America In Bloom

What is AIB?

• National awards program for quality of life in cities, towns, townships, colleges, university campuses, business districts, military installations and identified sections of large cities

• Founded in 2001• Modeled after proven, successful programs internationally

What We Do

• Give awards for best quality of life in American towns and more

• Provide a framework for improving the overall quality of life in your community

• Connect people to plants / community through education and participation

• Promote nationwide beautification through education / community involvement by encouraging the use of flowers, plants, trees and other environmental and lifestyle enhancements

What We Do• Provide on-site, one-on-one mentoring and coaching by a

team of expert judges who provide a detailed, written evaluation

• Online, no charge webinars on a variety of topics • Organize an annual educational symposium held in a different

city each year

Quality of LifePlants Bring Communities Together: The Benefits of Human Plant Interactions‐Dr. Charles R. Hall, Texas A&M University Department of Horticultural Sciences

“In today’s challenging economic climate, community leaders are seeking new ways to attract and retain citizens, develop prosperous economies, add intellectual capital, and create jobs. The drivers that create emotional bonds between people and their community are consistent in virtually every city and can be reduced to just a few categories. Interestingly, the usual suspects — jobs, the economy, and safety — are not among the top drivers. Rather, people consistently give higher ratings for elements that relate directly to their daily quality of life including such things as an area’s physical beauty, opportunities for socializing, and a community’s perceived level of openness to all people.”

Quality of Life• Cities know that flowers, trees, shrubs, turf, and groundcovers

provide visual impact and welcome/invite folks to spend time in the city. They know cities are enhanced by attention to tidiness, environment and heritage preservation

• Success requires the synergy that comes from an engaged and active community, combining the efforts of municipal & business partners working in cooperation with residents

• Once citizens experience the true community spirit that results when everyone pitches in to make visible improvements, there is often no turning back

• America in Bloom was awarded the American Horticultural Society’s 2009 Urban Beautification Award

Participation

Since 2002…

•More than 230 communities from 45 states have participated in our annual awards program•Cities have participated year after year •The lives of some 22 million people have been touched in some way by America in Bloom.•Add to that number the people in neighboring towns and we have touched the lives of millions of Americans. •Some winners have moved on to international competition.

Benefits of Participation

Increased Community Involvement•The program brings residents together who might not normally work collaboratively on common goals•The message is spread that your town is a great place to live, work, play, and visit through cared-for buildings and properties, colorful plants, and a clean environment. These are reflections of a thriving, caring municipality

Increased Civic Pride•Being part of the program changes lives, helps improve the community and makes a visible difference in towns•Residents come to relish the community as it has been transformed creating a whole different kind of urban renewal

Benefits of Participation

Decreased Vandalism and Crime

•Well-tended communities have less crime•Vandalism is reduced when residents are involved

Economic Benefits

•Improved property values•Increased volunteerism•Reduced heating, cooling and maintenance costs•Increased tourism•Information and cultural exchanges with neighboring, national and international communities through the national symposium and awards

VolunteersThe heartbeat and lifeblood of cities and towns…..

•America in Bloom galvanizes volunteers from all walks of life which brings communities together and creates a synergy of positive efforts to enhance permanent improvements to their communities•Mayors routinely remark that America in Bloom is the best community-building tool they’ve ever experienced•Countless volunteer hours are donated in all of our participating cities. For example:

– Fayetteville, Arkansas - One out of every three residents volunteers – Bloomington, Indiana - 438 members of the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program

donated 81,873 hours at 58 nonprofit organizations– Logan, Ohio - tallied more than 100,000 hours (with less than 7,000 residents!)

•In-kind contributors: paint, construction materials, newspapers that sponsor garden makeover contests, plants , etc. •Our judges and board of directors are all volunteers

America in Bloom Judges• Are volunteers who come from a cross-section of backgrounds• Receive special training each year.• Judging teams are announced mid-March and two specially trained judges

visit each entrant touring, meeting leaders / volunteers, while you showcase your efforts and your community

• Time is spent coaching /consulting cities on improvements they can make.• Continue to be available after judging for further mentoring.• Write detailed evaluations highlighting strengths and areas for possible

improvements. • Communities state they receive greater value from their AIB evaluations

than from expensive consulting reports. • Judges also often speak at industry conferences. • Donation of time during the past year at least 6,000 hours.

Communities Working Together• Arroyo Grande has a vehicle prominently marked with America in Bloom

proudly announcing the town’s commitment to the program.• The city of Aurora sponsors a youth essay on “What would I change about

Aurora.” It’s a nice way to get youngsters thinking about leadership and how they can affect improvements.

• High school students are required to donate one day of community service each year.

• The city holds a community picnic for beautification awards. The invitation sent to all residents includes a packet of annual flower seeds.

• The Aurora In Bloom program has entered into a partnership with the Lions Club, Main Street Aurora, the local public library, the schools, garden clubs, Scout troops, Master Gardeners, businesses and many others to promote beautification in Aurora.

Meet the 2014 Communities

Symposium and Awards• The annual Symposium is held in a different city each year. • Participants enjoy inspirational and educational seminars, panel

discussions, presentations on each of the evaluated criteria and more by industry experts

• You’ll meet like-minded people from around the country• Tours by the host city showcase excellent accomplishments• Participants experience firsthand examples of successful and innovative

city beautification projects. • Awards are given to recognize the “best of the best” across all population

categories for excellent achievements in each of the judging criteria• The symposium ends with a gala dinner during which awards in each

population category are announced.

National Awards

• After communities are visited, evaluations are written and points calculated

• Each entrant receives a bloom rating (1-5) based on their score• Awards are presented annually at our National Symposium • Population Category Awards are bestowed upon only ONE entrant from

each population category.• Outstanding Achievement Awards* go to one entrant among ALL the AIB

entrants :Floral Displays Community InvolvementLandscaped Areas Environmental EffortsUrban Forestry Heritage PreservationOverall Impression

*Entrants may nominate themselves by July 31

National Awards

• John R. Holmes III Community Champion Award - Recognizes an individual who exemplifies community leadership through actions that reflect the mission of the organization.

• YouTube Video Award - Use the power of YouTube to showcase how participating in America in Bloom has impacted your community.

• Circle of Champions Award - Given to entrants which have achieved a combination of three population category awards and/or three criteria awards.

• Special Awards - Each year there are a number of additional awards which change year to year. Entrants do not know what they are until the winners are announced.

Special Awards Examples• Most creative idea for fundraising • Best community garden program • Best hanging baskets • Most effective use of bold foliage in municipal plantings • Best historic walking tour • Best community “America in Bloom” website• Best program for young people• Best traveled trail system (with # of bicycles and pedestrians)• Best tree protection program• Community festival that draws the most attendance

8 Steps to AIB

First: The Dream•First a community must decide that it wants to participate•America in Bloom provides a framework to help make it happen•Deciding to participate in AIB gets a community excited, proud, and working together for a common cause•Everyone in a community can rally behind the idea of beautifying their streets, commercial zones, and residential areas.

8 Steps to AIB

Second: The Application•The participant applies to be part of the program •Engage municipality, businesses, civic organizations or private community foundations to help with the application fee•Begin to pull together general information about your town

– Much of this information can be found on the municipal website

•Contact your town’s leadership and get them engaged in the process•Create teams

8 Steps to AIB

Third: The Community Profile:•Assemble a community profile of all the creative, innovative, and compelling programs that make their community unique•AIB provides a template to assist in preparing the Community Profile•Whether our communities are large or small, there are so many good things happening.

– Rarely are all these good things assembled into one document. – Rarely are they known by all the citizens in the community.

8 Steps to AIBFourth: The Judges Visit•Two judges personally visit each participant in a population category•Judges are volunteers whose only agenda is to assist the communities they visit•Many recommendations, idea exchanges, and thoughtful discussions happen during these visits•This format sets America in Bloom apart from other programs—the one-on-one consultation, coaching, and mentoring is unique•Each year a participant enters the contest, different judges visit with new ideas and insights

8 Steps to AIB

Fifth: The AIB Education Symposium•The annual AIB Symposium provides an educational format that brings in nationally recognized speakers who address the challenging issues and offer solutions•The Symposium offers community leaders an opportunity to learn from the judges and from each other•Networking with other communities is priceless

8 Steps to AIB

Sixth: The AIB Awards•The Education Symposium and Awards Program are held together in the fall. •This is where the winners are announced•Participants considering AIB for the first time are encouraged to attend both before signing up•Not everyone can win the prizes, but everyone wins. •Participants go home a winner as they have developed an organization where residents work together to improve the quality of life and economic well-being of their community

8 Steps to AIB

Seventh: The Judges’ Report•Judges use a carefully considered and well-developed metric tool for evaluating your community providing a useful measurement of how your community did in each criteria •AIB judges provide written evaluations of what they saw and provide recommendations for improving or enhancing the participants they visit•There is not an expectation that all these recommendations be followed, they are just a palette of options to consider•Evaluations written by the judges are emailed to all entrants on the Monday after the awards.

8 Steps to AIB

Eighth: Getting Ready for Next Year•AIB provides a framework for community improvement and offers expert advice from judges who have traveled across America collecting the best ideas from some of the most beautiful and enthusiastic towns and cities•The judges report provides a framework for future improvement opportunities•Most towns find that competing the next year is much easier and they learn how to focus on smaller areas that make the biggest impact by utilizing their judges’ evaluation

Evaluated Criteria and SectorsAmerica in Bloom judges review and evaluate each participant in six categories and four sectors: •Floral Displays •Landscaped Areas •Heritage Preservation•Overall Impression •Urban Forestry •Environmental Efforts

• Municipal• Commercial• Residential• Community

Involvement

Areas to be Judged

Live

Play

WorshipNew

Colleges

Municipal

Old

Schools

Work

Retail

The Evaluation

Landscaped Areas• Overall design and suitability of landscape, turf and ground covers• Use of native plants• Overall design and suitability for location/use; good use of design

principles (i.e., balance of plant material, constructed elements, harmony, color, texture, shape, etc.)

• Sustainability• Integration of hardscapes, lighting, site features, sculpture. Maintenance

(weeds, mulching practices, edging); site rejuvenation and rehabilitation. • Efforts in strategic planning• Community gardens, children’s gardens, public gardens and zoos • Community Involvement

Landscaped Areas

Businesses Downtown

SchoolsResidential

Floral Displays

• Flower beds, containers, baskets, window boxes • Arrangement, originality, distribution, location, diversity,

balance, harmony, quality of maintenance• Use and integration of annuals, perennials, ornamental

grasses, bulbs, and seasonal flowers• Community Involvement

Floral Displays

Main StreetHanging baskets

Residential

Urban Forestry• Distribution, variety and suitability of trees• New plantings and scheduled succession plantings• Urban tree program• Qualified personnel or access to trained individual(s); inventory or

database• Frequency of tree surveys; care and maintenance programs• Preservation of heritage trees and woodlots• Efforts in management, planning, maintenance, improvement, and

innovation• Written policies, by-laws and regulations• Long and short term plans• Community Involvement

Urban Forestry

Urban Forestry-Preservation

Urban Forestry-Streetscape

Urban Forestry-New Plantings

Heritage Preservation• Historical, natural, agricultural, and cultural heritage• Preservation and restoration of buildings, homes, churches, cemeteries• Heritage sites and/or monuments; heritage parks• Historical gardens• Heritage trees; artifacts• Historical society; heritage advisory committee, • Museums, archives, history books, and interpretative programs• Ordinances and policies. Resource availability• Farmers markets, festivals and parades• Community Involvement

Heritage Preservation-School House

Heritage Preservation-Farmer’s Market

Heritage Preservation-Dutch

Heritage Preservation

Heritage Preservation-Festivals

Environmental Efforts• Sustainability practices, sustainable development strategies, waste reduction,

hazardous waste minimization and recycling • Water quality and conservation• Energy conservation• Environmental cleanup activities• Reducing carbon footprint• Environmentally friendly transportation• LEED certification• Air, noise and light pollution• Rain gardens, rain barrels, composting, energy efficiency, youth programs, etc. • Events such as Earth Day, Recycling Days, Bike to Work Days, etc. • Community Involvement

Environmental Efforts

Environmental Awareness-Charging Stations

Environmental Efforts-Water Reclamation

Environmental Efforts-Recycling Facility

Environmental Awareness-Wind Turbines

Environmental Efforts-Wetland Restoration

Environmental Efforts-Hydroponics

Environmental Efforts-LEED

Overall Impression• Cleanliness and lack of litter and graffiti• Maintenance of public open spaces, medians and boulevard strips, streets,

sidewalks, walking and biking trails, curbs, ditches, road shoulders, unattended and vacant lots, buildings, garbage receptacles

• Lack of weeds• Dog waste policies and receptacles• Notices/posters appropriately displayed• Vandalism not evident• Maintenance of the hardscape: sidewalks, walls, lamp posts, benches, etc• Appropriate use and placement of graphic elements such as banners, signs

and murals. • Community Involvement

Overall Impression-Walking Trails

Overall Impression-City Square

Overall Impression-Playgrounds

Overall Impression-Signs

Overall Impression-Tidiness

Overall Impression-Tidiness

Community Involvement-Volunteers

Join us in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

October 2-4, 2014Symposium and Awards

and find out why America in Bloom can be the best thing that will ever

happened in your community!!

What To Do Next?Register your community for the program– Complete the application and submit the registration fee by February 28 – The registration fee is on a sliding scale and based on the population/type of entity – Register by 12/31 to receive a free copy of “Ten Years of Best Ideas” book– Read the participation guide– Organize volunteers and inspire your community– Use the America in Bloom Startup Kit to promote participation– Begin mapping out your community plan of action. (Consider forming

subcommittees for each of the six judging criteria)– Beautification programs within your community often provide inspiration and

friendly competition for residents

Prepare for the Judges Visit• Complete the community profile (AIB sends a template)• Get volunteers involved• Work with your committee(s) to develop an itinerary that

provides good representation of your community, not just selected areas

• Plan a tour that highlights community elements from all six judging criteria

• Secure at least two nights of accommodations and meals for the judges (hotels typically will be glad to donate the rooms)

• Allow time each day for the judges to collect their thoughts and information

Watch great things unfold!!Thank You