Annual Report 2023 – 2024
Our Programs
Scroll to explore the impact we’re making across our core programs around the world.
PUBLIC HEALTH
LIFE-SAVING SOLUTIONS
Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Public Health program addresses the world’s leading causes of death from noncommunicable diseases and injuries. With Mike Bloomberg’s leadership as World Health Organization Global Ambassador for Noncommunicable Diseases and Injuries, we follow the data, build strong partnerships with governments and other organizations, and spread proven solutions to save lives.
Highlights from the Report
Curbing Global Tobacco Use
Together with our partners, we have supported strong tobacco control laws that reach nearly four billion people in 85 countries – helping cut global cigarette sales per capita by nearly 25 percent since 2007 and saving an estimated 35.2 million lives.
Reducing U.S. E-Cigarette Use
Our efforts to reduce youth e-cigarette use in the United States have helped pass 92 state and local bans on flavored tobacco products since 2019, contributing to a 64 percent decline in teen use.
Safer Roads, Safer Communities
In 2023, our initiative to improve road safety helped several countries, including Argentina, China, and Uganda, adopt new laws or strengthen existing ones. Since 2007, we have helped strengthen more than 100 national and subnational laws.
Better Data, Better Policies
Our program to improve low- and middle-income countries’ collection and use of critical death, birth, and other health data has led to 69 new health policies and strengthened over 17.7 million death records and 12.6 million birth records.
Promoting Healthy Diets
In 2023, partner countries adopted 11 healthy food policies with our support – from Ghana enacting a 20-percent tax on fruit juices and drinks to Brazil passing a 34-percent increase in the budget for its healthy school meals program.
Saving Lives From Heart Disease
In partnership with Resolve to Save Lives, we have supported policies to regulate trans fats and interventions to control high blood pressure that are projected to save more than 7.5 million lives, toward a goal of saving 100 million lives by 2047.
Mobilizing Cities for Public Health
The Partnership for Healthy Cities, a network we created with more than 70 cities focused on reducing noncommunicable diseases and injuries, welcomed four new member cities in 2023 dedicated to strengthening public health policies.
Preventing Drowning
In early 2024, we expanded our support for data-driven solutions to prevent drowning in Bangladesh, Ghana, India, Uganda, and Vietnam and launched new work focused on 10 U.S. states with high numbers of drowning deaths.
Investing in a New Generation of Leaders
Through the Bloomberg American Health Initiative at Johns Hopkins, which addresses leading causes of declining U.S. life expectancy, we have funded full scholarships for 329 students to enroll and earn master’s and doctorate degrees in public health.
Defending U.S. Reproductive Healthcare
After the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, we have continued to support organizations fighting to protect abortion access – including helping pass a ballot measure in Ohio that enshrined the right to abortion in the state constitution.
Combating the Overdose Epidemic
In 2023, following a $26 billion settlement between U.S. cities and states and major drug companies, we worked to ensure that funds went to evidence-based programs to address addiction and overdose, while helping cities and states maximize existing government funding.
Read the Full Report
Mapping Impact:
Building Momentum in Mexico Toward a National Smoke-Free Law
2008
With our support, Mexico City became the biggest city in Latin America to adopt a 100 percent smoke-free law that banned the consumption of tobacco in public indoor spaces.
2015
Despite challenges at the national level, we continued to help pass local smoke-free bans in 11 out of 32 states, protecting roughly 45 percent of the population.
2021
After voters elected new national leaders in 2018 who supported our smoke-free efforts, we helped pass a national ban in 2021 – the culmination of years of our work in cities and states across the country.
Podcast
Tackling the Tobacco Industry Around the World
Public Health at a Glance
23%
23%decline in global smoking rates since 2007
64%
64%decline in U.S. teen e-cigarette use since 2019
102
102road safety laws strengthened since 2007
1,597
1,597high-risk intersections redesigned since 2007
17.7M
17.7Mdeath records strengthened in lower-income countries since 2015
329
329Bloomberg American Health Initiative fellows supported since 2016
7.5M
7.5Mlives saved through efforts to prevent cardiovascular disease
50K
50Kchildren ages 1-4 in Bangladesh reached through drowning prevention work
Spotlight Examples from the Report
DROWNING PREVENTION:
Bangladesh
In March 2024, the national government of Bangladesh officially took over funding for a successful drowning prevention effort we launched more than a decade ago. In 2012, following data showing that drowning was the country’s leading cause of death for children ages one to four, we began testing solutions that could save lives. We found that community childcare sites, which offered supervision and education for children at the same time, reduced drowning deaths by 88 percent. As a result, we supported more than 2,500 sites, reaching over 50,000 children — and our success spurred the government to adopt and scale the program to 200,000 children annually as part of a wider drowning prevention strategy.
ROAD SAFETY:
Guayaquil, Ecuador
In Guayaquil, Ecuador, our road safety efforts helped redesign the Mariana Argudo Chejín intersection to protect pedestrians and bicyclists and create public spaces.
PARTNERSHIP FOR HEALTHY CITIES:
Global Examples
Bengaluru, India
With our support through the Partnership for Healthy Cities, the city secured a statewide ban on the sale and consumption of hookah, which poses significant health risks.
Bogotá, Colombia
The city is strengthening nutrition standards for children in school, improving their access to healthy food.
Bucharest, Romania
The city is improving air quality by installing sensors in schools and hospitals focused on collecting localized air pollution data.
Accra, Ghana
To further improve road safety, the city is redesigning a major intersection, including adding curbs, signs, and other improvements to prevent traffic crashes.
MORE PUBLIC HEALTH
Learn more and stay up to date on Bloomberg Philanthropies’ effort to save and improve lives through our Public Health program.
Top photo: Our drowning prevention program in Bangladesh has supported 2,500 community childcare sites to improve supervision and prevent drowning among children ages one to four — and the program’s success led the government to take over and scale our work.
EDUCATION
A BRIGHTER FUTURE FOR STUDENTS
Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Education program focuses on expanding educational opportunities and giving more students a chance to pursue their dreams. We work to support students from kindergarten through high school, to college and career training, and beyond.
Highlights from the Report
Expanding Access to Charter Schools
Our initiative to increase access to high-quality charter schools across the United States, launched in 2021, has developed a pipeline of 101,000 new seats to be opened for students, more than two-thirds of the way to our 150,000 goal by 2026.
Creating Summer Learning Opportunities
Driven by data on student learning loss caused by the pandemic, our Summer Boost program supported summer learning at public charter schools across eight U.S. cities in 2023, serving 35,000 students in more than 400 schools.
Growing Skills That Lead to Jobs
In 2024, building on our existing investments in career and technical education across the United States, we launched a major initiative to create 10 high schools focused on preparing students for high-demand, well-paying jobs in the healthcare industry.
Connecting Talented Students with Top Colleges
To increase access to top U.S. colleges, we have provided free college advising for more than 69,000 high-achieving, lower-income students while also bringing together a coalition of 140 top schools committed to enrolling them.
Working with Select Universities to Support All Students
In 2023, we helped officially open the Emma Bloomberg Center for Access and Opportunity at Princeton University and welcomed the third cohort of students in the Georgina and Charlotte Bloomberg Public Service Fellows Program at NYU.
Read the Full Report
Mapping Impact:
Investing in Healthcare-Focused High Schools Across the United States
Our first-of-its-kind program brings together public education and hospital systems to create 10 high schools in cities and rural communities, offering robust academic programming, specialized healthcare classes, work-based learning at the partner health systems, and the opportunity to earn industry-valued credentials and certifications.
Boston, MA
In partnership with Mass General Brigham and the Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers, we are strengthening and expanding an existing healthcare-focused charter school that will accommodate 800 students. Students will have the opportunity to learn about five medical pathways, including emergency services and medical imaging, and will be prepared to enter a local job market that has more than 2,000 openings in the field.
Houston, TX
Together with Memorial Hermann Health System and Aldine Independent School District, we are creating a new district school on an existing school campus, which will serve 830 students. Students will have access to five medical pathways, including non-clinical healthcare administration, rehabilitation, and medical imaging. There are over 3,000 healthcare-related job openings in Houston.
Education at a Glance
101,000
101,000new U.S. charter school seats invested in since 2021
35,000
35,000students provided with summer learning opportunities in 2023
144,000
144,000students participated in career and technical education programs we support
69,000
69,000students provided with free college counseling
140
140top colleges committed to enrolling more high-achieving, lower-income students
18,100
18,100more lower-income students enrolled at top colleges since 2016
Spotlight Examples from the Report
ADVANCING K-12 EDUCATION:
Charter Schools
Podcast
Combatting Pandemic Learning Loss
CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION:
Columbus State Community College
Since 2020, Columbus State Community College (CSCC) in Ohio has used our support to play a lead role in building career pathways in the emerging, high-demand fields of semiconductor manufacturing, biotechnology, information technology, and pharmaceuticals, including a partnership with Intel to launch a new certificate program for semiconductor technicians. Over 1,500 participants have enrolled in CSCC’s trainings, with 61 percent obtaining a credential and 88 percent landing employment within six months after program completion. CSCC is on track to quadruple the number of students training in engineering technology over the next five years.
AMERICAN TALENT INITIATIVE:
Enrolling More Lower-Income Students
Through the American Talent Initiative, launched in partnership with the Aspen Institute and Ithaka S+R, we bring top schools together to enroll more high-achieving, lower-income students. When the COVID-19 pandemic created enrollment challenges across the country, the initiative worked with colleges and universities to recommit to this work and set more ambitious goals. The coalition numbers 140 member schools, who have now enrolled an additional 18,100 high-achieving, low- and moderate-income students since 2016, recovering from declines during the pandemic to reach our highest total since the initiative’s inception.
MORE EDUCATION
Learn more and stay up to date on Bloomberg Philanthropies’ effort to save and improve lives through our Education program.
Top photo: In 2023, our Summer Boost program provided summer learning opportunities aimed at reducing learning loss for 35,000 students in 8 U.S. cities.
ARTS
STRENGTHENING COMMUNITIES THROUGH THE ARTS
Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Arts program draws on the belief that arts and culture have the power to inspire creativity, spark collaboration, and build community around the world. We support artists, cultural institutions, and public art to strengthen the creative landscape in cities and improve residents’ quality of life.
Highlights from the Report
Partnering with Arts Organizations
As one of the world’s largest philanthropic funders of the arts, we have forged partnerships with over 600 arts institutions and countless artists in cities across the world.
Leveraging Technology
Our free Bloomberg Connects app continues to grow rapidly and now features digital guides and in-depth, curated content from more than 450 institutions in over 100 cities globally. More than three million users have downloaded it to date.
Collaborating to Create Public Art
In 2023, we announced eight winning cities in our latest Public Art Challenge, a competition bringing mayors, artists, and residents together to develop art installations that address civic issues like food insecurity, gun violence, and climate change.
Partnering on Digital Projects
Through our work to help nearly 150 U.S.- and U.K.-based arts organizations develop and implement digital projects, the first group of organizations has launched 40+ projects that generated $20 million in revenue and reached one million new audience members.
Painting the Way to Safer Streets
We have provided 90 cities with support to install projects that use art to improve street safety, revitalize public spaces, and engage residents. In 2023, the U.S. government incorporated asphalt art into its newest roadway design guidelines.
Connecting Students and Arts Organizations
We have supported more than 1,500 high school students to intern at more than 250 cultural organizations, including over 250 students in 2023, providing them with paid work experience along with job-readiness training and college preparation.
Read the Full Report
Download the Bloomberg Connects app
Get free access to expert-curated content and guides to over 450 museums, historical sites, botanical gardens, theaters, and more.
Mapping Impact:
Collaborating to Create Public Art
In 2023, we announced eight winning U.S. cities in our latest Public Art Challenge, a competition that brings together mayors, artists, and residents to create collaborative public art projects that address urgent civic issues. The winning cities are now working to implement their projects.
1. Honolulu, HI
Teaching little-known Indigenous histories at key tourist destinations
2. Phoenix, AZ
Installing creative shading and cooling installations in response to the extreme urban heat crisis
3. Salt Lake City, UT
Creating works that respond to the persistent drought that threatens to decimate the Great Salt Lake
4. Houston, TX
Disrupting perceptions of homelessness by developing installations in collaboration with professional artists and unsheltered individuals
5. Atlanta, GA
Creating visual and performing art that addresses racial disparities in public health and healthcare
6. Orlando, FL
Collaborating with artists and farmers to develop installations that raise awareness about the lack of access to healthy food
7. Baltimore, MD
Designing light installations aimed at revitalizing the city’s arts district
8. Philadelphia, PA
Addressing healing in the wake of gun violence by inviting residents to write poems through a workshop series and incorporating them into installations with local businesses, nonprofits, and community organizations
Podcast
Addressing Racial Inequity in Climate Justice Through Art
Arts at a Glance
600+
600+arts institutions supported globally
450+
450+cultural institutions featured on Bloomberg Connects
3M+
3M+Bloomberg Connects app downloads to date
150
150U.S.- and U.K-based organizations supported through Digital Accelerator Program
40+
40+projects launched, 4,000+ artists engaged, 1M new audience members reached, and $20M in revenue secured during 2021-2023 Digital Accelerator Program cohort
50%
50%reduction in crashes involving pedestrians or bicyclists at asphalt art sites
27%
27%increase in rate of drivers yielding to pedestrians with the right-of-way at asphalt art sites
1,500+
1,500+high school students interned at more than 250 cultural organizations
Spotlight Examples from the Report
CULTURAL EXHIBITIONS:
Partnering with Arts Organizations
Over the last year, Bloomberg Philanthropies supported a wide range of extraordinary arts exhibitions and institutions around the world.
ASPHALT ART INITIATIVE:
Video: Making Streets Safer with Art
Enhancing mobility with safe, new pedestrian space in Kaisariani, Greece
DIGITAL ACCELERATOR:
Examples of Impact
92NY, New York City
Launched an online platform to offer high-quality courses from the organization and other partners, garnering more than 28,000 participants and generating $3 million in additional revenue.
Roundabout Theatre Company, New York City
Built a new ticketing service that improves the customer experience, growing annual ticketing revenue by nearly $1.9 million and cutting in half the percentage of customers who start but fail to complete their ticket purchase.
Southbank Centre, London
Enhanced its broadcast and editing facilities and created a mobile studio to better capture content, which helped triple the number of subscribers on its YouTube channel to more than 100,000.
MORE ARTS
Learn more and stay up to date on Bloomberg Philanthropies’ effort to save and improve lives through our Arts program.
Top photo: Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Arts program draws on the belief that arts and culture have the power to inspire creativity, spark collaboration, and build community around the world. We support artists, cultural institutions, and public art to strengthen the creative landscape in cities and improve residents’ quality of life.
ENVIRONMENT
THE CHALLENGE WE MUST MEET
Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Environment program works with partners around the world, and across the public and private sectors, to tackle the climate crisis from every angle. Climate change is an unprecedented global challenge, with more and more people around the planet feeling its effects — and fighting it is an opportunity to revitalize the environment, improve health, spur innovation, and build robust and sustainable economies.
Video Playlist
Highlights from the Report
Driving the U.S. Energy Transition
Our efforts to accelerate the U.S. transition to clean energy have helped retire 72 percent of all U.S. coal plants since 2010, blocked nearly 30 percent of all proposed gas capacity since 2020, and helped secure clean energy commitments in 19 states.
Blocking U.S. Petrochemicals
Since 2022, we have led a campaign to block new petrochemical facilities in key U.S. regions and protect communities from the toxic chemicals they would release – blocking seven planned facilities and preventing 37 million tons of carbon emissions.
Accelerating the Global Transition to Clean Energy
Globally, we have helped retire 55 percent of Europe’s coal plants, secured the early retirement of nearly one-third of Australia’s plants, and advocated for 2030 coal phase-out targets in Japan and South Korea – while also expanding our work to 25 developing countries.
Leveraging the Private Sector
As part of our efforts to mobilize the private sector in the climate fight, over 675 financial institutions have committed to reaching net-zero emissions through alliances under the Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero (GFANZ), which Mike Bloomberg co-chairs.
Improving Air Quality
In 2023, building on proven strategies from a series of earlier partnerships, we launched a program called Breathe Cities to strengthen air quality management, cut carbon emissions, and improve public health in 11 cities.
Advocating for Ocean Protections
In 2023, through our efforts to protect ocean ecosystems and coastal communities, we helped countries commit to ratifying a historic new UN treaty to protect the high seas, part of the global goal to protect 30 percent of the ocean by 2030.
Boosting Climate Action in Cities
In 2024, we expanded our city climate work through a partnership with 25 major U.S. cities to cut carbon emissions, improve residents’ lives, and strengthen their capacity to lead policies and programs in key areas: buildings, transportation, and economic development.
Acting Together
At the UN’s COP28 climate conference in Dubai, we made a series of major announcements focused on accelerating the global energy transition, strengthening climate finance, elevating local climate action, and other critical issues.
Read the Full Report
Mapping Impact:
Protecting Ocean Ecosystems and Coastal Communities Across Southeast Asia’s “Coral Triangle”
Papua New Guinea
In November 2023, with support from our partners that engaged more than 9,000 people from 100 Indigenous communities, Papua New Guinea announced two new marine protected areas totaling more than 6,178 square miles.
Philippines
In March 2024, our partners helped launch a new project, the Partnerships for the Philippine National Marine 30×30 Target, that will provide policy and science expertise to assist the government in setting and achieving its ocean protection commitments.
Podcast
Making Single-Use Packaging Disappear
Environment at a Glance
72%
72%of U.S. coal plants retired since 2010
29%
29%of planned U.S. gas capacity blocked since 2020
7
7proposed U.S. petrochemical facilities blocked since 2022
37M
37Mtons of carbon emissions averted since 2022
55%
55%of Europe’s coal plants retired since 2017
675+
675+firms committed to reaching net-zero emissions through alliances under the GFANZ umbrella
11M+
11M+square miles of ocean now with stronger protections
18
18major national laws on ocean conservation secured since 2019
70+
70+countries pledged to partner with cities and subnational governments on their climate plans
11
11clean air policies introduced by partner cities and governments in 2023
Spotlight Examples from the Report
BEYOND CARBON:
New England
In 2024, following advocacy and engagement from our partners in the Beyond Carbon campaign, the final two coal plants in New England committed to closing, making the region coal-free.
BREATHE CITIES:
Warsaw, Poland
In Warsaw, we supported research that found that just 17 percent of vehicles produce more than half of the city’s air pollution — helping make the case for a low-emissions zone passed on December 2023 with restrictions on high-emitting vehicles. We also worked with the city to make the case for a ban on coal-burning to heat households. As a result, the number of coal boilers in the city fell by more than half even before the ban went into effect in October 2023.
BREATHE CITIES:
Warsaw, Poland
In Warsaw, we supported research that found that just 17 percent of vehicles produce more than half of the city’s air pollution — helping make the case for a low-emissions zone passed on December 2023 with restrictions on high-emitting vehicles. We also worked with the city to make the case for a ban on coal-burning to heat households. As a result, the number of coal boilers in the city fell by more than half even before the ban went into effect in October 2023.
CLIMATE FINANCE:
COP28
At the UN’s COP28 climate conference in Dubai, we expanded our efforts to mobilize the private sector in the climate fight. To increase data and transparency, we launched a proof-of-concept of the first-ever online data repository for key private-sector climate data, called the Net-Zero Data Public Utility (NZDPU). To accelerate action, we created the Global Capacity Building Coalition to provide additional support for financial institutions in developing countries to transition to net-zero emissions. And to increase investment, we developed an effort called the Industrial Transition Accelerator to catalyze investment to decarbonize high-emitting industries like cement and steel.
MORE ENVIRONMENT
Learn more and stay up to date on Bloomberg Philanthropies’ effort to save and improve lives through our Environment program.
Top photo: Our efforts to protect ocean ecosystems and the livelihoods of coastal communities span nearly 60 countries.
GOVERNMENT INNOVATION
DRIVING INNOVATION IN CITIES
With cities increasingly on the frontlines of global challenges, Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Government Innovation program strengthens the capacity of mayors and local governments to address major issues and better serve residents. Built on more than a decade of work to drive innovation in cities, our efforts aim to help bridge the gap between governments’ abilities and ambitions and develop the skillsets and resources necessary to deliver more effective services.
Highlights from the Report
Spreading Ideas Between Cities
Building on our work to help cities test and spread bold ideas, which has now helped 337 cities replicate successful solutions to major challenges, we launched the new Bloomberg Cities Idea Exchange to further accelerate the spread of proven ideas.
Helping U.S. Cities Win Infrastructure Funds
To help small and mid-sized cities and towns harness historic U.S. federal funding for infrastructure projects, we have provided grant-writing bootcamps and webinars to more than 1,300 communities, helping them secure $2 billion in funding to date.
Making Better Mayors
In 2023, we expanded on our first-of-its-kind effort to strengthen city leadership through world-class executive education by opening the Bloomberg Center for Cities at Harvard University and supporting leadership training programs for mayors in Israel and Africa.
Scaling the Power of Data
In 2023, our initiative to help high-performing local governments use data even more effectively graduated its first class of 22 cities and began working with 20 new cities, building on the success of a program we lead that has certified 74 cities for excellence in data use.
Accelerating Innovation
Our work to foster creative problem-solving and innovation in city halls has supported innovation teams composed of experts in data analysis, design, and project management in more than 80 cities and trained more than 1,100 city staff.
Exploring the Potential of AI
To help mayors and their cities explore a new area for innovation – generative artificial intelligence – we launched an online resource to help city staff test strategies for using AI with one another and with experts from Johns Hopkins.
Read the Full Report
Mapping Impact:
Participating Cities and Towns in the Local Infrastructure Hub
Podcast
Driving Urban Innovation in Cities Around the World
Government Innovation at a Glance
337
337cities replicating Mayors Challenge ideas
179
179cities globally are led by a graduate or current participant in the Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative
70
70of the largest U.S. cities have been led by a Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative program graduate
80
80cities globally with teams focused on innovation
1,100
1,100city staff trained in innovation best practices
$2B
$2Bin U.S. federal infrastructure grants won by small and mid-sized cities we have supported
Spotlight Examples from the Report
BLOOMBERG CITYLAB:
Tenth Annual Bloomberg CityLab Summit
In October 2023 in Washington, D.C., our tenth annual Bloomberg CityLab summit brought together leaders and urban experts from more than 200 cities in 40 countries, including over 100 mayors, to share and explore ideas and solutions with the potential to impact the future of cities.
MAYORS CHALLENGE:
Spreading Successful Ideas
Beginning in 2013, Bloomberg Philanthropies has run the Mayors Challenge, a series of regional and global competitions designed to spark groundbreaking ideas that address cities’ biggest challenges and can spread to other places. In addition to recognizing 38 winning cities, this work has helped spread the most successful ideas to 337 additional cities globally.
SUPPORTING CITY LEADERS:
Supporting Mayors Through Crisis
As Russia’s war on Ukraine entered its third year, we launched support for Kyiv to expand its capacity to digitize important public services for residents, including helping them better access critical mental health services.
Following Hamas’s October 7th terrorist attacks in Israel, our programs have provided crisis management tools, ongoing assistance, and operational support for cities grappling with the devastating aftermath.
And after a terrible earthquake in Turkey, we worked with Istanbul to pivot its Mayors Challenge-winning platform, which crowdsources contributions for residents in need, to support national relief efforts, getting necessary food and hygiene items to those affected.
MORE GOVERNMENT INNOVATION
Learn more and stay up to date on Bloomberg Philanthropies’ effort to save and improve lives through our Government Innovation program.
Top photo: Global Mayors Challenge winner Istanbul, Turkey, created a program to crowdsource aid for residents in need — which the city adapted to provide support for those affected by a devastating 2023 earthquake.
BLOOMBERG ASSOCIATES
HELPING CITIES THRIVE
Bloomberg Associates is a philanthropic consultancy that advises cities around the world. Founded in 2014, our Bloomberg Associates team works with client cities to make them stronger, safer, more equitable, and more efficient and improve residents’ quality of life. Since its inception, Bloomberg Associates has engaged 20 cities, advanced more than 500 projects, and generated $3.4 billion in city and private funding for projects we supported or created. In 2023, the team led more than 90 total projects and provided more than 62,000 hours of pro bono support.
Highlights from the Report
Increasing Internet Access in Newark
Bloomberg Associates developed a strategy to increase sign-ups in Newark for the federal Affordable Connectivity Program, an initiative that offers rebates on home internet bills, leading more than 10,000 residents to sign up in 2023 alone.
Developing Newark’s Tree-Planting Program
As part of the Newark360 Master Plan, which Bloomberg Associates helped produce, the team worked with the city to develop a targeted tree-planting program and helped secure $8 million from the U.S. Forest Service.
Improving Road Safety in Tampa
To improve road safety and deliver projects more effectively, we helped Tampa bring its municipal code up to national standards and guided the city in selecting infrastructure projects that could be completed quickly, flexibly, and efficiently.
Tackling Tampa’s Need to Improve Affordable Housing
We also worked with Tampa to create new strategies for improving affordable housing offerings, developing a Housing Affordability Roadmap and a public-facing dashboard that will make it easier for residents to identify housing options.
Strengthening Tourism in Milan
Bloomberg Associates has worked with Milan since 2018 to revitalize its tourism industry, including establishing the city’s first official promotion agency – and in 2023, the city saw record-breaking tourism numbers.
Recognizing Milan’s Innovations in Reducing Food Waste
In 2023, in recognition of its innovative work to reduce food waste, Milan was named a winner of The Earthshot Prize, which celebrates the most promising solutions to pressing environmental challenges.
Addressing Homelessness in London
Bloomberg Associates worked closely with London to create and launch the city’s first Charter to End Rough Sleeping, which brought together more than 100 organizations to lay out actions to address homelessness in London.
Developing a Greater London Digital Skills Competition
Bloomberg Associates worked with the Westminster City Council to develop and run the Digital Dash competition, a digital skills competition that provides local young adults with the opportunity to work alongside mentors from global technology companies.
Appealing Phoenix’s Census Count
Our team helped Phoenix identify more than 3,500 residents left out of the 2020 Census, then worked with the city on a successful appeal that is expected to yield as much as $75 million in additional federal funding over the next seven years.
Assessing the Phoenix Office of Arts & Culture
Bloomberg Associates helped Phoenix conduct a comprehensive assessment of its Office of Arts & Culture, leading to the office’s expansion to a city department that consolidates arts and culture functions under one agency.
Improving Mobility Options in Bratislava
As our most recent client city, Bratislava enlisted Bloomberg Associates’ support in the development of a new mobility strategy that reduces car dependency, expands bike and bus access, and improves the use of public space.
Developing Bratislava’s Climate Action Strategies
We also worked with Bratislava to bolster its work on environmental issues, developing strategies to manage waste – including helping to create MulchFest, where residents dropped off Christmas trees to be turned into mulch at no cost.
Read the Full Report
Mapping Impact:
Bloomberg Associates’ Involvement in Milan, Italy
Bloomberg Associates at a Glance
20
20cities engaged
500+
500+projects advanced to improve residents’ lives
$3.4B
$3.4Bgenerated in city and private funding for projects we supported or created
Spotlight Examples from the Report
Continuing to Collaborate Across Our Programs
In addition to specific city partnerships, Bloomberg Associates brings its expertise to support a range of Bloomberg Philanthropies programs. In 2023, for example, we announced 10 winning cities in our Bloomberg Initiative for Cycling Infrastructure, created with expert guidance from our Bloomberg Associates team. The program provides technical assistance and implementation support to help cities improve bike lanes and other cycling infrastructure.
Podcast
Bringing Cities in Crisis Together to Tackle Housing Unaffordability
MORE BLOOMBERG ASSOCIATES
Learn more and stay up to date on Bloomberg Philanthropies’ effort to save and improve lives through our Bloomberg Associates program.
Top photo: With Bloomberg Associates’ support, London created a Charter to End Rough Sleeping that brought together public and private sector leaders to take action to address homelessness.
BLOOMBERG L.P.
BUILT ON GIVING BACK
Giving back has been a fundamental part of Bloomberg L.P.’s culture from the very beginning. Founded by Mike Bloomberg in 1981, the company — a global leader in business and financial data, news, and analysis — directs the vast majority of its profits to Bloomberg Philanthropies. The expansive Corporate Philanthropy program engages employees around the world to support the local communities where we live and work, with a focus on addressing social, environmental, and other urgent challenges; promoting an inclusive global economy; expanding access to data and technology; and supporting new and diverse voices in the media.
Highlights from the Report
Responding to Needs Around the World
In 2023, Bloomberg delivered more than 2.8 million meals for residents in need across over 35 cities, packed nearly 80,000 aid kits for those impacted by humanitarian crises, and volunteered more than 18,000 hours on environmental causes.
Working to Create an Inclusive Economy
In 2023, building on Bloomberg’s legacy of advancing accessible and transparent financial markets, we provided nearly 50,000 mentoring sessions to engage students and connect them to education and career opportunities.
Sharing Skills and Increasing Access to Technology
In 2023, employees volunteered with a wide array of partners and programs to teach underrepresented students coding, data science, and other technical skills that will help them succeed in the workforce.
Highlighting New and Diverse Voices in News and Media
Drawing on the expertise of employees in news and media, Bloomberg leads initiatives to strengthen reporting on the world’s financial markets and increase diversity in the field, including expanding a major journalism training program in Africa.
Read the Full Report
Mapping Impact:
Expanding the Reach of Our Corporate Philanthropy
Across 117 cities in 2023, Bloomberg employees participated in a wide and growing range of philanthropic programming with our local nonprofit partners around the world.
Bloomberg L.P. at a Glance
22,811
22,811employees engaged through corporate philanthropy volunteering, giving, and access programs
117
117cities reached globally
183,537
183,537hours of service volunteered
2,808,401
2,808,401meals distributed to address food insecurity
79,949
79,949aid kits assembled for those in need
49,779
49,779mentoring experiences facilitated with students
Spotlight Examples from the Report
WOMEN IN FINANCE:
Mumbai
As part of our work to support the next generation of women leaders in business, finance, and technology, we expanded our efforts to connect young women interested in finance careers with mentors and learning opportunities. In 2023, we continued to grow our work in New York City, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Europe, and launched new work in Singapore, Tokyo, and Mumbai.
INCREASING ACCESS TO TECHNOLOGY:
Kode with Klossy
As a data and technology company, Bloomberg knows firsthand that digital and technical skills can help solve complex problems — and expand opportunities for everyone. In New York City, we supported a two-week Kode with Klossy bootcamp to teach coding and data science skills to young women and nonbinary teens.
BLOOMBERG MEDIA INITIATIVE AFRICA:
Senegal
One of our largest journalism training programs is the Bloomberg Media Initiative Africa (BMIA), which works to advance financial journalism and transparency in Africa. Since 2015, it has provided financial journalism training for more than 800 promising and mid-career journalists from 16 countries. In 2023, the initiative expanded to Francophone West Africa for the first time, reaching 100 professionals in Senegal and Côte d’Ivoire.
MORE CORPORATE PHILANTHROPY
Learn more and stay up to date on Bloomberg Philanthropies’ effort to save and improve lives through our Corporate Philanthropy program.
Top photo: Through Bloomberg’s Million Meals Challenge in October 2023, more than 2,500 employees in 35 cities prepared one million meals for residents in need.
FOUNDER'S PROJECTS
IMPROVING LIVES AND COMMUNITIES
Bloomberg Philanthropies supports unique efforts to address issues that fall outside of our core program areas. Like our other areas, these Founder’s Projects emerge from Mike Bloomberg‘s personal experiences in business, government, and philanthropy.
Highlights from the Report
Addressing Racial Wealth Equity
Our Greenwood Initiative, which focuses on reducing racial wealth disparities in the U.S., has cut the debt of nearly 1,000 students at historically Black medical schools, strengthened the pipeline of diverse talent to STEM fields, and built a database with critical information for this work.
Promoting Women’s Economic Independence
In 2023, an independent evaluation of a decade of our work to connect women in Africa with income-generating activities found that the program increased participants’ income, assets, and decision-making power. To date, 743,000 women have participated.
Rebuilding at the World Trade Center
In 2023, the Perelman Performing Arts Center (PAC NYC) officially opened adjacent to the 9/11 Memorial & Museum in New York City – both of which Mike Bloomberg chairs. PAC NYC’s inaugural season showcased a wide array of performing arts.
Strengthening Johns Hopkins University
Bloomberg Philanthropies supports research, capital projects, endowed professorships, and a wide range of scholarships at Johns Hopkins University — including a major gift in 2024 to increase financial aid for graduate students in the school of medicine and other schools.
Partnering with Baltimore
In 2023, we supported more than 100 nonprofits and programs in Baltimore focused on advancing educational and employment outcomes for youth, reducing food insecurity and housing instability, and creating greener public spaces.
Fighting for Gun Safety Reforms
Everytown for Gun Safety, which Mike Bloomberg founded, is the largest gun violence prevention organization in the United States. In 2023, in addition to advocating for action at the national level, Everytown helped pass 80 gun safety policies nationwide.
Supporting Cultural Institutions in London
Located in London’s Kensington Gardens, Serpentine, which Mike chairs, is a world-renowned, nonprofit art institution with pioneering exhibitions of established and emerging artists, architects, and designers. Each year, it attracts as many as 1.2 million visitors.
Read the Full Report
Mapping Impact:
Reducing Debt for Students at Historically Black Medical Schools
Our support has reduced the burden of debt for nearly 1,000 students at the four historically Black medical schools in the United States, 625 of whom have now graduated — giving them more opportunity to serve communities in need across the country.
Founder’s Projects at a Glance
968
968medical students supported at U.S. historically Black medical schools
74%
74%of medical school graduates we supported chose residency programs in underserved communities
743,000
743,000women enrolled in training programs we support
2.9M
2.9Mfamily members benefiting from income-generating activities
80
80U.S. state and local gun safety policies passed in 2023
500,000
500,000visitors to the London Mithraeum Bloomberg SPACE
Spotlight Examples from the Report
WOMEN’S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT:
Landmark Evaluation of our Work
Our Women’s Economic Development program supports partners who promote market activities that create income-generating opportunities and bring women to economic independence.
In 2023, researchers at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies released an extensive independent evaluation of the program in Africa, based on surveys from more than 14,000 participants over the decade following its inception. The study concluded that an increase in income and assets also increased women’s decision-making power. Graduates recorded greater earnings, savings, and assets 10 years post graduation, including a two-fold increase in savings in Rwanda and a 40 percent increase in the Democratic Republic of the Congo — while also boosting their social and political engagement. It also found that the program’s model was sustainable, scalable, and has the potential to be replicated successfully in other countries.
DOCUMENTARY:
Hands to Heritage
In 2023, we released a short film about a program we created that brings together master basket weavers from South Carolina and Rwanda through a series of workshops to exchange stories, share skills passed down over generations, and promote their economic development. Baskets they wove, representing peace and reconciliation in the face of historical injustice, are now permanently exhibited at the Charleston International Airport. Our film about this work has been viewed nearly 250,000 times across 10 countries.
JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY:
A New Campus in Washington, D.C.
In 2023, we helped to create and open a new campus in Washington, D.C., bringing 12 of the university’s divisions in the nation’s capital together under one roof. The new Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg Center at 555 Pennsylvania Avenue, formerly home to the Newseum, has become a convening space for leaders, scholars, and students focused on critical domestic and global issues.
REBUILDING AT THE WORLD TRADE CENTER:
Perelman Performing Arts Center
In 2023, the Perelman Performing Arts Center (PAC NYC) officially opened adjacent to the National September 11 Memorial & Museum in New York City. Mike Bloomberg joined leaders involved with PAC NYC and elected officials, including Governor Kathy Hochul and Mayor Eric Adams, for the opening. PAC NYC is home to innovative performances and a vibrant new restaurant, Metropolis by chef Marcus Samuelsson.
EVERYTOWN FOR GUN SAFETY:
Demand A Seat
Everytown for Gun Safety, which Mike Bloomberg founded, is the largest gun violence prevention organization in the United States, with more than 10 million supporters. During the 2023 election cycle, Everytown’s program to recruit, train, and support volunteers to run for office, called Demand A Seat, played a critical role in establishing a pro-gun safety majority in Virginia’s state House of Delegates. To date, 250 volunteers have been elected to public office, ranging from local school boards to Congress, and we expect more than 500 Everytown volunteers to be on the ballot in the 2024 election cycle.
THE GREENWOOD INITIATIVE:
Reducing Gaps in Racial Wealth Equity Data
Through our Greenwood Initiative, we continue to grow and strengthen the Black Wealth Data Center and its Racial Wealth Equity Database, which responds to a need for clear and accessible data on racial wealth disparities to empower decision-makers and drive policies and programs.
MORE FOUNDER’S PROJECTS
Learn more and stay up to date on Bloomberg Philanthropies’ effort to save and improve lives through our Founder’s Projects program.
Top photo: The Perelman Performing Arts Center (PAC NYC), which opened in September 2023 adjacent to the National September 11 Memorial & Museum in New York City, is wrapped with nearly 5,000 marble tiles that allow light in during the day and glow from within during the evening.