City officials announced last week that Syracuse was selected as a finalist for the Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Mayors Challenge.

The contest invited cities with 30,000 residents or more to propose ideas that would address a major social or economic issue, make it easier for residents or businesses to deal with city government, increase efficiency or enhance accountability and public participation, according to the Bloomberg Philanthropies website.

Syracuse’s proposal was selected along with 19 other finalists out of a pool of 305 cities from 45 states that submitted applications, according to the website.

For the contest, a team from Syracuse will create “The Syracuse International Village,” according to a press release from the Syracuse Office of the Mayor. This village would link refugee resettlement services and it would also start a small-business training and incubation marketplace for refugees and immigrants.

The contest’s winning team will receive a grand prize of $5 million, said Alexander Marion, press secretary at the Mayor’s Office. Four additional runner-up teams will receive prizes of $1 million each to implement their projects, according to the release.

The ideas of the 20 finalists were rated on four key criteria that include vision and creativity, ability to implement, potential for impact and potential for replication, according the release.

The Syracuse team spent Monday and Tuesday in New York City for the challenge’s “Ideas Camp,” in which the teams collaborated to improve one another’s ideas and a range of experts worked with the teams to refine and strengthen their ideas, Marion said.

The cities will receive individualized coaching and must submit their final entries in January, and Bloomberg Philanthropies will choose the competition’s winners this spring, The Associated Press reported on Nov. 5.

“It is flattering to be included as a finalist in the Bloomberg Philanthropies Mayors Challenge,” said Syracuse Mayor Stephanie Miner in the release. “Syracuse is a dynamic city with a vibrant immigrant community we are always trying to find new ways to serve. This innovative program will allow us to better outreach to our new American neighbors and welcome them into our community and local economy.”

 

Published on November 13, 2012 at 11:34 pm

Contact Alexandra: adhitzle@syr.edu | @LexieHitzler