Results for America Awards Philadelphia with Bloomberg Philanthropies What Works Cities Certification for Exceptional Use of Data

PHILADELPHIA - Philadelphia is proud to announce that Results for America has awarded it Bloomberg Philanthropies What Works Cities Certification for establishing exceptional data capabilities to inform policy, allocate funding, improve services, evaluate programs, and engage residents. The What Works Cities Certification standard reflects the practices, policies, and infrastructure municipalities must have in place to effectively harness data for better decision-making.

"I am incredibly proud that the City of Philadelphia has achieved Gold Bloomberg Philanthropies What Works Cities Certification for 2025. This recognition underscores our continued commitment to making data-driven decisions that enhance the quality of life for all our residents," said Mayor Cherelle L. Parker. "This achievement is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our team and our collaborative efforts to innovate and improve City services. We are excited to be recognized among the top local governments in the Americas and will continue to leverage data and evidence to drive positive change in our community."

A notable example of Philadelphia's use of data is the H.O.M.E. Initiative, which aims to build, preserve and restore 30,000 housing units. To streamline housing development, the City analyzed the zoning appeals process, set goals for improvement and established a cross-departmental performance management routine. These data-driven efforts reduced the Zoning Board of Adjustment's appeal decision timeline from a high of 78 days to a low of 12 days over a seven-month period.

The What Works Cities Certification program, launched in 2017 by Bloomberg Philanthropies and led by Results for America, is the international standard of data excellence in city governance. The Standard measures a city's use of data based on 43 criteria. A city that achieves 51 to 67 percent of the 43 criteria is recognized at the Silver level of Certification, 68 to 84 percent is required to achieve Gold, and 85 percent or more is required to reach Platinum. The program is open to any city in North, Central, or South America with a population of 30,000 or more.

"The cities recognized by Bloomberg Philanthropies What Works Cities Certification exemplify what is possible when city leaders commit to data-driven governance: real results for residents," said Rochelle Haynes, Managing Director of Bloomberg Philanthropies What Works Cities. "By pursuing Certification or advancing to a higher level of recognition, cities are demonstrating and strengthening their dedication to using data to drive progress and deliver better outcomes. While Certified cities are investing in their data capacity to solve today's issues, they are also building sustainable practices that set the stage for a more resilient and innovative future."

"The Bloomberg Philanthropies What Works Cities Certification is one of the largest-ever philanthropic efforts to improve how local governments use data to improve people's lives," said James Anderson, who leads the Government Innovation program at Bloomberg Philanthropies. "This work is helping reform-minded mayors across the Americas bring their organizations into the 21st century. Whether to stem housing shortages, reduce traffic fatalities, or improve resident service and responsiveness, city halls are tapping data, digital, and artificial intelligence to rise to the challenge - and we are thrilled to support their progress."

The press conference also featured Chief of Staff Tiffany Thurman, Kristin Bray, Chief Legal Counsel to Mayor Cherelle L. Parker and Director of PhillyStat360, as well as Melissa Scott, Chief Information Officer, Office of Innovation & Technology, and other city officials working on this initiative.

To learn more about the What Works Cities Certification visit whatworkscities.bloomberg.org.

About the Bloomberg Philanthropies What Works Cities Certification:

The What Works Cities Certification program, launched in 2017 by Bloomberg Philanthropies and led by Results for America, is the first-of-its-kind standard of excellence for data-informed, well-managed local government. What Works Cities Certification recognizes and celebrates local governments for their exceptional use of data to inform policy decisions, allocate funding, improve services, evaluate the effectiveness of programs, and engage residents.

About Bloomberg Philanthropies:

Bloomberg Philanthropies invests in 700 cities and 150 countries around the world to ensure better, longer lives for the greatest number of people. The organization focuses on creating lasting change in five key areas: the Arts, Education, Environment, Government Innovation, and Public Health. Bloomberg Philanthropies encompasses all of Michael R. Bloomberg's giving, including his foundation, corporate, and personal philanthropy as well as Bloomberg Associates, a philanthropic consultancy that advises cities around the world. In 2024, Bloomberg Philanthropies distributed $3.7 billion. For more information, please visit bloomberg.org, sign up for our newsletter, or follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, Threads, Facebook, and X.

About Results for America:

Results for America is helping decision-makers at all levels of government harness evidence and data to make progress on our greatest challenges. Our mission is to make investing in what works the "new normal," so that when policymakers make decisions, they start by seeking the best evidence and data available, then use what they find to get better results. For more information, visit results4america.org.>