How innovation investments can make the most of ARPA funds

Title: Library Services Manager
City: Pomona, Calif.

Anita Torres, who came to Pomona after 20 years of working in libraries in two other cities in the Los Angeles suburbs, is participating in an innovation training program through the Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative. Some of what she's learning feels brand new, but a lot feels natural to a librarian who is used to asking residents what they need.

SUSTAINABILITY: By embedding sustainability and equity across its operations, Orlando, Fla., is thinking beyond tourism to build a 21st-century city. (United Nations Foundation)

MENTAL HEALTH: Denver Mayor Michael B. Hancock held the city’s first ever youth mental health summit to help educate and connect youth and their families with mental health resources. (United States Conference of Mayors)

DATA: Pittsburgh is using traffic and crash data to better target its spending on pedestrian and bike infrastructure. (Smart Cities Dive)

URBAN DESIGN: A new pilot project in Valencia, Spain, uses paint to help residents with autism cross the street safely. (The Mayor.eu)

ASPHALT ART: There will be an informational session about Bloomberg Philanthropies' Asphalt Art Initiative grant program, which supports visual art on roadways, pedestrian spaces, and public infrastructure in cities. The session will be held on Thursday June 16 at 9 a.m. EDT (1 p.m. GMT), and live translation will be available in select languages. RSVP here to join. In this round of the initiative, European cities with populations greater than 100,000 are eligible for grants for projects to be installed in 2023. The application deadline is July 11, 2022. Learn more and apply here.

CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION: The Cities for Financial Empowerment Fund (CFE Fund) invites local government leaders to attend the National Convening on Local Consumer Financial Protection July 7-8 in Philadelphia. The event will feature national experts, federal regulators, and local government leaders who will share their expertise on key consumer financial protection issues, tools, and strategies as well as opportunities to learn and network with peers. Travel and hotel scholarships are available for eligible attendees on a case-by-case basis. Register here.

JOB OPPORTUNITY: Cities of Service is recruiting a Love Your Block AmeriCorps VISTA Leader to help cities build stronger neighborhoods. 

JOB OPPORTUNITIES: The Bloomberg Center for Cities at Harvard University is searching for a Communications Coordinator, a Digital Communications Specialist and a Project Manager for Operations and Technology to join the team.

JOB OPPORTUNITIES: The new Bloomberg Center for Public Innovation at Johns Hopkins University is hiring a Senior Advisor for Public Innovation, a Program Coordinator, a Network Experiences Manager, and a Service Designer.