Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard has presented IndyGo with the third annual Indianapolis Sustainability Award in the air category. The award recognizes the public transit agency’s aggressive efforts in advancing sustainability throughout the community in 2011.

The primary component of IndyGo’s air quality efforts is the “Community Collaborations Program,” which encourages partnerships by providing in-kind sponsorships. In return, the partners promote IndyGo and route information specific to their events and facilities through ads, signage, brochures, and online.

When the program launched, its main goal was to grow awareness for public transportation, but IndyGo has surpassed this plan and has seen its ridership grow 10.2 percent over the previous year. This is the second consecutive win for IndyGo, which received the award last year for its “Go Green” Initiative.

“IndyGo’s innovative in-kind sponsorship provides access to the communications toolbox through a negotiation template that sparks ideas, creativity, and discussion for smaller scale or new collaborations,” the mayor said. “The reciprocal relationship between IndyGo and its community partners is symbiotic to reach the goal of improved awareness of public transportation and ridership.”

The IndyGo toolbox receives funding through the federal Congestion Mitigation Air Quality program. The agency leverages grant dollars to generate sponsorships and increase community awareness through business relationships.