Providence Wins Mayors Challenge Prize for Early Childhood Project

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg likes to say that cities are the new laboratories of democracy in the United States (sorry states!), particularly in an era of political paralysis in Washington. This was the premise behind the $9 million Mayor's Challenge launched last summer by Bloomberg Philanthropies, inviting any city with a population larger than 30,000 to submit a groundbreaking idea for funding. This morning, Bloomberg announced the five winners – including a $5 million grand prize to Providence, Rhode Island – for potentially replicable innovations "bubbling up" from cities in early childhood education, recycling, data analytics, civic entrepreneurship and resident wellbeing.

"When we asked the federal government to do things, they were unwilling and/or unable to do anything to help us in the great challenges that are facing the America public," Bloomberg said in making the announcement. "When we ask the state governments, we get a similar response. It's really cities around the country – in fact around the world – that are making a difference in the problems people face every day."