Awards season is in full swing, between the Grammy's, Golden Globes, Oscars and now, IEDC's Excellence in Economic Development Awards. Take advantage of the unique opportunity to showcase your community by entering our awards program.

IEDC's Excellence in Economic Development Awards program distinguishes the world's best economic development programs and partnerships, marketing materials, as well as the year's most influential leaders. The awards honor organizations and individuals for their efforts in creating positive change in urban, suburban and rural communities. Winners will get recognition on the big stage at Annual Conference in Toronto, Ontario September 17-20. Enter your ideas and projects by May 12 to take advantage of the early bird rate.

Looking for more info? Download our e-brochure, and expect a hard copy to arrive in your mailbox in the coming weeks.

Take a look at the City of Alpharetta's Best In Show Award-winning community brochure, and hear from Peter Tokar, Economic Development Director, on why his community entered for an Excellence in Economic Development Award.

Learn everything you need to know about the awards process in 60 minutes. Join us on Thursday, March 9 at 2:00 p.m. for a freewebinar.

Showcasing Excellence in Your Community: What You Need to Know About IEDC's Excellence in Economic Development Awards

Date: March 9, 2017
Time: 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. ET
Price: Free
Registration Deadline: March 9 at 11:00 a.m. ET

You will hear the following during this webinar:

- Gain ideas for eligible projects and programs
- Understand how to submit a complete entry
- Ask your tough questions to an award recipient
- Hear from a judge on the evaluation process and criteria
- Discover how the Excellence in Economic Development Awards program can benefit your organization

Greg Hitchin, CEcD Director, Economic Development City of Waynesboro, VA *Chair, Awards Advisory Committee See full bio	Peter Tokar Economic Development Director City of Alpharetta *2016 Best in Show Award for Community Brochure See full bio

"IEDC's Excellence in Economic Development Awards program is new territory for the City of Alpharetta. 2015 was the first year that we decided to submit. Being chosen as an award recipient is a real honor. We knew going into the awards that we would be competing in a highly selective environment for each award we applied for. I will not lie, winning some of them really feels great, but moreover, the reason for our submissions was to put each initiative we created to the test. Winning a bronze, silver or gold award brings that much more needed validation to our project and lets us know that our boat is being steered in the right direction. It also reassures our boards and investors that what we produce is top of game. Winning the 2016 Best in Show is an amazing honor, which we are very proud to have been chosen by our peers for." - Peter Tokar, Economic Development Director - City of Alpharetta

Gain recognition for your project or idea and for the profession as a whole. Enter your ideas and projects for consideration in IEDC's Excellence in Economic Development Awards by May 12.