We’re thrilled to announce the 2025 Communities of Excellence Award recipients!
At this year’s conference in Denver, we had the honor of recognizing four outstanding communities for their leadership, collaboration, and measurable progress in improving quality of life.
Each of these communities participated in our annual Assessment and Recognition Program where communities apply by describing their systems, partnerships, and results using the Communities of Excellence Framework criteria. Their applications are reviewed by a team of trained volunteer examiners who provide a detailed Feedback Report highlighting strengths and opportunities for improvement.
“These communities exemplify what happens when people come together across sectors to create shared systems for improvement,” said Stephanie Norling, President & CEO of Communities of Excellence (C.O.R.E.) “Each one shows us that resilience and excellence are not separate goals — they’re what make communities stronger over time.”
Bronze Recognition: Maximize Northwest Missouri
Demonstrating how distributed leadership and strong communication can unite a large rural region, Maximize Northwest Missouri is laying the groundwork for long-term, data-informed improvement.
Silver Recognition: West Kendall, Florida
West Kendall has made partnerships the heartbeat of progress, aligning priorities and using data to motivate measurable improvements in health, education, and economic vitality.
Silver Recognition: Coral Springs, Florida
Coral Springs continues to set the bar for how disciplined leadership and alignment can drive lasting success, guided by a clear strategic plan and a culture of continuous improvement.
Gold Recognition: Coral Gables, Florida
Coral Gables became the first-ever Gold Level community: a true model of high performance, with strong systems for planning, measurement, and engagement that deliver consistent results across all five strategic goals.
Together, these four communities represent what C.O.R.E. is all about: collaboration, data-driven decision-making, and a shared commitment to building stronger, more resilient places to live, learn, work, and play.
Learn more about the C.O.R.E. Guide and our national network at connectwithcore.org.
