Broward County earns 19 national achievement awards for innovative programs improving services and quality of life
Fort Lauderdale, Florida – Broward County has received national recognition for its efforts to improve government services, earning 19 Achievement Awards from the National Association of Counties (NACo). The awards recognize innovative programs that improve the quality of life for residents while encouraging creative solutions to challenges facing local governments.
As Florida’s second-largest county and the nation’s 17th-largest county, Broward was honored for a wide range of initiatives covering environmental protection, technology, transportation, arts, public communication, homelessness assistance, employee development, libraries, and long-term planning.
The awards highlight projects developed by multiple county departments under the Broward County Board of County Commissioners, demonstrating how local agencies are using new ideas and technology to better serve residents.
Wide range of programs receive national recognition
The Public Works and Environmental Services Department received six Achievement Awards, making it one of the county’s most recognized agencies this year.
Among the honored projects was the Extreme Heat Initiative, which addresses growing health risks associated with rising temperatures through data analysis, partnerships with other organizations, and community-based solutions.
The department also received recognition for creating a comprehensive Countywide Resilience Plan that includes interactive dashboards, planning tools, and a public project tracker designed to address flooding and extreme heat.
Another award recognized Broward County’s Resilience Strategy, which provides a framework for helping county operations prepare for future challenges while reducing operational, financial, and reputational risks.
The Natural Resources Division earned an award for producing a podcast that helps educate the public about South Florida’s underwater ecosystems.
Meanwhile, the county’s Geographic Information Systems Section was recognized for developing an interactive online portal that allows the public to monitor manatee observations, encourages safer boating, and increases awareness about marine wildlife.
The Innovation Unit, working alongside the Cultural Division, also earned an award for creating an interactive online platform that improves public access to information about Broward County’s cultural investments while increasing transparency and community engagement.
Libraries, transportation, and community outreach honored
Broward County Library received four separate Achievement Awards.
The library system was recognized for organizing a community event focused on child abuse awareness while connecting families with parenting and child development resources.
Additional honors went to a marketing campaign promoting a free music streaming service available to library cardholders, a Pop-Up Library program that maintained services during an infrastructure emergency, and a partnership with the Florida Panthers Foundation that connected professional sports with public library programs.
Port Everglades earned three awards for projects designed to improve both visitor experiences and environmental stewardship.
The honored initiatives included an interactive sailing information tool, an improved parking map for cruise passengers that helps reduce traffic and improve navigation, and a habitat mitigation project at West Lake Park that supports native ecosystems while encouraging economic development.
The Cultural Division also received recognition for its annual event that launches Broward County’s arts season by connecting residents and visitors with artists, performances, and cultural organizations from across the county.
The Office of Public Communications earned an award for producing a podcast that makes county government more accessible by providing residents with accurate, timely, and easy-to-understand information directly from county staff.
Broward County’s Mobility Advancement Program was honored for developing virtual reality and augmented reality applications that allow residents to experience public transit through immersive technology while learning how transit connects to major destinations and county services.
The Human Services Housing Options, Solutions, and Supports Division received an Achievement Award for a video series featuring interviews with individuals who successfully overcame homelessness. The project aims to inspire others, connect people with available housing and recovery resources, and reduce the stigma surrounding homelessness.
Additional awards went to Broward County Transit’s Information Technology Section for modernizing its procurement platform used to support a fleet of more than 400 buses, and to the Human Resources Learning and Organizational Development Division for redesigning a year-long leadership development program for newly hired and recently promoted supervisors.
The National Association of Counties presents Achievement Awards across 18 categories representing the wide range of services county governments provide, including civic education, technology, resilience, arts and culture, economic development, libraries, workforce development, and personnel management.
By earning 19 awards this year, Broward County demonstrated the broad scope of its work to improve government services through innovation, technology, community engagement, environmental planning, and public outreach, while continuing to invest in programs that benefit residents across nearly every area of county government.
