The City of Baltimore was select join What Works Cities, a Bloomberg Philanthropies initiative that supports local governments in the use of data and evidence to make better decisions for residents.

Baltimore is now part of a network of 39 cities and 25 states receiving technical assistance and sharing best practices for how to improve the results government programs provide to residents.

What Works Cities was established in 2015 with the mission of helping 100 mid-sized American cities enhance the use of data and evidence to inform local decision-making. Bloomberg Philanthropies partners with The Behavioral Insights Team, Harvard Kennedy School’s Government Performance Lab, Johns Hopkins Center for Government Excellence (GovEx), Results for America and the Sunlight Foundation. Each City is paired with one or more of the What Works City partner organizations based on project needs.

Baltimore will work with GovEx to improve upon its existing performance measurement and management programs. GovEx’s technical assistance will center on OutcomeStat, which aligns strategic planning, performance management, and budgeting in Baltimore City.

The City of Baltimore has 23 measurable Indicators organized within each of the Mayor’s seven Priority Outcomes. OutcomeStat recently received the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) 2017 Award for Excellence in Government Finance, Management and Service Delivery.

Residents can learn more about OutcomeStat by visiting the online performance dashboard used to communicate organizational goals and measure progress.

For more information, contact budget@baltimorecity.gov.