Our Work

Living Cities and the National Democratic Institute are launching a new partnership to find and tell stories of civic innovation in selected megacities around the world.

Living Cities established a working group with Board Members and their staff to approve grants to define a common funding and knowledge agenda that would help low-income families move from poverty to financial stability.

The Green Economy Working Group was established to provide a forum for our board members and their staff to align and coordinate efforts in the green economy, identify emerging areas of opportunity in the field, and drive an agenda that promotes eco…

We are working to improve the economic well-being of low-income people by ensuring that they are prepared for quality 21st century jobs.

Using data in decision-making is one the biggest challenges for collective impact initiatives. We’ve created several free resources to help you better manage the use of data for collective impact.

We developed a research and experimentation agenda that helps communities to strengthen their ability to deploy investment for public purpose.

We work with public sector leaders to foster more nimble, collaborative and data-driven local governments.

We partnered with Bloomberg Philanthropies to support a growing network of cities with dedicated innovation teams that developed and deployed bold ideas to tackle the biggest issues facing city governments.

From 2010-2013, Living Cities supported several cities experimenting with the potential of Anchor Institutions—local universities and hospitals to transform economic systems

Our new blog series, with contributions from our members, grantees and many other leaders, highlights ongoing efforts across the U.S. that show promise of contributing to closing the racial opportunity gaps.

Our signature, multi-city initiative supports cities that are reshaping programs, policies and resource allocation to achieve enduring change that benefits low-income people.

In 2008, responding to the impact of concentrated foreclosures on urban neighborhoods, and in the absence of promising large-scale solutions, Living Cities launched an initiative to catalyze, test and learn from 10 local pilot initiatives to reclaim…

Public, private, and nonprofit leaders across Massachusetts and Rhode Island are teaming up to help resolve economic issues in smaller cities – and they're challenging leaders in those communities to do the same.

Living Cities launched the Admiral Center in 2009 for the express purpose of maximizing the engagement of celebrities in systems change on behalf of low income people.

Living Cities hit the road with former Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak to survey the partnerships between mayors and schools with an eye toward improving outcomes for kids.

The Brookings Institution and Living Cities State and Metropolitan Prosperity Collaborative was a peer exchange forum intended to promote deeper collaboration between state and metropolitan leaders on issues critical to creating economic opportunity.

We have worked to increase affordable access to job opportunities and essential services by advancing equitable transit-oriented development financing strategies and exploring the potential of other emerging models.

We work with the Harvard Kennedy School’s Ash Center to convene and support a network of mayoral chiefs of staff and policy leaders who advance transformative change through innovation in city government to improve the lives of residents.

Living Cities worked with HUD, the Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation at Harvard University, and other partners to help create a plan that would facilitate increased comprehensiveness, integration and overall effectiveness of region…

Living Cities and our member institutions invested together in the Gulf Coast, where the magnitude of the post-Katrina challenge was unprecedented and the groups and organizations requiring help were exceptionally burdened.

Racial Equity Here supports five U.S. cities committed to improving racial equity and advancing opportunity for all.

In a new book, our Chief Impact Officer shares tools, ideas and best practices for change-makers who want to do better, faster.