Program Certification and Credit System In order to receive certification as a “Participating Neighborhood” through the Sustainable Neighborhoods Program, a neighborhood must earn a minimum of 60 credits. To receive certification as an “Outstanding Neighborhood,” a neighborhood must earn a minimum of 100 credits in the first year and 80 credits each subsequent year. For complete certification details, please view the Neighborhood Certification Brochure. Credit Eligible Activities Workshop Workshops must be open to all interested neighborhood residents with the goal of increasing awareness and understanding of the workshop topic. Workshops should utilize expert speakers, local organizations, and other relevant resources to help attendees turn awareness into action. Special Event A special event is a neighborhood wide activity designed to inspire community engagement and direct action. Examples of special events include food drives, recycling days, neighborhood cleanups or sustainability fairs. Neighborhood Club A neighborhood club is a group of residents who share a similar interest or participate in a common activity related to one of the five Program Goal Areas. Implementation Implementation occurs when a neighborhood takes direct action to make a change that advances sustainability. There are two implementation categories: major and minor. City/county staff work with the neighborhood to determine if the implementation falls into a major or minor category based on the following criteria required to complete the initiative: 1. Number of residents involved 2. Complexity of the project 3. Number of incremental goals 4. Time required to reach complete the projects