Leading a city, town, or borough is no easy job. Public officials, staff, and community volunteers are continuously looking for innovative and creative ways to address the many challenges they face on a daily basis.

Not only should these leaders receive support from their communities for the work they do, they should also be lauded for their ongoing commitment.

In that spirit, Bloomberg Philanthropies is running a U.S. Mayors Challenge, seeking creative ways to address tough issues – and more than 320 cities are competing for the prizes.

The grand prize winner will receive $5 million from the funding organization, which will go toward solving a problem that would potentially negatively affect residents’ lives. Four finalists will also receive $1 million in funding.

Bloomberg recently announced its top 35 Champion Cities, finalists that will receive up to $100,00 to establish a public prototype of its idea.

From there, city leaders will gather feedback from other locations and receive help from experts. The prototypes will be officially tested over a period of six months, and the five winners will be announced in October.

RETTEW has offices in or near three of the Champion Cities: Denver, CO, Philadelphia, PA, and Pittsburgh, PA. We work closely with government leaders throughout those regions to ensure these cities thrive and grow. We’re excited to see how this contest goes and watch the projects as they are implemented!