Director, Bloomberg Center for Cities at Harvard University and Emma Bloomberg Senior Lecturer in Public Policy and Management at Harvard Kennedy School
Federal policies could be more effective, efficient, and equitable if implementation at the local level wasn't an afterthought. Compelling piece by James Anderson on small and medium-sized cities' ability to benefit from federal funds: "The truth is, the federal government needs to be more thoughtful about the capacity challenges facing small cities." "Technical assistance, and, critically, support for local innovation, data, and project management muscle should be built into federal investments." #cities #innovation #implementation
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, American Rescue Plan, and Inflation Reduction Act dedicated more than $1.2 trillion in federal aid not only to rebuild roads, bridges, and rails, but to expand access to high-speed internet, safeguard drinking water, confront the climate crisis, and ensure underserved communities don’t continue to be overlooked. Thousands of municipalities—from the smallest towns to the largest cities—have an opportunity to realize their dreams, tackle their most urgent needs, and build their way to prosperity. Suddenly, America is on the cusp of strengthening itself from the Heartland out. For the past 18 months, Bloomberg Philanthropies together with The Kresge Foundation, Emerson Collective, Ford Foundation, Waverley Street Foundation, National League of Cities, United States Conference of Mayors, Results for America, Ballmer Group, and Delivery Associates have been coaching 1,300-plus mostly small and mid-sized municipalities in how to navigate the intricacies of federal grants and secure for their residents share of the largest national commitment to modernization in decades. The job is hardly finished, though. How to fix America’s infrastructure, once and for all in TIME:
