What Works Cities

Since 2017, we have supported hundreds of local leaders as they strengthen the data practices that underpin every good decision, effective program and smooth service delivered by city hall. In our new video, hear from city leaders and @RVHaynes about how What Works Cities is powering the growing movement of data-driven local government. Thank you for being a part of the What Works Cities Network, • @CityofGreenBay @MayorGenrich • @FTLCityNews Mayor @DeanTrantalis • @Tempegov Mayor @coreywoodstempe • @GlendaleAZ Assistant City Manager Vicki Rios • @CityPortStLucie Deputy City Manager and Chief Innovation Officer Kate Parmelee • @CityofMiami Chief Data Officer Cheriene Floyd • @ottawacity Program Manager, Geospatial Analytics, Technology & Solutions Randal Rodger

The best proof that data works? When you can see it in person. Our team spent two days in Morelia, Mexico, learning how city leaders use data across urban planning, public safety, budgeting, digital services and more. Thank you to Mayor @AlfonsoMtz_Mx and city staff for showing us how data is making a difference in Morelia. _______ ¿La mejor prueba de que los datos funcionan? Verlo en persona. Nuestro equipo pasó dos días en Morelia, México, conociendo cómo los líderes de la ciudad utilizan los datos en áreas como planeación urbana, seguridad pública, presupuestos, servicios digitales y más. Gracias al alcalde @AlfonsoMtz_Mx y al personal del ayuntamiento por mostrarnos cómo los datos están marcando una diferencia en Morelia.

What does it look like when cities turn data into action to protect their residents? In @Muni_Maipu, data is helping local leaders respond more effectively to climate-related emergencies. During a major rainfall event earlier this year, the city leveraged its territorial data system and virtual assistant to collect more than 2,000 geolocated resident reports, helping teams identify affected areas, prioritize needs and accelerate assistance. At @SmartCityexpo in Barcelona, @RVHaynes, Senior Vice President and Managing Director of Bloomberg Philanthropies What Works Cities, joined Mayor @TomasVodanovic of Silver-Certified Maipú to discuss how stronger data practices are helping cities anticipate risks, improve emergency response and build resilience. Maipú's experience demonstrates how data-informed decision-making can help local governments take timely action and deliver better outcomes for residents. Watch a highlight from their conversation below. #SCEWC2026

The @SmartCityexpo is more than a gathering of global city leaders. It is an opportunity to strengthen partnerships and turn shared commitments into meaningful action. During the event, @RVHaynes, Senior Vice President and Managing Director of Bloomberg Philanthropies What Works Cities, met with @Orrego, Governor of the Santiago Metropolitan Region, Chile, to reaffirm their shared commitment to strengthening data-driven governance across the region. Through the CONECTA Program, a cohort of Chilean municipalities will embark on a journey to strengthen their data capabilities, beginning with the WWC Data Snapshot and advancing their practices in alignment with the What Works Cities International Standard of Excellence. This partnership reflects the mission at the heart of Bloomberg Philanthropies What Works Cities: helping local governments build the capacity to use data effectively, make better decisions and ultimately improve residents' lives.

Next week in Barcelona: two conversations on how stronger data practices help cities make better decisions for residents. November 3, 10:15 a.m. CET — Meet @RVHaynes, Senior Vice President and Managing Director of What Works Cities, at the Impact Tech Stage for her keynote, “The Cities That Learn and Lead, Drive Impact.” November 4, 12:20 p.m. CET — At the Impact Tech Stage, Mayor @TomasVodanovic of @Muni_Maipu, Chile, will join Rochelle for a fireside chat exploring how the city is using data to prepare for emerging challenges, respond to risks, and strengthen resilience. Join the conversation at #SCEWC2026. We'll see you there!

Thank you to @cityofsavannah Mayor @MayorJohnsonSAV and @CityOfBoston Chief Information Officer Shin-pei Tsay for bringing their cities’ perspectives to @wef's Urban Transformation Summit in Geneva. Their sessions addressed challenges city leaders face every day: moving innovation beyond pilots, investing in resilient communities and making technology serve the public. Savannah and Boston are What Works Cities Certified cities, demonstrating a commitment to the people, practices and culture that turn data into better decisions. Their participation brings that practical experience into a global conversation and creates opportunities for cities to learn from one another.

Strong data practices = better results for residents. WWC recently visited @prefsp to see how City Hall is using data to improve public services and transparency across the largest city in the Americas. Our team explored budget execution, early childhood policies, public health initiatives and more. Thank you to Mayor Ricardo Nunes and the entire São Paulo City Hall team for an insightful site visit!

Last week in Washington, DC, our team celebrated the launch of @Results4America's new book, “Do What Works: Smarter Government, Better Results.” The book features stories from mayors of Certified cities — Mike Johnston (Denver), Monroe Nichols (Tulsa) and Matt Mahan (San José) — as well as U.S. governors, members of Congress, former White House leaders and more. After Mayor @randallwoodfin shared his experience leading with data in @cityofbhamal, What Works Cities Senior Vice President and Managing Director @RVHaynes reflected on what these stories reveal about city leadership: the power of combining a bold vision with a commitment to using data and evidence to improve people’s lives and shape the future of cities. “Leadership is about having the audacity to have a big vision. At a time when we are being told to play small and maintain the status quo, leadership means being bold. It means having bold ideas and pairing them with a commitment to quality implementation. That is the spirit of the Bloomberg Philanthropies What Works Cities Network… more than 350 cities and 2,800 city leaders across North, Central, and South America working with our team to raise the standard for local government.”

Looking for tangible solutions to boost your city's downtown development? Join Baltimore Mayor @MayorBMScott and What Works Cities Senior Vice President & Managing Director @RVHaynes on October 21st for a deep dive into Downtown RISE, Baltimore's 10-year downtown revitalization master plan. Mayor Scott will share a behind-the-scenes look at Baltimore’s data-driven vision for a vibrant and sustainable downtown. You’ll learn: ✅ How data shaped the development of Baltimore RISE and fuels its progress. ✅ How the plan affects housing, economic development, transportation, arts and culture, infrastructure, and more. ✅ Which practical strategies and lessons learned city leaders can replicate as they look to boost downtown development. This free webinar will be simultaneously translated into French, Portuguese and Spanish. Register to attend today: 🗓️ Wednesday, October 21 ⏱️ 1:45 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. 🌐 Languages: English, with simultaneous translation in French, Portuguese, and Spanish