Grants for Exemplary Public School Teachers:  Recognize a public school teacher for outstanding leadership in bridging the school and community and help his/her school earn a $5,000 grant!  Nominate a middle or high school teacher for the 2009 MetLife Foundation Ambassadors In Education Awards program which honors educators as outstanding citizens.   There will be awards in 25 cities across the country.  Obtain the nomination form, selection criteria, and list of eligible public school districts from www.ncl.org.  The deadline is February 18, 2009.  Submit your nomination early!  This program is supported by the MetLife Foundation and administered by the National Civic League.  For further information, call Kristin Seavey at NCL at 303-571-4343 or email kristins@ncl.org.

Grants for Immigrant Integration Initiatives:  Apply for one of four $50,000 awards, the E Pluribus Unum Prizes, intended to recognize exceptional immigrant integration initiatives, whether they are led by individuals, nonprofit and community organizations, private businesses, religious groups, or government entities, agencies, or officials. Further information on application procedures and program rules can be found at http://www.integrationawards.org .  The deadline is January 31, 2009.

One-Man Stage Performance of U.S. Justice Thurgood Marshall’s Life: The Kellogg Fellows Leadership Alliance is pleased to invite you to experience a fascinating glimpse into the mind and life of America's first African American U.S. Supreme Court Justice.  NCL Board member Dr. Lenneal J. Henderson will be in Denver on January 24, 2009, to perform "Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.: Remembrance and Reconciliation."  To purchase tickets and get additional information contact Caren Swales, Kellogg Fellows Leadership Alliance, at 303.839.5352.

Make Your Pledge On How You Will Change Your Neighborhood: The Case Foundation’s Change Begins With Me campaign wants you to make your pledge by January 12th and post it to their Web site to have a chance to win a trip to history: 2 highly coveted tickets to the Obama Inauguration, 2 even more coveted tickets to the Hawaii Inaugural Ball, two round trip tickets to Washington DC, three night's hotel stay, and a super-cool Flip cam to record your experience! http://casefoundation.org/change?source=CBYPAC

MLK Community Service Events: Take up the Presidential Inaugural Committee’s invitation to plan, organize and host a non-partisan volunteer community service/deliberative democracy event on January 19, 2009 — Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.  Share your plans for your MLK Day event with the Presidential Inaugural Committee on its website, and follow-up with us as well.

NCL Elects Board Chair and Officers: The Honorable Sandra Freedman, former Mayor of Tampa, has been elected NCL’s Board Chairman.  Past NCL chairmen include Senator Bill Bradley,  Henry Cisneros, Dorothy Ridings, and the late George Gallup.  Ms. Freedman was Tampa mayor from 1986 to 1995.  Before that she served on the city council for 12 years.   Other elected NCL Board officers are:  Vice Chair Elizabeth Hollander, Senior Fellow, Tisch College of Citizenship and Public Service, Tufts University; Treasurer James D.  Howard, Jr, Managing Director of  Dudley Ventures, LLC; and Secretary  Charles Ozaki, Deputy City and County Manager of the City and County of Broomfield, Colorado.

60th All-America City Awards: The application deadline is March 16, 2009.  The next Webinar is January 22nd.  To sign up contact Kristin Seavey at kristins@ncl.org or 303-571-4343.

NCL’s 115th Birthday:  We are pleased to announce that NCL is celebrating its 115th birthday this month!  On this occasion, we salute all of you who are engaged in your community and strengthening democracy at the local level!