Mayors of eligible communities are invited to apply to be an ACE Community. Candidates for the ACE program are selected using a competitive application process. Applications are evaluated by an ACE Review Committee and candidates are selected by the ACE Board of Directors based on local community commitment and capacity to complete the ACE program.
Once a city has been chosen, the ACE Team assists each participating city with developing a vision based on its own assets and priorities. The ACE Team provides technical experts in topics spanning economic and industrial development, education, healthcare, historic preservation, leadership development and other disciplines.