Twenty-one cities recognised for data-driven governance

Twenty-one cities from across the Americas have been awarded the Bloomberg Philanthropies What Works Cities Certification for their use of data in governance.

Eight US and four Canadian cities join the network of municipalities improving decision-making through data.

“At a time when governments must demonstrate impact, cities are leveraging data to inform policy, allocate funding, and improve services,” Rochelle Haynes (pictured), Managing Director of the What Works Cities Certification, told Cities Today. “Over one hundred cities are now showing what is possible by investing the time, energy, and political capital to shift the culture of how local government works.”

Since 2017, 104 cities across the Americas have achieved this certification.

Certified cities have integrated data practices into operations, from infrastructure improvements to public safety and sustainability efforts. Some highlights:

• Edmonton implemented safety measures in high-collision areas based on data collection and heatmap visualisations. They led to a 25 percent reduction in traffic fatalities between 2015 and 2023.
• Fort Lauderdale applied flood risk data to enhance stormwater infrastructure across 25 neighbourhoods.
• Fort Worth leveraged real-time water management data, cutting field investigations by 90 percent and saving $1M since 2019.
• Newark collaborated with 50+ partners to improve public safety data sharing, reducing homicides by 25 percent in 2024.
• Savannah used data to upgrade parks and recreation centres, increasing youth participation by 37 percent.
• Belo Horizonte installed 2,100 free internet access points and trained over 17,000 local residents in technology and digital entrepreneurship, using data to pinpoint underserved areas.

“Cities are using data to directly improve the lives of residents,” Haynes noted. “Whether it’s making neighbourhoods safer, optimising infrastructure, or ensuring better access to resources, data helps local governments make informed decisions that create real change.”

Haynes emphasised the role of city data leaders, CDOs, CIOs and CTOs in shaping the future of municipal governance.

“City leaders need strong data foundations to track performance and predict trends,” she said. “AI and automation will enhance decision-making, but effective governance depends on quality data and trained personnel.”

With advancements in AI and real-time analytics, cities are increasingly automating routine tasks, allowing officials to focus on strategic decision-making. However, these technologies require robust data governance, standardised practices, and interdepartmental collaboration.

“As artificial intelligence evolves, municipalities will need strong data practices to monitor performance and predict trends,” Haynes added. “Routine tasks will be automated, but human oversight will remain essential to ensure data is used effectively and ethically.”

The certification programme assesses cities on 43 criteria, covering areas such as data transparency, governance, performance management, and public engagement. Cities achieving 51 to 67 percent of these criteria receive Silver status, 68–84 percent earn Gold, and 85 percent or more qualify for Platinum.

This structured approach provides a roadmap for cities at all levels of data maturity. Even municipalities in the early stages can use the certification framework to enhance operations and improve outcomes for residents. Haynes encourages cities to take the What Works Cities Assessment as a first step in benchmarking their data practices and identifying opportunities for improvement.

“Local leaders need to harness data to make decisions, solve problems, engage residents, and drive measurable impact in their cities,” Haynes said. “The certification process provides a clear path for municipalities to strengthen their data practices, regardless of where they are starting from.”

The future of data-driven cities

As more municipalities adopt data-driven governance, the focus is shifting from data collection to actionable insights. Haynes anticipates growing reliance on AI and machine learning over the next five years, highlighting the need for city leaders to establish policies that ensure these technologies are used ethically and effectively.

Transparency and public engagement will be key.

“At a time when people are questioning the role of government, and what good government looks like, local government can be a beacon,” she said. “Its leaders, though, will need to be transparent with communities about how they are leveraging data–engaging their insight, soliciting their feedback, and demonstrating the value.”

To support these efforts, cities must invest in training and education for public servants, ensuring staff are equipped to work with AI and emerging technologies.

“To keep this work up, those leaders will also need to help scale training and education for civil service staff to promote the quality, use, and standards central to artificial intelligence applications–and I have no doubt they will,” Haynes stated.

City governments that successfully leverage data will gain efficiencies in service delivery, resource allocation, and community engagement. The What Works Cities Certification aims to support this transition by fostering a culture of continuous improvement and collaboration across municipal agencies.

“When this work began nearly ten years ago, cities were eager to improve how they used data, but had no benchmark for what good governance looked like, and no standard of excellence to aim for,” she added. “Now, over 100 municipalities across the Americas are demonstrating what is possible–investing their time, energy, and political capital to shift the culture within their city halls.”

Image: What Works Cities/Bloomberg Philanthropies