Right now, an unprecedented amount of federal funding is available for sustainability efforts. St. Louis is on the fast track to take advantage of this green opportunity. In spring 2024, Bloomberg Philanthropies selected the City of St. Louis to join its Bloomberg American Sustainable Cities.
It's a three-year initiative to maximize unprecedented federal funding levels to develop and apply innovative local solutions for constructing low-carbon, resilient and economically prosperous communities. The $200 million initiative spans 24 additional cities across the U.S., including Kansas City, Missouri.
According to the St. Louis Development Corporation, St. Louis was chosen because of its previous commitment to promoting sustainability. “Despite facing significant vulnerabilities, the city has persisted in advancing community prosperity and economic development amid the climate crisis,” SLDC said in a release.
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Though St. Louis has made strides toward sustainability, many city offices need more funds and resources to make a big impact. By joining the initiative, St. Louis gains support in the form of a dedicated Innovation Team (i-team). The i-team will provide expertise in data analysis, insight development, human-centered design, systems thinking and project management.
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“Innovation teams are uniquely positioned to make big dents in tough problems,” Bloomberg Philanthropies said in a statement. “They are human-centered, tackling challenges by enlisting residents to help define problems and test solutions. … They are versatile, shouldering challenges across a broad array of city issues and bringing people together across departments to take them on.”
St. Louis will also benefit from multi-year, in-depth policy and technical support, working in partnership with community-based organizations to catalyze public, private and philanthropic investments.
This initiative isn’t Bloomberg Philanthropies’ first. Its previous city-centric project, the American Cities Climate Challenge, is projected to decrease carbon emissions by 74 million metric tons through 2030. Overall, Bloomberg American Sustainable Cities aims to confront the ever-merging crises of climate change and racial wealth inequality.
“Tackling climate change and building stronger and more equitable cities go hand in hand,” said Michael R. Bloomberg, founder of Bloomberg LP and Bloomberg Philanthropies, in a release. “Mayors have bold ideas for how to take on both challenges at once, and we’re looking forward to expanding our support for them.”
For the City of St. Louis, it’s exciting to be on the road to change. Per the city’s official X account: “Our city is a leader in driving the fight against global warming, and we are so thrilled to expand our sustainability initiatives with the resources and partnerships of this program.”