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About What Works Cities

Using data to deliver equitable results for residents

Launched in 2017, What Works Cities Certification recognizes and celebrates local governments for their exceptional use of data to inform policy decisions, allocate funding, improve services, evaluate the effectiveness of programs, and engage residents. Certification provides cities at all points in their data journey with a standard of excellence that shows how investing in data and evidence practices can lead to tangible and equitable outcomes for residents.

Embedding data and evidence into decision-making sets the foundation for stronger, safer, healthier and more equitable communities. Data-informed cities produce sustainable solutions to endure today’s crises and tackle tomorrow’s challenges, set better priorities to make every dollar count, budget equitably and effectively, and better engage their communities.

Workers helping to fix and build the roadways

Starting your Certification journey

The first step toward achieving Certification is completing an online self-Assessment, which provides cities with a benchmark of their data practices that measures progress on issues that matter most to residents—including maintaining healthier environments, high quality and accessible services, and improved quality of life. Cities also receive a customized roadmap with clear, actionable next steps to further put data and evidence at the center of decision-making.

Starting your Certification journey

The first step toward achieving Certification is completing an online self-Assessment, which provides cities with a benchmark of their data practices that measures progress on issues that matter most to residents—including maintaining healthier environments, high quality and accessible services, and improved quality of life. Cities also receive a customized roadmap with clear, actionable next steps to further put data and evidence at the center of decision-making.

Workers helping to fix and build the roadways
What Works Cities Community Portal to collaborate with peers

Joining the Certification Community

After completing the Assessment, cities immediately join their peers in the Certification Community. This community equips city leaders and staff with the skills they need to achieve Certification, grow their data practices and improve outcomes for residents. Certification Community members participate in a unique space to solve challenges and share successes with innovative, data-driven peers working to build data capacity in their cities. This includes exclusive access to expert coaching, resources, a community forum, and more.

The growing data movement

More than 50 cities have achieved What Works Cities Certification. A 2021 report by the Monitor Institute at Deloitte, in collaboration with What Works Cities, details how cities in the What Works Cities network have increased transparency around decision-making, streamlined operations, and improved service delivery. More than half of survey respondents reported improving their use of data to make budget decisions, award city contracts and/or shift procurement dollars, and deliver city services more efficiently, effectively, and/or equitably.

Download the Deloitte report

Closing the Data Gap cover page
Closing the Data Gap cover page

The growing data movement

More than 50 cities have achieved What Works Cities Certification. A 2021 report by the Monitor Institute at Deloitte, in collaboration with What Works Cities, details how cities in the What Works Cities network have increased transparency around decision-making, streamlined operations, and improved service delivery. More than half of survey respondents reported improving their use of data to make budget decisions, award city contracts and/or shift procurement dollars, and deliver city services more efficiently, effectively, and/or equitably.

Download the Deloitte report

A panoramic view of a generic city skyline with skyscrapers and buildings of various heights and designs.

Want to become a Certified city?

What Works Cities Certification is open to all cities in North, Central and South America with a population of at least 30,000 interested in improving their data practices.

Start your Certification Assessment

Standard Committee Members

The What Works Cities (WWC) Certification Standard Committee comprises leading experts from a dozen organizations that support cities. The Standard Committee has endorsed and lent its knowledge and experience to the development of What Works Cities Certification and the What Works Cities Standard. They serve as advisors during the Certification assessment process and actively participate in site visits with select cities.

Learn more about the members of the Standard Committee:

Beth Blauer

Beth Blauer

Associate Vice Provost for Public Sector Innovation at Johns Hopkins University

Dr. Robert Blaine Headshot

Dr. Robert Blaine

Senior executive and director for the National League of Cities’

Bill Eggers

Bill Eggers

Executive Director of Deloitte’s Center for Government Insights

Marcelo Facchina Headshot

Marcelo Facchina

Principal Executive in Smart Cities and Digital Government at CAF

Emma Gawen Headshot

Emma Gawen

Digital strategy and product specialist at Public Digital

Lourdes German Headshot

Lourdes German

Executive Director, Public Finance Initiative

Dr. Michael Hallsworth Headshot

Michael Hallsworth

Managing Director of BIT North America. He is also the former Director of Health and Tax at the Behavioural Insights Team

Rochelle Haynes Headshot

Rochelle Haynes

Managing Director, What Works Cities

Michele Jolin Headshot

Michele Jolin

CEO and Co-Founder for Results for America

Neil Kleiman

Neil Kleiman

Director of the New York University Wagner Innovation Labs

Jefferey Liebman

Jeffrey B. Liebman

Director of the Government Performance Lab at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government and the Malcolm Wiener Professor of Public Policy

Lou Moore

Lou Moore

Chief Technology Officer at Code for America

Michael Nutter, Former Mayor of Philadelphia Headshot

Michael Nutter

Former Mayor of Philadelphia

Carole Saab Headshot

Carole Saab

CEO of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities

Meet our partners

Our expert partners help local governments build the capacity and skills to use data and evidence to make more informed decisions, deliver more effective services and programs, and improve residents’ lives. This support helps cities advance toward achieving What Works Cities Certification.

Results For America Logo

Results for America (RFA) is helping decision-makers at all levels of government harness the power of evidence and data to solve the world’s greatest challenges. RFA’s mission is to make investing in “what works” the new normal. As part of What Works Cities, RFA serves as the initiative’s lead partner, coordinating the work of all five partner organizations. RFA developed a standard of excellence for well-managed, data-driven local government through What Works Cities Certification. RFA also builds demand for this work across the nation, and provides a path to success for cities through staff and leadership development, a learning network, and other forms of support.

Behavioral Insights Team logo

The Behavioral Insights Team (BIT) is a social purpose organization that helps governments around the world boost their impact through the application of behavioral science and rigorous evaluation techniques.

 As part of What Works Cities, BIT helps cities develop and evaluate ideas for improving government services.

Harvard Kennedy School logo

The Government Performance Lab at the Harvard Kennedy School conducts research on how governments can improve the results they achieve for their residents. An important part of this research model involves providing pro bono technical assistance to state and local governments. Through this hands-on involvement, the Government Performance Lab gains insights into the barriers that governments face and the solutions that can overcome these barriers. As part of What Works Cities, the Government Performance Lab supports cities in improving the results they achieve with their contracted dollars.

Johns Hopkins University(JHU) and GovEx Logo

The Center for Government Excellence (GovEx) at Johns Hopkins University helps governments use data to make informed, effective decisions that improve people’s lives. As part of What Works Cities, GovEx provides technical assistance and strategic training that enhances cities’ capacities to leverage cutting-edge data management, performance management, and advanced analytics practices to improve outcomes for residents across all policy areas.

Public Digital

Digital transformation is the act of radically changing how your organization works, so that it can survive and thrive in the internet era. We are a consultancy that can help make it happen by working directly with your leaders and teams. We take quick, effective action and give targeted advice to help your digital team transform your organization.

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