#  Project on Municipal Innovation 

 



##  Project on Municipal Innovation 

 

 

       ![](/sites/g/files/omnuum10826/files/styles/hwp_21_9__1920x825/public/2026-05/55279616227_fed5d24120_o.jpg?itok=4Wu25ElP) 

 

 



 

 



 

The Project on Municipal Innovation (PMI) was launched in 2006 under the direction of Professor Stephen Goldsmith. Twice a year, PMI convenes municipal chiefs of staff and other senior city leaders from among the largest cities across the United States.

At each convening, representatives discuss important policy challenges and innovative solutions with national policy experts, academic thought leaders, and senior government practitioners. Convenings focus on critical topics in urban policy, ranging anywhere from city competitiveness to leading in times of change. Thanks to generous support from Bloomberg Philanthropies, Data-Smart City Solutions is deepening the investment made in the PMI so that it can remain a critical forum for city chiefs of staff, offering timely and relevant strategic resources and leadership support.



 

    ![Estrella Escobar at a table during a PMI event](/sites/g/files/omnuum10826/files/styles/hwp_3_4__480x640/public/2026-06/53379665741_d9f618aeff_o.jpg?itok=Wxvl8OyY) 

 

 

 

   

PMI provides access to the best Harvard has to offer...it enables the largest cities in the U.S. to share and learn best practices, which ultimately benefits our nation as a whole.

 

Estrella Escobar

Former Senior Chief of Staff and PMI Member

 

 



 

 

 

##  Spotlights and Resources 

 



   ![](/sites/g/files/omnuum10826/files/styles/hwp_16_9__480x270/public/2026-06/HKSMunicipalInnovation2023_0085_websize.jpg?itok=6Gc12rlB) 

 



 

 [### Listen to an exclusive keynote by Richard Florida, delivered to PMI members at the April 2023 convening

 ](/exclusive-richard-florida-resiliency-cities) 

 

   ![](/sites/g/files/omnuum10826/files/styles/hwp_16_9__480x270/public/2026-06/54135426754_54303fb86e_c.jpg?itok=eYNr6y7W) 

 



 

 [### Read our white paper on what foundations look for in municipal partners

 ](/partnership-ready-what-foundations-look-municipal-partners) 

 

   ![Dr. Bleich and Stephen Goldsmith speaking in front of a room](/sites/g/files/omnuum10826/files/styles/hwp_16_9__480x270/public/2026-06/55295044258_bdf6c7a60e_k.jpg?itok=ipQo0_VZ) 

 



 

 [### See insights from Dr. Sara Bleich, who outlined what mayors need to know about SNAP 

 ](/snap-2025-what-mayors-need-know) 

 

 

 

 

 

 

##  Recent Articles and Research 

Explore some of the ideas, initiatives, and best practices surfaced through PMI.

 

 



  [### Enacting StatGPT

 ](/enacting-statgpt) June 15, 2026 

 

   ![Group of people around a wall of post-it notes](/sites/g/files/omnuum10826/files/styles/hwp_16_9__480x270/public/2026-06/Untitled%20design%20%2811%29.png?itok=cq-lvWvj) 

 



 

 

   [### Milwaukee's Data-Driven Strategy to Eliminate Childhood Lead Poisoning

 ](/milwaukee-data-driven-lead-pipes) May 28, 2026 

 

   ![Water main lines in a ground trench for repair](/sites/g/files/omnuum10826/files/styles/hwp_16_9__480x270/public/2026-05/AdobeStock_251538232.jpg?itok=V8zVbtY-) 

 



 

 

   [### Government AI, the Road to More Bureaucratic Discretion and Accountability

 ](/gov-ai-accountability-discretion) May 07, 2026 

 

   ![View through glass windows in offices with shadows of people working](/sites/g/files/omnuum10826/files/styles/hwp_16_9__480x270/public/2026-05/AdobeStock_261124482.jpg?itok=YspYqztn) 

 



 

 

   [### How Seattle Built a Benefits Portal to Share Benefits Widely

 ](/seattle-benefits-portal) May 06, 2026 

 

   ![Seattle city skyline](/sites/g/files/omnuum10826/files/styles/hwp_16_9__480x270/public/datasmart/files/seattle1.jpg?itok=oYDhajag) 

 



 

 

   [### Crisis Leadership and Cross-Agency Collaboration: Milwaukee’s Rapid Response to a Lead Emergency

 ](/crisis-leadership-collaboration-milwaukee-lead) April 09, 2026 

 

   ![Tap reading "danger, lead hazard" in foreground with lead removal experts in background](/sites/g/files/omnuum10826/files/styles/hwp_16_9__480x270/public/2026-04/AdobeStock_116416994.jpg?itok=bG42LExR) 

 



 

 

  

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