Applications Open for the 2027 LEED for Cities Certification Cohort

The U.S. Green Building Council, working with Bank of America, is taking applications for its 2027 LEED for Cities Certification Cohort, a year-long program that helps local governments measure and certify their sustainability progress under the LEED for Cities rating system (a scorecard originally built for buildings, adapted here for whole cities and counties). This will be the first cohort to use the new LEED v5 for Cities standard. Applications are open now through Feb. 12, 2027, with an informational webinar on Dec. 1, 2026. Selected governments will be announced around Feb. 26, 2027, and the program runs from April 2027 to March 2028.

This is a city- and county-level program, not something an individual homeowner applies for. But it is worth knowing about if you live somewhere that takes part, since cities like Lincoln, Nebraska, and Jacksonville, Florida, have used the certification to guide climate action plans, prioritize infrastructure spending, and compete for state and federal funding. If your local government pursues or holds this certification, it can shape things like resilience planning, infrastructure upgrades, and what kinds of grants or incentive programs your area later offers residents.

There is no direct action for homeowners here. The practical takeaway is simply that some local governments are formalizing their sustainability and resilience planning, which can eventually influence local energy programs, infrastructure priorities, and funding opportunities in participating communities.