Showing posts with label using data to improve lives. Show all posts
Showing posts with label using data to improve lives. Show all posts

Tuesday, April 21, 2015

Why I'm Betting On Cities And Data; Huffington Post, 4/20/15

Michael R. Bloomberg, Huffington Post; Why I'm Betting On Cities And Data:
"Technology has unleashed an explosion of new information for city halls to work with. The possibilities for how cities can use that data to improve lives -- and improve the way services are provided to citizens -- are limitless.
To help more cities embrace those possibilities, today Bloomberg Philanthropies is launching a new national program called What Works Cities. It is the most comprehensive effort yet to help city leaders use data and evidence in their decision-making to improve the lives of residents.
The $42 million program will do that by offering technical support and guidance to cities who want to do more with data. Working with a group of world-class partners, we'll help cities create plans for using data and evidence to reach concrete goals that their mayors identify as high priorities.
We'll also provide a forum for cities to work together and learn from each other. Sharing ideas and experiences is important, because cities face many common challenges. They shouldn't have to reinvent the wheel -- wasting employees' time and taxpayers' money -- when they don't have to. By giving cities a way to study the best examples of how others are using data, we'll help them take big steps forward.
City governments have a responsibility to make the most of every dollar, and data helps them do that."