How local governments are changing lives ALBUQUERQUE, ANCHORAGE, AUGUSTA, BALTIMORE, BELLEVUE, BIRMINGHAM, BOISE, BOSTON, NM AK GA MD WA AL ID MA
BOULDER, BUFFALO, CAMBRIDGE, CAPE CORAL, CHARLOTTE, CHATTANOOGA, CORONA, DENTON, CO NY MA FL NC TN CA TX
DENVER, DES MOINES, DOWNEY, DURHAM, FARGO, FORT FORT WORTH, GILBERT, CO IA CA NC ND LAUDERDALE, FL TX AZ
GLENDALE, GREENSBORO, GRESHAM, HARTFORD, INDEPENDENCE, INDIANAPOLIS, JACKSON, KANSAS CITY, AZ NC OR CT MO IN MS KS
KANSAS CITY, KNOXVILLE, LAREDO, LAS VEGAS, LEWISVILLE, LEXINGTON, LINCOLN, LITTLE ROCK, MO TN TX NV TX KY NE AR From the Executive Director 1
What Works Cities (WWC) is a community of our cities in driving better outcomes for their Over two years, we have supported raising economic and social mobility are available to of forward-thinking city leaders and partner residents. They are doing this by using data and the bar for excellence in this work. In April all. Economic disparity is a critical issue from organizations driving toward one goal: to analytical thinking to set goals, inform how they 2017, Michael R. Bloomberg announced the coast to coast, and it is one that cities are eager help city residents thrive and reach their full make decisions, and gather evidence to enable launch of What Works Cities Certification, the to address. We look forward to being part of potential. Increasingly, cities are realizing creativity and innovation. What works, and first-ever national program to provide a rigorous those solutions, and many others. that being effective stewards means using what doesn’t? What could work better? These benchmark against which cities can assess their 21st-century governance strategies based on are the questions that our cities are always use of data-driven programs and policies. Over We owe our sincere thanks to so many: former data and evidence. That’s where we enter the asking. 200 cities have raised their hand, applying to New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg; picture, by providing city leaders with expert the program and committing to advance on the James Anderson, head of Bloomberg technical assistance and ongoing support via Answering them has led to solutions like path to more effective governance. Philanthropies’ Government Innovation our partners. It has been a real pleasure to addressing homelessness by restructuring programs; our WWC Advisors; and—very grow this movement, now 80 cities strong. If contracts so that providers can focus on moving As cities deepen their learning and expertise, importantly—our expert partners: the Behavioral you’re new to WWC, welcome! If you are people into permanent housing; gathering and they are solving each other’s challenges every Insights Team (BIT), the Center for Government one of the many passionate and committed publishing data to ensure equity across city day. We are happy to help cities share those Excellence (GovEx) at Johns Hopkins University, city leaders and frontline practitioners we’ve services; and crunching the numbers to locate solutions so that no one need reinvent the the Government Performance Lab (GPL) at the been so fortunate to work with across the and protect homes vulnerable to fire. It also wheel, accelerating the pace of change and Harvard Kennedy School, Results for America, country, I want to say thank you. You are means using online surveys, social media, and facilitating the transfer of knowledge from city and the Sunlight Foundation. real changemakers, and we are proud to other civic engagement strategies to build an to city. partner with you to achieve even more for your ongoing dialogue with residents so that city — Simone Brody communities. leaders know and address the issues people Cities are striving to be more inclusive, most care about—and residents trust their cities’ equitably distributing services and ensuring We are proud to showcase here the progress efforts to do so. that safe neighborhoods and opportunities for 2 Building CITIES PARTNERING WITH WHAT WORKS CITIES a Movement 80 U.S. cities are increasingly joining the growing what works movement—committing OUR CITIES ARE HOME TO themselves to making data- 26 MILLION PEOPLE and evidence-based decisions WWC partners have trained over 2,500 city to improve residents’ lives. OUR CITIES HAVE ANNUAL BUDGETS EXCEEDING leaders on practices and policies to improve their City halls draw on the $92 BILLION cities’ effectiveness. technical assistance they receive from our expert partners to make better
decisions, boost performance, strengthening enhancing how performance WHAT WORKS and address 21st-century 64 data is managed 61 management CITIES and released CITIES programs and CITIES CERTIFICATION challenges with data-driven analytics Like a Good Housekeeping Seal or ENERGY STAR rating for tools. These achievements data-driven governance, What Works Cities Certi cation provides a conducting low- rigorous benchmark against which cities can assess the effectiveness of are expanding the national shifting contracting cost evaluations their governments. Any city with a population of more than 30,000 is practices to deliver conversation and serving as 20 15 to improve city eligible to participate. Just two months after the launch in March 2017, CITIES better results CITIES services more than 200 cities from 48 states had applied and put a model for what effective themselves on the path to Certi cation. governance looks like. 3
Growing a WHAT WORKS COMMUNITY OF CITIES Community The What Works Community FACILITATING COLLABORATIVE LEARNING SHARING SOLUTIONS FROM CITY TO CITY of Cities connects city staff with peers, experts, and resources BOSTON to accelerate the pace of progress. By coming together Using the WWC Slack channel, Boston, MA, shared a beta version of its toolkit to empower other cities to build online, over the phone, and their own version of CityScore, which aggregates key performance metrics into one number for quick assessment through in-person events, cities of city performance. Fellow What Works city Providence, RI, is among municipalities piloting the program. are building relationships and tackling problems together. What Works Cities on Tour is a new traveling Syracuse, NY, drew on lessons from New They are jumpstarting new workshop series for cities to receive additional expert Orleans, LA, when rolling out a program technical assistance from our partners while learning from SYRACUSE to use predictive analytics to preemptively policies and programs each other. install smoke detectors in high-risk homes to prevent re fatalities. Syracuse also passed by following each other’s on that knowledge to Glendale, AZ. successes and learning from The annual What Works each other’s challenges. Cities Summit celebrates the leaders and frontline SEATTLE practitioners driving change in local government, bringing them After connecting with Seattle, WA, at the 2017 What Works Cities Summit, Madison, together to deepen their what WI, is piloting Seattle’s 12-week model for works practices. implementing performance management. 4
Changing THE WHAT WORKS ACROSS ALL COMPONENTS CITIES STANDARD OF THE STANDARD
the Way SHOWED SUBSTANTIAL IMPROVEMENT BY OF CITIES ADVANCED IN ADVANCING IN AT LEAST COMMIT AT LEAST ONE INDICATOR HALF OF INDICATORS Cities Work Cities make powerful, public commitments to achieving The What Works Cities better results for their residents by using data and evidence. Standard helps cities use A FRAMEWORK FOR IMPACT data and evidence to inform MEASURE By taking concrete steps to implement the What Works Cities Standard, cities improve the way they make critical their actions and improve Cities collect and use data and tools to measure progress decisions and, ultimately, change residents' lives. outcomes. WWC support and engage residents along the way. BUILDING CAPACITY equips local governments Cities work with WWC’s expert technical partners to with the tools to make the expand their ability to effectively collect data and use TAKE STOCK journey to success and drive it to inform decisions, measure progress, increase Cities consistently review and transparency, and engage residents. meaningful impact in their re ect on the data and evidence they have to learn communities. and make improvements. IMPROVING DECISION-MAKING Cities use data to make better decisions about how they allocate resources and provide services. ACT Cities use data and evidence CHANGING LIVES to inform major decisions and take action to improve Cities spend public dollars more ef ciently, deliver outcomes. stronger programs and services, and make improvements in their residents' lives. 4 5 Spreading the Message
Being a part of What Works Cities is pulling us From The Atlantic Democracy Dies in Darkness “ Bloomberg to give $42 million to further into the 21st century.” help cities do more with data —Kirk McLean, Lead Analyst, City of Buffalo, NY In Search of the Smartest City Can Bloomberg Philanthropies establish a national standard for data-driven governments? Certification “is going to be a Great to see “@Bloomberg powerful way cities become @WhatWorksCities feature more data-driven with the CityScore &