Awarded to Durham in 2018, the Mayors Challenge is a competition designed to help city

leaders think big, be bold and uncover inventive – and, ultimately shareable – ideas that tackle

today’s toughest problems.
The Mayors Challenge, sponsored by Bloomberg Philanthropies, is a nationwide competition

that encourages city leaders to uncover bold, inventive ideas that confront the toughest problems

cities face. Cities face bigger challenges than ever before. Innovation is no longer optional; it’s

necessary so cities can continue to deliver results and improve life for residents. The 2018

Mayors Challenge is designed with this urgency in mind. The competition returned to the U.S. as

one of the first investments in the Bloomberg American Cities Initiative, an effort to help U.S.

cities generate innovation and advance policy.