| ICMA Certificate of Excellence (PDF)
 The International City/County Management Association (ICMA) is pleased to announce that Phoenix, Arizona, has been recognized for its data-driven management and reporting efforts with a Certificate of Excellence in Performance Management for 2017 (PDF). “Performance management is a bedrock principle of professional local government management,” ICMA Executive Director Marc A. Ott said. “By recognizing these leaders, ICMA hopes to encourage others to make a commitment to collect and analyze data, report it transparently, and use it to continuously engage their communities and improve their organizations." Certificates are based on established criteria and are awarded at three levels: Achievement, Distinction, and the highest level of recognition, Excellence. Recipients at all levels collect and verify data to ensure reliability, train staff in performance measurement, and report data to the public through budgets, newsletters, and/or information provided to elected officials. Certificates of Distinction are awarded to those who also provide comparative and benchmarking information to the public, use performance data in strategic planning and operational decision-making, and share their knowledge with other local governments through presentations, site visits, and other networking activities. Certificates of Excellence go to those who also track and report key outcomes, survey residents and local government employees, incorporate data into performance dashboards or other visual communications, and foster the development of a performance culture throughout their organizations. Phoenix is among 25 jurisdictions receiving the Certificate of Excellence, and one of 57 recognized overall. This is the sixteenth year that Phoenix has been recognized for its accomplishments since the certificates were first awarded in 2002. A complete list of recipients and examples of programs that exemplify the certificate criteria appear on the Certificate Program page on the ICMA website. | 
