Elgin, Bartlett Compete For $5M Prize In Bloomberg's Mayors Challenge

ELGIN, IL – Elgin and Bartlett are among 555 cites across the U.S. competing in the 2017 Mayors Challenge, which is "a nationwide ideas competition for U.S. cities," according to a new release. The competition is part of Mike Bloomberg’s American Cities Initiative. The purpose of the challenge is to help cities innovate and address urban challenges and nationwide interest in finding unique approaches to governing.

Other suburban towns that have entered the competition include Aurora, Evanston, Gurnee, Bloomington, Carol Stream, Hoffman Estates, Mount Prospect, Mundelein, North Chicago and Hanover Park.

In January 2018, Bloomberg Philanthropies will award 35 “Champion Cities” $100,000 each to prioritize issues facing their cities, develop homegrown solutions, and bring these ideas to life, according to a news release. This funding will give each city the chance to test and refine its idea, creating a coast-to-coast laboratory for civic innovation.

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In October 2018, five Mayors Challenge winners will be selected based on each idea’s vision for tackling an urgent challenge, promise for impact and successful implementation, and potential to spread to other cities. One city will win the $5 million grand prize; four others will receive $1 million implementation awards, according to the news release.

“The Mayors Challenge is an innovation process that cities can use to develop, test, and scale new approaches to the most pressing challenges they face – from fostering economic development to repairing aging infrastructure to encouraging social inclusion. It’s competitive and collaborative all at once, as cities work together to build better solutions we all can benefit from,” said James Anderson, the head of Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Government Innovation program. “

More via the Mayors Challenge website

Photo caption: Walton Island Park in Elgin/Photo credit: GoogleMaps