What Works Cities is designed to accelerate cities’ use of data and evidence to improve people’s lives.
Launched by Bloomberg Philanthropies in April 2015, What Works Cities is a national initiative helping cities across the United States enhance their use of data and evidence to improve services, inform local decision-making and engage residents. We are the nation’s most comprehensive philanthropic initiative helping local leaders identify and invest in what works. Join our community here.
Our expert partners help mayors and city leaders develop the skills to apply the use of data and evidence to their cities’ most pressing challenges.
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.
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.
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.
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 ensures a world-class experience for all participating cities, coordinates the initiative's partners, and advances a nationwide movement of cities using data and evidence in decision-making.
The Sunlight Foundation is a national, nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that uses civic technology, open data, policy analysis, and journalism to make our government and politics more open, effective, and accountable.
As part of What Works Cities, Sunlight helps cities craft meaningful and sustainable open data policies, and facilitate impactful use of open data by collaborating with their communities.