cities.

The 5 By 5 Project was established by the Mayor’s Office for Education and Children and is made possible through in-kind and financial support from the City’s cultural partners and sponsors. The estimated value of The 5 By 5 Project to families is over $4 million each year. The partnership has grown to include 12 family-friendly organizations: Children’s Museum of Denver, Colorado Ballet, Denver Art Museum, Denver Botanic Gardens, Denver Center Theater Academy, Denver Museum of Nature & Science, Denver Parks & Recreation Aquatic Centers, Denver Public Libraries, Denver Zoo, Downtown Aquarium, Four Mile Historic Park, and The Wildlife Experience. Additional information about The 5 By 5 Project can be found at www.denvergov.org/5_by_5.

"Denver has demonstrated its ability to offer outstanding programs for its citizens, in order to address its challenges and transform the community," said Donald J. Borut, NLC’s Executive Director. "The Awards for Municipal Excellence recognize the spirit in which cities excel and face the future."

"This NLC awards program recognizes the innovative practices underway in our cities, and celebrates their successes. This kind of recognition helps bolster the image of cities and city leaders, with our own citizens as well as nationally," said Cynthia McCollum, NLC President and Council Member, Madison, Ala.

In 1989, NLC partnered with CH2M HILL to create a recognition program, naming the awards the James C. Howland Awards for Urban Enrichment. It honored a founding partner and chief executive officer of CH2M HILL, James C. Howland. Now named the Awards for Municipal Excellence, the program continues the tradition of prestigious recognition. Detailed information about the Awards for Municipal Excellence can be found on the NLC website at www.nlc.org.

The National League of Cities is the nation’s oldest and largest organization devoted to strengthening and promoting cities as centers of opportunity, leadership and governance. NLC is a resource and advocate for 19,000 cities, towns, and villages, representing more than 218 million Americans.