Cities across America are pursuing innovation to better the lives of their citizens by participating in the Bloomberg Philanthropies U.S Mayor Challenge, a year-long competition that spurs city leaders to find innovative solutions to their local challenges. Nine winning cities will receive $1 million to implement their proposed solutions that tackle homelessness, climate change, the opioid crisis and others.
Georgetown, Texas plans to become the first energy independent community by installing solar panels and battery storage within residential homes and Huntington, West Virginia seeks to ensure mental health care professionals are included within emergency response departments to care for opioid users as part of the first response. Philadelphia hopes to create new facilities for underage youth within the justice system to prevent trauma and strengthen resources.
Over the past year, the Challenge invested more than $17 million into 300 cities through idea accelerator workshops, as well as coaching. A new initiative, the 6-month “test and learn” phase allows the cities to test and then receive technical assistance to build their ideas out. The local community was engaged to help refine proposals, and develop an implementation plan.
The selection committee, comprised of policy experts, artists, academics, business executives, and social innovation leaders judged the cities based on vision and impact potential. “Mayors across the country are tackling the big issues that Washington is ignoring. This competition is designed to help them do even more, by incentivizing and supporting big – and achievable – new ideas,” said Michael R. Bloomberg, founder of Bloomberg Philanthropies and three-term mayor of New York City.
