By Ellen H. King
December 8, 2003

During a live webcast on November 17 at The United States Conference of Mayors- headquarters, the Conference and DuPont proudly announced $1 million dollars to be awarded in 2004 to cities that demonstrate lead-safety excellence.

As part of this announcement, the Conference and DuPont also launched the USCM-DuPont Spotlight on Excellence Awards. Building on the successful Cities United for Science Progress (CUSP) partnership between the Conference of Mayors and DuPont, the Spotlight on Excellence Awards will award a total of $500,000 to eighteen cities throughout 2003-2004 for outstanding strategies to make cities lead-safe.

Also, during the webcast DuPont announced that it will continue to support CUSP's lead-safe for Kids- Sake grant program with an additional $500,000.

"We have seen the tremendous impact of direct funding to cities in addressing lead-safety issues through our USCM/DuPont Cities United for Science Progress (CUSP) lead-safeÉFor Kids- Sake Grant Program," said Tom Cochran, Executive Director of the Conference of Mayors. "The USCM-DuPont Spotlight on Excellence Awards strengthens public-private partnerships and provides much needed resources to our nation's cities."

The USCM-DuPont Spotlight on Excellence Awards will be dispersed through six separate competitions throughout the year, each covering a specific aspect of lead safety. The initial competition announced on November 17 by Cochran and DuPont Public Affairs Manager Mary Kate Campbell, will focus on housing rehabilitation. For each competition throughout 2003-2004, three awards will be given: one first prize award of $35,000, one second prize award of $25,000 and one third prize award of $20,000.

As the inaugural competition has begun, cities across the nation are submitting 750-word executive summaries outlining innovative and effective strategies to rehabilitate housing in their communities in an effort to make them lead-safe. Entries for the first competition must be postmarked by December 16, 2003.

"By recognizing and rewarding cities bi-monthly, we hope to address the immediate needs of mayors and cities throughout the year," noted Campbell. "Our goal is to provide cities with a network of lead-safety best practices that can be easily implemented into any city. We are proud to be able to support effective programs and look forward to highlighting and rewarding the exceptional ideas proposed."

To apply to the USCM-DuPont Spotlight on Excellence Awards log on to usmayors.org or www.cusponline.org and print out an application form. To learn more about the CUSP partnership, please contact CUSP Managing Director Ellen H. King by phone at 202-861-6798 or by e-mail at eking@usmayors.org.