Solutions to many of the greatest challenges we face can be found in cities. Local governments are uniquely positioned to overcome obstacles and get things done, but they face an environment of unprecedented challenges. The constraints and demands under which they operate are continually changing, as financial resources tighten, citizen expectations increase, and national governments grapple with gridlock. Overcoming these challenges will not be easy – it will take more agility and creativity than ever.
The Government Innovation team’s mission is to give cities the support they need to get there. We promote public sector innovation capacity and spread proven and promising solutions among cities worldwide. We test and refine urban innovations and equip mayors and local leaders with practical tools and approaches to tackle tough issues and enable civic innovation to flourish.
Mayors have access to more data and evidence than ever but need better tools and approaches to engage citizens and increase government’s effectiveness. The What Works Cities initiative is a three-year, $42 million effort to support mayors and local leaders in 100 mid-sized U.S. cities with technical assistance, access to expertise, and peer-to-peer learning opportunities.
The demand for innovation in cities is greater than ever, as city leaders are reimagining the ways they serve their citizens and make their cities great. The Mayors Challenge is a competition for city leaders that identifies and elevates next-generation solutions that have the potential to transform the way city halls work and improve the lives of citizens.
India’s rapid urban growth is putting immense pressure on the country’s cities and their people. In recognition of the huge challenges ahead, the Government of India has committed roughly $7.5 billion to the Smart Cities Mission. Launched in June 2015, this new urban development program aims to harness digital and information technologies, urban planning best practices, and managerial and policy reforms to strengthen municipal governance, increase economic growth, and produce better results for urban residents. As a part of the Mission, Bloomberg Philanthropies is supporting the design and delivery of the India Smart Cities Challenge – a competition created to support municipal officials as they develop smart proposals to improve peoples’ lives.
Cities are uniquely able to innovate and transform citizens’ lives, but face many barriers to developing and implementing solutions to tough challenges. Demand for tools and capacity to innovate has led to the emergence of innovation teams (i-teams) around the world. Innovation teams are helping mayors generate bigger, bolder ideas—and successfully bringing them to life.
Managing a city is an incredibly complex job that requires mayors to have strong leadership and management skills. Yet mayors have few opportunities for professional development. The Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative is the most ambitious executive education program ever designed for mayors and city leaders. Each year, hundreds of mayors and their senior staff enroll, free of charge, in a program that blends the best of Harvard Kennedy School’s public sector innovation expertise with Harvard Business School’s management expertise. With our support, the program is also producing cutting-edge curriculum and practitioner-oriented research, and offering ongoing opportunities for Harvard graduate students to lend a helping hand in City Halls.
The Cities of Service coalition is a vibrant and growing network of municipal governments that leverage citizen service as a tool to drive public sector innovation and achieve measurable impact on pressing local challenges. Member cities harness the power of volunteers to solve problems and make real change for their communities. Nearly 200 mayors, representing more than 50 million citizens, have joined the coalition, working together to engage citizens in addressing critical city needs through impact volunteering.
Tens of millions of households in cities across the nation struggle with debt and financial insecurity, yet the services available to help are inconsistent and often fail to have an impact. The Financial Empowerment Center model offers a new way for mayors and local governments to increase the quality and consistency of local financial services to help residents increase assets and free themselves from consumer debt.
