Education & Events

Level One: Education Award

The Goal

To encourage and recognize the efforts of local elected officials to obtain fundamental information regarding Michigan municipalities.

Requirements

To receive the Education Award, recipients must complete 25 credits in four program components, as follows:

Core Weekender
Credits 8
Elective Courses
Credits 10
Conference Attendance
Credits 4
Advocacy
Credits 3

Core Weekender – 8 Credits

Offered twice a year (February and May), the Core Weekender aims to equip elected municipal officials with a solid foundation of knowledge upon which to build their effectiveness as community leaders. This condensed weekend-length seminar allows participants to dive in on the fundamentals of leadership, financial management, and planning & zoning. The Core Weekender is required to complete Level One of the Academy and it fulfills the entire 8 credit “Core” program component for Level One.


Elective Courses – 10 Credits

Courses, seminars, webinars, and other educational programs of the participant’s choice and interest on relevant, approved topics. Courses may be offered by the League or by other private or public entities. Examples of possible course topics include:

  • Board Governance
  • Communications/Community Relations
  • Economic Development
  • Green/Energy Issues
  • Leadership Skills
  • Legal Issues for Municipalities
  • Legislative Issues/Lobbying Skills
  • Municipal Finance
  • Planning & Zoning Issues
  • Professional/Personal Development
  • Strategic Planning
  • Web Technologies

All regularly scheduled League programs qualify for EOA Elective Course credit. A list of upcoming programs can be found here. The number of credits a League program earns is usually equal to its duration in hours. For example, a 3-hour course will typically earn 3 elective credits.

Upon confirmation by League staff, attendance at qualified League seminars during the four years before EOA enrollment will also earn Elective course credit toward your Level One award.

If you repeat a class, you will still receive full EOA credit the second time:

League and Non-League webinars – 1 credit
Live with the League – ½ credit each, max of 2 credits/level
Non-League class, full-day – 3 credits
Non-League class, half-day – 1 credit
Non-League conferences, multi-day – 3 credits


Conference Attendance – 4 Credits

Credits will be given for attendance at the following League or National League of Cities (NLC) events:

  • League Annual Convention – 2 credits/day (max. 4 credits)
  • League Capital Conference – 2 credits
  • NLC City Summit – 2 credits
  • NLC Congressional City Conference – 2 credits

Subject to League approval, in cases of hardship the conference attendance requirement may be reduced to one credit, with the remaining four credits earned by attending additional elective courses.


Advocacy – 3 Credits

Advocacy credits can be obtained by participating in the following legislative activities:

  • Advocacy Webinar – 1 credit/hour
  • Lobbying sessions at Capital Conference (must sign-in to receive credit) – 1 credit/session
  • Legislative Breakfast at Capital Conference-if met with Rep or Staff – 1 credit
  • Passing a resolution (on an issue important to the League) – 1 credit
  • Contacting a state/federal elected official on a League issue – 1 credit(Direct call, letter, email; not Cap Wiz)
  • Participating in a legislative work group – 1 credit
  • Responding to a Cap Wiz form letter/action alert – 1 credit
  • Writing and signing a letter to the editor/Op-ed on an issue important to the League – 2 credits
  • In-person testimony before the state/federal Legislature (requires invitation from the League’s SFAD team) – 3 credits
  • Invite and host your legislator at a council meeting – 2 credits *
  • Meeting with a state/federal elected official on a League or community issue (this includes Legislator’s office hours) – 2 credits **
  • Service on a League issue committee (2-year term) – 4 credits total
    • Attending Kick-Off event – 1 credit
    • At the end of the first year (must have attended majority of the meetings) – 1 credit
    • At the end of the term (must have attended majority of the meetings) – 2 credits

Additional credits may be awarded by the EOA board.
* The entire council will receive credit for this.
** When meeting with legislators, please send us a photo and topic discussed.


The Education Award – Recognition

Officials who complete the EOA Level One: Education Award will be honored with a pin and a plaque recognizing the accomplishment, presented at the League’s annual Capital Conference.

A special award will be presented at the Capital Conference for any council or commission in which all current members have completed one or more levels of the Academy. Your community is responsible for notifying the League if this achievement is reached.


NEXT?  Level Two: Leadership Award

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