Who Will Survive Mayors Challenge Grant Competition?

A game of mayoral Survivor is getting started, as project ideas from 20 U.S. mayors are up for consideration. Which mayors will be voted off the island? That choice will be in the hands of citizens from around the country.

Time to start picking teams.

Bloomberg Philanthropies, in partnership with the online news site The Huffington Post, announced the launch of the Mayors Challenge Fan Favorite Selection, which showcases potential city-improving projects from the mayors of 20 cities. Each mayor will present the idea through an original video and a blog post which will be considered by citizens.

The ideas will be voted on until March 6, with the winner receiving more than just a slap on the back and a ceremonial trophy. The victorious city will get a $50,000 in-kind grant from IBM to support implementation of the project, as well as featured coverage and promotion from The Huffington Post, including a monthly front page column for a year and an interview with the site’s founder and editor-in-chief, Arianna Huffington, on its webcast, Huff Post Live.

Some of the cities included in the competition include:

• Boston, Mass: Mayor Thomas M. Menino;
• Chicago, Ill: Mayor Rahm Emanuel;
• Houston, Tex: Mayor Annise D. Parker;
• San Francisco, Calif: Mayor Edwin M. Lee;
• Philadelphia, Penn: Mayor Michael Nutter; and,
• Cincinnati, Ohio: Mayor Mark Mallory.

“Mayors in cities across the country have risen to the challenge of putting forth bold and innovative ideas that tackle some of our nation’s toughest issues,” said New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, founder of Bloomberg Philanthropies. “Now, we’re excited to showcase the 20 finalists and give people across the country a chance to select their favorite.”

Ideas by the 20 mayors include an open-source platform proposed by Emanuel to help leaders make real-time decisions quicker; Menino’s “Darwin” system, which would place youth data in the hands of parents; and a program by Mallory that would use collected data to help reduce infant deaths.

Bloomberg Philanthropies is an organization that encompasses all of Bloomberg’s philanthropic activities, including his foundation and personal giving. Some $360 million was distributed in 2012 to causes that promote changes in public health, environment, education, and government innovation.

Fans are invited to learn more about the Mayors Challenge at http://mayorschallenge.bloomberg.org/ and can cast their votes at http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mayors-challenge