City Awards & Recognition
Our success is achieved by the courage to do things differently and accept that failure will occur on the path to innovation.
2023
International Festivals & Events Association (IFEA)
- Gold Award, Best Promotional Photograph - Christmas Tree Lighting
- Bronze Award, Best Sponsor Partner - St Arnold
- Silver Award, Best New Promotion Activity - Go Ape Grand Opening
Bronze Award, Best Overall Sponsorship Program - General Sponsor Packet
Livability.com
- Ranked #2 in "Top 25 Places to Live in the Southwest"
- Ranked #5 in "Top 100 Best Places to Live in the US"
List of "Suburbs with the Most Envied Lifestyles Across the Country" - MovingFeedback.com
Top ranked among Texas cities in list of "best cities" for parks - Trust for Public Land’s (TPL) ParkScore Ranking
Top-five in list of "the country's best places for retirees" - SmartAsset
List of "Best Underrated Places in Texas" - MovingFromTo.com
List of "25 Best Places to Live for Families" - Fortune Magazine
2022
One of the "Best places to live in Texas" - Money.com
"A Great Public Space" designation, Sugar Land Town Square Plaza - The Texas Chapter of the American Planning Association (APA).
Intergovernmental Risk Pool Partnership Award for the development of the Integrated Stormwater Management Model (ISWMM), a state-of-the-art, real-time ponding monitoring and notifications system - Texas Municipal League
List of "Best Texas cities to raise a family" - Dwellics
List of "Top 50 places to live in the United States" - The Press of Atlantic City
List of "25 Best Places to Live for Families" - Fortune Magazine
Texas Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors (TATOA)
- Three first-place awards in the Public Education, User of Humor, and New Employee Orientation categories
- One second-place award in the Profile of an Organization category
- Three third-place awards in the Public Education and Public Health/Public Safety categories
- Two honorable mentions for an animated promotional video on the city’s annual employee ping pong tournament
2021
Certification of Excellence in Performance Management - International City/County Management Association (ICMA)
Top-Five in the 2021 Digital Cities Survey for cities using technology to tackle social challenges, enhance services, strengthen cybersecurity and more - Center for Digital Government
Best Suburb, 2021 Readers' Choice - HoustonPress
Distinguished Budget Award - Government Finance Officers Association
Best Park, Sugar Land Memorial Park - Living Magazine's Best Of Fort Bend Readers’ Choice
Tree City USA - Arbor Day Foundation
Texas Festivals and Events Association (TFEA)
- Best Multimedia - "We are Parks" Video
- Best Overall Hybrid Event - 12 Days of Christmas
- Best Outdoor Billboard - Food Truck Fridays
- Best Sponsor Gift - Sponsor Appreciation Gift
Top 5% FBOs, Sugar Land Regional Airport - Aviation International News Survey
Professional Pilot PRASE Survey
- #2 Best Independent FBO - Sugar Land Regional Airport
- #12 FBO in the United States - Sugar Land Regional Airport
List of "50 most popular suburbs in the US" - MediaFeed
#2 Safest Midsize Cities in America - AdvisorSmith
"Leading the Way Award", Top Ranking in Resident Satisfaction with City Services - ETC Institute
List of "Top Under-the-Radar Cities to Live in Texas" - Orchard.com
Digital Government Award - City Digital Efficiency, Creation of Automated Processes in Support of the 2020 Census - Granicus
Watermark Award for Communications Excellence, Understanding our Water Treatment Process Video - Texas Section of the American Water Works Association and the Water Environment Association of Texas
Niche.com
- Best Places to Live in America
- Best Suburbs to Live in America
- Best Places to Live in Texas
2020
WalletHub
- Ranked in the top five of the Best Small Cities to Live in America
- List of Fastest-Growing Cities in America
Yelp
- "People Love Us On Yelp" Recognition, Lost Creek Park
- Recognized as one of "Greater Houston's most gorgeous parks", Oyster Creek Park
Niche.com
- Best Suburb to Live in America
- Best Places to Live in Houston Area
LendEDU
- Recognized as one of the most budget-friendly cities for renters
- Recognized for having one of the highest proportions of residents that hold a bachelor’s degree
SmartAsset.com
- List of the Best Cities for Working Parents
- List of Most Livable Mid-Sized Cities
List of the Best Cities for Pets - Rent.com
#1 Safest Large Cities in Texas - AdvisorSmith
List of Houston’s Top Dog Parks, Pawm Springs Dog Park - Houston Chronicle Online
Best Park, Sugar Land Memorial Park - Living Magazine's Best Of Fort Bend Readers’ Choice
Houston-Galveston Area Council
- Project of the Year Award - "Right Tree for the Right Place"
- Parks and Natural Areas Award, Cullinan Park Phase I Development
Recognized as one of the best small towns to retire in America - GOBankingRates
Community Economic Development Award for Innovativeness for the #AllInForSLTX Sweet Cash Program - Texas Economic Development Council’s (TEDC)
Government Finance Officers Association
- GFOA – Excellence in Financial Reporting
- GFOA- Distinguished Budget Award
Smart 50 Award for Community Engagement, Using AI and 311 Data For Proactive Approach to Delivering Services and Building Trust - Smart Cities Connect
Superior Public Water System Recognition - Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ)
International City/County Management Association (ICMA)
- Strategic Leadership & Governance Local Government Excellence Program Award
- Certificate of Distinction in Performance Management
Center for Digital Government
- First Place - Digital Cities Survey for cities using technology to tackle social challenges, enhance services, strengthen cybersecurity, and more.
- Government Experience Award, "Managing a Pandemic Amidst City Leadership Changes"
- Finalist - Overall City Government Experience
Aviation International News Survey
- #1 FBO in the Houston Metro Area - Sugar Land Regional Airport
- Top 5% FBOs- Sugar Land Regional Airport
Professional Pilot PRASE Survey
- #3 Best Independent FBO - Sugar Land Regional Airport
- #7 FBO in the United States - Sugar Land Regional Airport
Recognized for being one of the first courts to implement virtual court - Office of Court Administration (OCA)
Members Choice #CityHallSelfieDay Award - Engaging Local Government Leaders (ELGL)
2019
The Texas Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors (TATOA)
- First Place Honors, Instruction and Training Category - ERP and You Video
- First Place Honors, Public Service Announcement Category - My Sugar Land App-Happy Hands Video
- Second Place, Special Audience Category - Know With The Gnome (Series)
- Second Place, PSA Category - Land Code Development Update, Better Now!
- Second Place, Event/Program Promotion Category - International Arts Festival Promo
- Second Place, Partnership Production Category - SLPD Lip Sync
- Third Place, Profile of an Organization Department Category - OPA Introduction
- Third Place, Public Education Category - Only 9 Percent?
- Special Recognition, Public Health/Public Safety Category - Share The Road Sugar Land-3ft. Rule
First Place Parade Float, Non-Profit Category – Fort Bend County Fair
Sugar Land Top-Five in the 2019 Digital Cities Survey for cities using technology to improve citizen services, enhance transparency and encourage citizen engagement.
Finalist, 311 Contact Center - The Center for Digital Government’s Government Experience Awards
Certificate of Achievement for Planning Excellence - Texas Chapter of the American Planning Association
Texas Festivals and Events Association (TFEA)
- Silver - Best TV Promotion for International Arts Festival
- Silver - Best Event Video Promotion for International Arts Festival
- Silver - Best Miscellaneous Printed Materials for the Parks Sponsorship Series Packet
- Silver - Best Outdoor Digital Billboard for Food Truck Friday located at SFC
- Silver - Best Miscellaneous On-Site Decor for Christmas Tree Lighting
- Gold - Best Event Organization E-Newsletter for the Parks & Recreation Playbook
- Gold - Best Company Image Piece (Letterhead, Logo, Business Cards, Etc.) for the International Arts Festival Logo
- Gold - Best Street Banner for International Arts Festival
- Gold - Best Single New Sponsorship Opportunity for the Memorial Day Ceremony
Texas Association of Convention and Visitor Bureau’s (TACVB) Annual Idea Fair
- First place - Cooperative Marketing Category, Sugar Packets Online Marketplace
- Second place - Website, Visit Sugar Land
- Second place - National Travel and Tourism Week (NTTW), Video Campaign
List of the Best Cities to Live in Texas, No. 9 - ChamberofCommerce.org
Certification of Distinction in Performance Management - International City/County Management Association (ICMA)
Best Tasting Water in Texas Award - Texas section of the American Water Works Association (TAWWA)
Best Tasting Water in North America 2019 Runner Up - American Water Works Association (AWWA)
Best Application Servicing the Public, Capital Improvement Project (CIP) Story Map - Center for Digital Government
Best Suburb to Live in the Houston Area- Niche.com
Best Park, Sugar Land Memorial Park - Living Magazine's Best Of Fort Bend Readers’ Choice
Texas Association of Municipal Officers (TAMIO) Awards
- TAMI Award - 2018 Electronic Annual Report
- Award of Honor - SLTV News
In-House Project of the Year, In-house modifications to the Riverstone Water Treatment Plant, American Public Works Association, Texas Chapter
Engineering Excellence Award, University Boulevard Extension Project, ACEC (American Council of Engineering Companies)
2018
Development of the city’s Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) Website - Intelligent Transportation Society – Texas ChapterProject
Houston-Galveston Area Council Parks and Natural Areas Award
- Planning Projects Winner - City of Sugar Land Parks, Recreation and Open Space Master Plan
- Special Recognition in On-the-Ground Projects - Mayfield Park
Excellence in Enterprise Practice - Cityworks
#5 FBO in the United States - Professional Pilot Magazine
#3 Best Independent FBO in the United States - Professional Pilot Magazine
#1 Independent FBO in Houston - Professional Pilot Magazine
Facility of the Year - Sugar Land Regional Airport Air Traffic Control Tower - Robinson Aviation, Inc.
Certificate of Achievement for Planning Excellence - Texas Chapter of the American Planning Association (TxAPA)
Outstanding Large Membrane Plant Award - Surface Water Treatment Plant
Sugar Land Top-Ranked in the 2018 Digital Cities Survey for cities using technology to improve citizen services, enhance transparency and encourage citizen engagement.
Tree City USA - Arbor Day Foundation
International Festival and Events Association
- Gold for Best TV Promotion for Memorial Day
- Silver for Best Event Video Promotion for Halloween Town
- Silver for Best Company Image Piece for iFest Live
- Best Event Video Promotion - Gold Sugar Land’s Halloween Town
- Best Street Banner - Gold Sugar Land’s Eggstravaganza
- Best Company Image Pieces - Silver iFest Live Logo
- Best Outdoor Billboard - Bronze Sugar Land Memorial Day Ceremony
- Best Miscellaneous On-Site Décor - Silver Sugar Land Memorial Day Ceremony
- Technical Innovation Award - Traffic Technology
along the SH 6 Corridor - Exceptional Performance Award - Hurricane Harvey Response
Texas Association of Municipal Officers (TAMIO) Awards
- TAMI Award - Website
- Award of Honor - Annexation Marketing Campaign
- Award of Excellence - Hurricane Harvey Social Media Efforts
Top 50 of the Safest Cities to Retire in America for 2018 - SecurityChoice.com
Among the Top 15 Most Entrepreneurial Cities for 2018 - FitSmallBusiness.com
Recognized Among the Best 100 Towns in Texas for Starting a Small Business - LendEDU.com
Sugar Land ranked in the top 50 most searched cities (Among most popular places in the US to relocate to) - moveBuddha.com
Honorable Mention for Brazos River Park - H-GAC Parks and Natural Areas Awards
2017
Best Park, Oyster Creek Park - Living Magazine's Best Of Fort Bend Readers’ ChoiceList of the Safest Cities in the U.S., No. 9 in Texas - SafeHome.com
Named one of Best Vacation Places to Escape the Winter - Expedia
Sugar Land Top-ranked for expected holiday residential retail spending - WalletHub
Sugar Land Top-Ranked in the 2017 Digital Cities Survey for cities using technology to improve citizen services, enhance transparency and encourage citizen engagement.
Named one of America’s best small markets for business - Global Trade magazine
Ranked as one of the most financially secure neighborhoods in all of Texas - LendEDU.com
Sugar Land Top-Ranked, Best Places to Raise a Family in Houston - Niche.com
5 Great Places to Live Around Houston - Neighborhoods.com
Sugar Land Top-Ranked,50 Cities With Cheap Rent and Good Jobs for New College Grads - Money Magazine
GoodCall.com
- Recognized as Prime Area in the U.S. to Build a Lifelong Dream Home
- Recognized among "2017 Best Cities for Seniors to Retire"
2016
Best Place to Bike, Oyster Creek Park - Living Magazine's Best Of Fort Bend Readers’ ChoiceTop Nine Object of the Year - Selfie Statue - The New Yorker
Sugar Land Top-Ranked in the 2016 Digital Cities Survey for Cities with Best Practices in Public Sector Information and Communications Technology
Economic Development Finalist - Houston Business Journal's Deal of the Year Awards
Certificate of Achievement for Planning Excellence - American Planning Association Texas Chapter
Tree City USA - Arbor Day Foundation
Top Ten Best Business Environment - Global Trade Magazine
Sugar Land Regional Airport Global Select
- One of the Top U.S. Fixed-Base Operators (FBOs)
- #1 FBO in the Houston Metro Area
Texas Festival and Events Association (TFEA)
- Gold award for “Best Single New Sponsorship Program” for the Christmas Tree Lighting event
- Gold award for “Best Volunteer Program” for the Cultural Kite Festival
- Silver award for “Best Event Video” for the Memorial Day Ceremony
- Gold award for “Best Single New Sponsorship Program” for the Christmas Tree Lighting event
- Silver award for “Best Community Outreach Program” for the Cultural Kite Festival
- Silver award for “Best Event Invitation” for the Memorial Day Ceremony
Texas Association of Municipal Officers (TAMIO) Awards
- Award of Excellence - Special Publications (2016 City Calendar)
- Award of Excellence - Video PSA Educational (Crime Prevention Camera Program)
- Award of Honor - Technical Services (City Website)