News and Insights
Recent Headlines
JHU Hub
Earning trust: Baltimore’s lessons in public innovation
Bloomberg Cities Network
Flipping the script on youth engagement
New Playbook on Innovation for Cities, Mayors, and Governments
MAR 12, 2025
The Path to Public Innovation Playbook compiles 10-plus years of city experiences of innovation team best practices into a comprehensive guide for local governments seeking to drive meaningful change.
The Essential Force Needed to Drive Impactful Public Innovation
For government leaders who want to serve residents with excellence, the link between trust and public innovation has never been more important. This brief highlights how trustworthiness is at the core of cities’ successful innovation efforts.
Current News
Love Your Block Applications Open!
Applications are now open for the 2023 Love Your Block Program. U.S. cities with a population of 30,000 people or more are invited to apply to this transformative program. Twenty selected cities will receive financial support, technical assistance, and embedded, full-time staff to spark and implement new, community- driven improvement projects.
Johns Hopkins Students Power Center Projects in Four Global Cities
This summer, five Johns Hopkins graduate students are boosting innovation capacity for mayors and city hall leadership teams as part of a new, exclusive learning opportunity offered by the Bloomberg Center for Public Innovation at Johns Hopkins.
From Innovation by Crisis to Innovation by Culture
The pandemic prompted innovation, but leaders must embed it in governance culture. Stephen Goldsmith and Amanda Daflos advocate data use, staff empowerment, diversity, and procurement. They assert it’s time innovation become the governance standard.
Our First Impact Report: How Work in 51 Cities is Changing the Public Innovation Field
Read about our global impact in “Partners in Innovation: Impact Highlights 2021-2022.” Discover how local government expertise is driving progress in programs like Love Your Block and Digital i-teams across 50+ cities in six countries.
Innovation Conversations: How Shared Management in Public Spaces Promotes Equity
Bloomberg Public Innovation Fellow Tommi Laitio discusses how shared management in public spaces, like those in Fortaleza, Brazil, fosters equity and innovation. Initiatives such as “Microparks” show positive outcomes and potential for other cities.
A Bigger Table: Orlando Expands Youth Homelessness Conversation to Include a Key Partner
Orlando tackles youth homelessness with diverse teams and community engagement, leveraging the Bloomberg Center for Public Innovation’s training. Their approach led to impactful research, federal funding, and inclusive solutions.
Upcoming Opportunities
Public Innovators Network
The Public Innovators Network welcomes local government leaders and staff who are committed to using innovation, data, collaboration, and resident engagement to deliver exceptional results for people. It is the premier place to learn from one another and access cutting-edge resources and support from Bloomberg Philanthropies.
Explore & Engage
The Path to Public Innovation Playbook and Toolkit offer comprehensive guidance designed for city leaders and practitioners aiming to build innovation capacity, improve resident outcomes, and promote trust in government. Featuring lessons from i-teams in cities across the globe, the Playbook and Toolkit provide practical frameworks to deliver impact and achieve systems-level transformation.