Each February, Bee Cities and Bee Campuses submit their annual reports and pay their renewal fees. We’ve rounded up some advice to help get you ready.

We are looking forward to hearing about your 2023 Bee City and Bee Campus pollinator conservation accomplishments. Thank you for taking the time to share your work, and for being a part of our community.

Why report?

Reporting is a chance for you to reflect on what has been done and to celebrate your successes. We use these reports to track your progress and our collective progress, and as an educational resource for affiliates and the public. We also share your achievements with our funders, who make it possible to run the program. In addition, reporting helps us develop best practices and create better tools help our affiliates.

Now that Bee City USA is 11 years old, our affiliates have a lot of great work to share and these documents provide institutional memory. To quote our founder, Phyllis Stiles:

“These reports are bursting with inspiring stories of communities planting pesticide-free habitat rich in a diversity of locally native plants, discussing their community’s pest management policies with pollinators in mind, and hosting events for young and old to create awe for and greater understanding of the plant-pollinator collaboration that makes our planet bloom and fruit.”

First, the renewal deadlines

Renewals happen in February of each year. You don’t have to renew until you have been an affiliate for at least an entire calendar year. If your city or campus was first certified* in:

• 2022 or earlier: You should report and renew each year. The deadline is February 29, 2024 (you get an extra day this year!).
• 2023: Your first renewal deadline is February 28, 2025. After that, you will renew annually.
• 2024: Your first renewal deadline is February 28, 2026. After that, you will renew annually.

*Note: You can view your city/campus certification date when you log in, under the “About” tab.

Quick tips

1. Start by reviewing your past affiliate renewal reports.
2. Is this your city’s/campus’s first renewal? Look over other affiliates’ renewal reports.
3. Need inspiration? Read the Affiliate Spotlights on the Bee City blog to see how other cities and campuses talk about their work.
4. Gather a variety of photos: action shots, closeups, gardens at peak bloom. Now is the time to show off!
5. Short on time? Prioritize gathering statistics and photos, then reuse relevant content you’ve created already, such as grant reports, webinar descriptions, social media, articles, and press releases. Recycling is good!
6. Feel free to promote your partnerships. Who helped you succeed? What did they do?
7. Consider including quotes from participants, officials, or staff.

How to report

1. Ready to report? Log in.
   • Don’t know your login credentials? Email us at [email protected].
   • There is one login per affiliate. You are welcome to share your credentials within your committee.
   • Update your “About” and “Profile” tabs:
     • If needed, update your Bee City/Campus Committee List: include names, job titles, and email addresses. We encourage you to have at least one parks/grounds/landscape staffer on your committee. Committees should have at least 3 members.
     • Upload your city’s/campus’s: integrated pest management (IPM) plan, recommended native plant list, recommended native plant supplier list
2. Before you start your report, you can download the Renewal Report Preview document on your “Renewal” tab (or just scroll down the page) to review the questions or to use as an outline as you gather your answers.
3. Click the “Edit” button to begin filling out your report.
4. How much should you write? Finished reports are usually 2-4 pages (with photos). A few sentences per question is usually fine, but you are welcome to write more.
5. Finished? Mark it as “Ready for Review” at the bottom of the “Renewal” page and save your report by clicking the “Update” button at the bottom of the page.
6. Proceed to the “Fee Payment” tab. Let us know if the cost is a barrier, we may be able to waive the fee.:
   • Whether you are paying by check or credit card, click the “Make Payment” button.
   • Renewal invoices and our W-9 are included on the “Fee Payment” tab.
   • Fees are based on population/student enrollment, so be sure you have updated this information on your “Profile” tab.
   • If your city/campus was an Early Adopter (one of our first affiliates) you do not need to pay the renewal fee. If you’re not sure, email us at [email protected].

What happens next?

We process and approve renewal reports on a rolling basis from February through May. Affiliates receive an email when their report has been approved. Alternately, affiliates can log in and navigate to the “Renewal” tab to view their renewal report status.

 In June, we will post our collective 2023 annual report on our blog and upload all affiliate reports on Our Work page, under Affiliate Renewal Reports. You can view some of our past Bee City USA and Bee Campus USA annual reports here: 2022, 2021, and 2020.

Need help?

Please feel free to reach out if you need any support: [email protected]

Thank you for the amazing, inspiring work that everyone is doing and your dedication to making the world a better place!