Online applications are now being accepted here (http://www NULL.zoomerang NULL.com/Survey/WEB22BTQ5P9S9V) for the 2011 NADO Innovation Award and the Excellence in Regional Transportation Award.  The application deadline is May 27, 2011.

NADO’s Innovation Award honors projects in a variety of regional development program areas, including economic development, regional innovation strategies, post-disaster economic recovery, small business finance, workforce development, environmental initiatives and sustainable development.  The Excellence in Regional Transportation Award recognizes noteworthy projects and practices in rural and small metropolitan transportation planning, programming and service delivery.  Recipients of the Innovation Award will be honored at NADO’s 2011 Annual Training Conference in Miami Beach, FL, and recipients of the Excellence in Regional Transportation Award will be honored at the 2011 National Rural Transportation Peer Learning Conference in Washington, DC.  Both awards provide an excellent opportunity for members to promote their successes to a national audience and with their regional and local partners.  Award-winning projects are often used in congressional testimony, reports and issues briefs about successful approaches to regional development, and to educate a vast audience about the importance of regional development organizations in all aspects of community and economic development.

This year, NADO is especially seeking projects that show creative funding or partnerships; long-term viability or long-ranging impacts; and significant, demonstrated value to their regions.  Award-winning projects will become eligible for the Trailblazer Award, an exclusive selection of one-of-a-kind projects demonstrating unique innovation.  For more information, visit http://nado.org/rf/award.php (http://nado NULL.org/rf/award NULL.php) or contact NADO Program Manager Kathy Nothstine, at 202.624.5256 or knothstine@nado.org (knothstine null@null nado NULL.org).