Helen Putnam Award for Excellence
Helen Putnam was the first woman elected President of the League of California Cities in 1978. She was a mother, schoolteacher, principal, mayor, and county supervisor. Most of all, she was a person who viewed meeting one's potential as the measure of success. Excellence, to Helen Putnam, was shown by someone who did his or her very best. She defined excellence and the Award for Excellence is given in her memory.
Established in 1982, the Helen Putnam Award for Excellence recognizes the outstanding achievements made by California's 483 cities. These winning cities have made unique contributions to community residents and businesses, contributions which have resulted in lower costs or more effective delivery of services.
Any Cal Cities member city or group of California cities, including Cal Cities Divisions, that provides a program or service that has proven tangible and measurable results with a minimum of one year of actual implementation are eligible to apply.
Applications are currently being reviewed. Notifications will go out in June.
Cal Cities Partners Award for Excellence in City-Business Relations
- Partnerships in reviewing and planning community programs and projects
- Collaborative efforts in engaging the leadership of the private, nonprofit, and labor sectors in addressing community problems
- Involvement in the development of effective and respected leaders within the community
- Cooperation in identifying and planning for the future needs of the community
- Innovations in creating a vibrant economic climate that also respects the full spectrum of community needs
- Helps to foster a unique synergy and pride, either citywide or by neighborhood, that translates into a healthy community both economically and culturally
Community Services and Economic Development
- Innovative programs enhancing the community through programs involving libraries, recreation, schools, etc.
- Engagement of community-based organizations
- Volunteer programs
- Services to the young, elderly, disabled, marginalized and newly immigrated
- Programs that advance the economic vitality of the community, including those that anticipate economic development opportunities appropriate for your city
Economic Development through the Arts
- Successful programs that illustrate how investment in the arts has stimulated the local economy through tourism, festivals, and cultural attractions including performing arts
- Innovative arts programs (i.e. music, dance, theatre, visual arts, museums, etc.) that were established through a collaborative partnership
- Adopted city policies or ordinances that integrate the arts and culture into their General Plans, specific plans, or other city council adopted policies
Enhancing Public Trust, Ethics, and Community Involvement
- Promotion and celebration of ethical practices both in city hall and the community
- Procedures, policies and relationships that demonstrate effective and respectful deliberation and handling of public issues
- Structural arrangements that enhance efficient anticipation and processing of the public's business
- New and risk-taking programs and policies that promote community involvement in public decision making
- Successful efforts that encouraged diversity among civic programs and policies that promoted public trust in city government; ethics in public office; and programs/policies that foster civic pride among all sectors of communities including the youth, seniors, businesses, non-profits, and those with special needs
- Development of civic leadership skills and resources among all groups in the city
- Collaboration with local media to ensure awareness of key issues and situations in the city
Health and Wellness Programs
- Innovative programs pertaining to the health and wellness of city residents
- Health and wellness programs that are collaborative with other public and non-profit agencies and the private sector
- Innovative planning efforts to promote city design that encourages healthy lifestyles
Housing Programs and Innovations
- Proven programs that deliver needed affordable housing
- Procedures that support development of housing at all economic levels appropriate for a city
- Innovative housing designs that are conducive to good land use planning and jobs balance, while preserving natural resources
- Planning that is supportive of sound, healthy, safe and community-oriented neighborhoods.
- Innovations in design, density, infrastructure, public services and effective creative financing
- Programs that are collaborative with other public and non-profit agencies and the private sector
Intergovernmental Collaboration
Programs that demonstrate innovative but replicable examples of collaboration among cities, counties, schools and/or special districts in service to children and families.
- Joint provision of public services
- Joint use of public facilities
- Using alternative methods to work through intergovernmental disputes
- Efforts to seek public input on cross jurisdictional issues
- Joint study sessions that lead to collaborative joint policymaking processes
Internal Administration
- Promotion of positive workplace atmosphere and employee morale
- Efficiencies in fiscal aspects of operations
- Demonstrated effectiveness in communicating information on the condition of a city's finances and fiscal condition
- Innovative budgeting providing optimum use of resources
- Public records access and clarity
- Innovative use or development of technology for internal administration or public service
- Improvements in communications and information management
Planning and Environmental Quality
- Sound long-term strategic planning, systems and policies to meet anticipated needs
- Innovative planning and land use programs
- Education and involvement of the public in the planning process
- Programs that strive to balance conflicting interests in land use
- Activities that best balance the needs of people with respect for the physical environment, consider the needs of the locality and the region, and plan ahead for the needs of the future
- Environmental quality preservation and enhancement
- Effective and appropriate use of natural resources
Public Safety
- Crime and fire prevention efforts
- Citizen information and training
- Disaster preparedness and homeland security
- Crisis response programs
- Physical and mental health support and emergency medical services
- Juvenile delinquency prevention and rehabilitation programs
Public Works, Infrastructure, Transportation
- Proven programs that provide for the economical development and maintenance of public works facilities and infrastructure
- Effective public transportation systems, streets and roads
- Outstanding management of innovative public works programs
- Demonstrate examples of resident involvement or community agency cooperation and partnerships that have improved planning or delivery of services
Ruth Vreeland Award for Engaging Youth in City Government
- Youth commissions that have maintained active and diverse youth involvement and that have provided young people with a real voice in their city's public decision making
- Collaborative efforts between cities and other agencies (schools, public agencies, non-profits, churches, and private) to inform and engage youth about city issues and their community
- Promotion of understanding of local government by young people; their own roles and responsibilities as citizens; and their engagement in the community in ways that advance this understanding and benefit the community
- Improvements in how the student community functions in terms of attitude, involvement, knowledge and the skills of good citizenship
For any questions about the Helen Putnam Award Program, please contact Melissa Tualla at (916) 658-8216 or mtualla@calcities.org.
Any League of California Cities member city or group of California cities, including Cal Cities Divisions, that provide a program or service that has proven tangible and measurable results with a minimum of one year of actual implementation are eligible to apply. Instructions must be followed carefully as this will facilitate the fair evaluation of all applications and ensure fairness among entries.
Application
- Please complete all fields of the application.
- Address the following in your narrative in 1500 words or less:
- The Challenge Describe the need or concern that prompted the development of the program.
- The Solution Describe the steps taken by the city to address the problem/challenge. Explain how the program's objectives were met. If there is a partnership with other agencies, please highlight the involvement of the partners in the solutions.
- The Results Describe the results of the program. How did the program affect the community or improve service delivery? What, if any, was the cost or resource savings? What effect, if any, did the program have on enhancing the city's fiscal stability? What lessons are instructive to other cities?
- Only one application and narrative per category may be submitted by a city. A program may only be submitted for one category.
- Please submit your application online at https://my.calcities.org/Helen-Putnam/HP-Nominee No hard copies will be accepted.
- One set of photographs of the program can be uploaded to the online submission form. Only one file can be uploaded with all images and descriptions included on a pdf document. Please make sure the document uploaded if 5MB or less.
- All materials will become part of the Cal Cities's library collection. The submission of this application warrants that all materials submitted do not violate any copyright or other proprietary rights of others; that the materials are original works; that any photographs or videos are clear of any ownership or copyright restrictions, and those persons in the pictures or videos have agreed to or have no objection to Cal Cities using the pictures in promoting the city's program or in any other Cal Cities material.
Example Scoring Sheet:
Scoring Criteria
The selection juries will judge each entry on:
- the impact of the problem/challenges and how well it is outlined
- the innovativeness of the solution
- the quality of the results achieved
In addition, the following criteria will be used in the evaluation and scoring process. Be sure to address these criteria in your application. (Some criteria may not apply to a particular category; no penalty will apply.)
2026 Strategic Advocacy Priorities
Leadership from Cal Cities' Board, 16 Regional Divisions, 10 Municipal Departments and five Diversity Caucuses gathered in Carlsbad in early December for the annual League Leaders Summit, which serves as the organization's strategic planning meeting and sets advocacy priorities for 2025. After spirited discussion amongst many perspectives, the Board voted to adopt the following four priorities to guide Cal Cities' legislative activities in 2026
- Protect and enhance local revenues and expand economic development tools.
- Strengthen partnerships with the state to improve public safety.
- Secure investments to prevent and reduce homelessness and increase the supply of affordable housing.
- Strengthen climate change resiliency and disaster preparedness.
The League of California Cities announced the 11 winning cities of the esteemed Helen Putnam Award for Excellence for 2025. Each city was chosen for its outstanding efforts and innovative programs to improve the quality of life and delivery of services in their communities. The winning cities are listed below with a link to a video featuring their initiatives:
- City of Baldwin Park, Housing Programs and Innovations
Baldwin Park’s Homeless Reduction Initiative features two “tiny home” facilities: Esperanza Villa for adults needing immediate shelter and Serenity Homes, the region’s first family-focused bridge housing project. - City of Burbank, Health and Wellness Programs
Burbank’s Adaptive Sports Expo (BASE) celebrates inclusion with adaptive sports and activities, fostering awareness, accessibility, and community through growing partnerships and participation. - City of Downey, Community Services and Economic Development
City of STEM, LA’s official science festival, unites 200+ organizations for a month-long celebration of STEM and creativity, engaging diverse communities with rich learning resources and activities. - City of Hayward, Intergovernmental Collaboration
Learn to Earn and Hire Hayward funds training for 300+ residents, creating $1.2M in salaries and connecting residents with skilled, high-wage jobs through strong partnerships. - City of Lake Elsinore, Planning and Environmental Quality
Lake Elsinore’s 2022 Lake Management Plan addressed long-standing water quality challenges worsened by heat and flooding, restoring the city’s historic crown jewel and revitalizing a once-celebrated destination. - City of Moreno Valley, Partners Award for Excellence in City-Business Relations
Moreno Valley’s Apprenticeship Hub connects residents to in-demand careers through apprenticeships, expos, and training, while providing employers with a skilled talent pipeline and boosting regional prosperity. - City of Moreno Valley, Ruth Vreeland Award for Engaging Youth in City Government
MoVaLEARNS supports second-year students with a stipend, mentorship, and career resources, reducing financial stress, boosting GPAs, and helping students stay in school. - City of Needles, Public Works, Infrastructure, Transportation
Bob Belt Marina Beach Project turned an unsafe riverfront into a climate-resilient park with shaded areas, hydration stations, ADA access, and restrooms, providing refuge from extreme heat and boosting community health and pride. - City of Norwalk, Public Safety
Norwalk’s Teen Alliance Program empowers ages 13-18 through community service, leadership, and skill-building, offering volunteer hours, monthly meetings, and community projects that enhance skills while benefiting the community. - City of Pacifica, Internal Administration
Pacifica’s AI assistant Ask Rose handles thousands of resident questions with a 92% success rate, improving access, equity, and efficiency in city services. - City of Santa Paula, Enhancing Public Trust, Ethics, and Community Involvement
Santa Paula’s civic Future Leaders Academy, bilingual newsletter, ZenCity feedback, inclusive workshops, and business roundtables help build trust, ethical governance, and community involvement. - City of Watsonville, Economic Development Through the Arts
Watsonville Brillante transformed the Civic Plaza Parking Garage into a 12,500-square-foot mosaic mural, celebrating the city’s agricultural roots and cultural diversity.
View winners from years past here.
About the Award Program
For any questions about the Helen Putnam Award Program, please contact Melissa Tualla at (916) 658-8216 or mtualla@calcities.org.
Sponsored by the Cal Cities Partner Program, the Helen Putnam Award for Excellence program was designed to recognize and promote the outstanding efforts and innovative solutions made by city governments each year.
Award winners are honored during the Cal Cities Annual Conference and are featured in Western City magazine, press releases, and presentations delivered at city council meetings.
