Challenge Deadline

Do you have a great idea for making the city better?  Share your idea with the City of Waterbury by 5 p.m. on Tuesday, August 7, and you might win a cash prize (not to mention that you might get to see your idea put into action!).

The entry form is online, on the City website (click here for the link).

Guidelines are as follows:

What’s the Challenge?

To identify a creative and bold idea that will solve a key problem in the City of Waterbury and other cities throughout the nation. The winning idea will represent the City of Waterbury in the Bloomberg Philanthropies Mayors Challenge, where five cities across the country will win $1-5 million to bring their innovative ideas and visions to life.

Who May Enter?

Anyone, including City employees, non-residents, people of all ages etc.  It’s all about the idea!

What a Great Idea Looks Like

A great idea is one that demonstrates innovative thinking, can be implemented and will have a measureable impact on Waterbury and other cities.  It can be a new idea or an idea that you change and make more impactful.  We are looking for ideas that:

• Address serious social or economic problems
• Improve customer service for residents or businesses
• Enhance accountability to or engagement with the public; and/or
• Create efficiencies that make government work better, faster and cheaper

Winning ideas are likely to address a few of these areas. The idea should rely on resources and expertise that are commonly available in cities, so that other cities can share the idea. The idea may involve the use of talent, partnerships and resources outside of city government. If Waterbury wins the Mayor’s Challenge, funds would be used to implement our idea.

Local Prize

First Prize: $500            Second Prize: $250            Third Prize: $100

Contest Deadline

August 7, 2012 at 5:00 p.m.

Great Examples in Mayors Challenge

See mayorschallenge.bloomberg.org and click on “great examples.” Some examples of great ideas include using the 311 number for city residents to access all city services (Chicago idea now adopted by 70 cities); allowing groups of city employees to bid on city projects, save money and share in cost savings (Tulsa idea); re-imagining /re-purposing public space so that all city residents live within 10 minutes of a park (New York).