Bloomberg Center for Public Innovation at Johns Hopkins University

What Bloomberg Center for Public Innovation at Johns Hopkins University does

The Bloomberg Center for Public Innovation at Johns Hopkins University is a university research center established in October 2021 through a flagship partnership between Bloomberg Philanthropies and Johns Hopkins University, headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland. The Center operates a portfolio of interconnected programs designed to build innovation capacity in local governments worldwide: the Love Your Block civic engagement grant program, the Bloomberg Public Innovation Fellowship, the Public Innovators Network (a peer community of nearly 2,500 city leaders), the Summer Scholars Program embedding Johns Hopkins graduate students in city hall teams, Innovation Teams (i-teams), the Innovation Training Program, and the Youth Climate Action Fund delivered with United Cities and Local Governments. The Center also produces proprietary research methodologies, including the Path to Public Innovation Playbook and Toolkit, the Partnership Capabilities Framework (navigation, convening, experimentation, codification), and the Trust-Innovation Spectrum, codifying practices from more than a decade of i-team work in over a dozen countries.

The Center does not develop commercial technology products; its "technology" consists of frameworks, playbooks, case studies, and convening methodologies published as resources and deployed through training cohorts. Since launch, it has brought research, technical assistance, and training programs to 216 global cities across the U.S., Colombia, Iceland, Brazil, Finland, and the Netherlands, with operational reach evidenced by the inaugural Public Innovators Network Summit in October 2025 convening 155 innovators from 84 cities in 15 countries.

The Center's revenue model is grant-funded rather than commercial. Bloomberg Philanthropies is the founding and primary ongoing funder, with institutional support from Johns Hopkins University providing academic infrastructure and faculty connections. The Center distributes grants downstream to participating cities — $100,000 per city in the 2024-2026 Love Your Block cohort (16 U.S. cities), escalating to $270,000 per city in the 2026-2028 cohort — alongside embedded fellowship positions and AmeriCorps VISTA support. Programs are offered free of charge to local governments, which apply competitively to participate. The Center has roughly 50 staff plus current and former Bloomberg Public Innovation Fellows, and is led by Executive Director Francisca Rojas.

Name

Bloomberg Center for Public Innovation at Johns Hopkins University

Legal name

Bloomberg Center for Public Innovation at Johns Hopkins University

Website

https://publicinnovation.jhu.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The Bloomberg Center for Public Innovation at Johns Hopkins University is a grant-funded research center that builds innovation capacity in local governments worldwide through fellowships, peer networks, grant programs, training, and proprietary methodologies like the Path to Public Innovation Playbook.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Sector Innovation Consulting

NAICS

Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (54172), Executive, Legislative, and Other General Government Support (9211)

akta.pro primary industry

Technology Transfer & Innovation-Driven Research Universities (High Commercialization) (EDAHABAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Smart Cities & Urban Innovation Programs (Digital Planning, Civic Tech for Cities) (BPAIANAJ)

Keywords

• Public sector innovation
• Government innovation training
• Civic engagement programs
• Local government research
• Municipal management consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Baltimore

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Bloomberg Philanthropies Funding: The Center was established in 2021 with founding support from Bloomberg Philanthropies. Bloomberg Philanthropies provides ongoing funding for programs including Love Your Block, fellowships, training, and network building.
2. Johns Hopkins University Partnership: The Center is a unit of Johns Hopkins University and benefits from institutional support, academic infrastructure, and faculty connections through the School of Government and Policy.
3. Grant Programs to Cities: The Center distributes grants to participating cities. Love Your Block provides $100,000 per city (2024-2026 cohort) and $270,000 for the 2026-2028 cohort including funding for program implementation and fellowship positions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

The Bloomberg Center for Public Innovation drives innovation in local government by combining cutting-edge practice with world-class academic research. It delivers fellowships, grant programs (e.g., Love Your Block), technical assistance, training, peer network membership (Public Innovators Network), and experiential learning placements to city governments and public servants. The Center also produces frameworks, research publications, and case studies to advance the field of public sector innovation.

Product overview

The Bloomberg Center for Public Innovation at Johns Hopkins University is a university center that drives innovation in local government by integrating cutting-edge practice with world-class research. The Center operates as a portfolio of interconnected programs including Love Your Block (a civic engagement grant program), the Bloomberg Public Innovation Fellowship, the Public Innovators Network (a peer network for city leaders), the Summer Scholars Program (an experiential learning opportunity), Innovation Teams (i-teams) embedded in city governments, and the Path to Public Innovation Playbook as a comprehensive guide. The Center also produces research resources including the Innovation Through Partnerships research portfolio and publishes case studies and impact reports documenting public innovation practices globally.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Love Your Block: A two-year civic engagement program that brings city leaders and residents together to strengthen neighborhoods through small-scale neighborhood improvement projects. Established by Bloomberg Philanthropies, building on the Cities of Service legacy from 2009.
• Public Innovators Network
• Bloomberg Public Innovation Fellowship
• Summer Scholars Program
• Innovation Teams (i-teams)
• Cities of Service
• Innovation Training Program
• Youth Climate Action Fund
• The Path to Public Innovation

Products and services

• Love Your Block A two-year civic engagement program that brings city leaders and residents together to strengthen neighborhoods through small-scale improvement projects. Cities receive funding, a Love Your Block Fellow, and technical assistance to support mini-grant competitions for community-led revitalization.
• Bloomberg Public Innovation Fellowship A one- or two-year fellowship at Johns Hopkins University offering accomplished public innovation practitioners the time and resources to reflect on their experience, broaden their knowledge, and create new insights about public innovation.
• Public Innovators Network A premier peer network welcoming local government leaders and staff committed to using innovation, data, collaboration, and resident engagement to deliver exceptional results for residents. Offers exclusive events, members-only resources, and specialized content; has grown to nearly 2,500 members.
• Summer Scholars Program A 10-week immersive program where Johns Hopkins graduate students are embedded in city hall innovation teams to address pressing public challenges using innovation methods, receiving mentorship and professional development.
• The Path to Public Innovation Playbook A comprehensive guide (playbook and toolkit) for city leaders and practitioners to spark or strengthen impact-driven and resident-informed innovation practices. Available in English and Spanish.
• Innovation Teams (i-teams) City-based innovation teams that leverage data, human-centered design, and community engagement to solve problems and deliver better outcomes for residents.
• Innovation Training Program Training programs that equip city leaders with innovative tools and methodologies to address pressing challenges including climate change and public safety.
• Youth Climate Action Fund A global program delivered in partnership with United Cities and Local Governments and Bloomberg Philanthropies supporting youth-driven climate initiatives in cities.
• Cities of Service A program that helps hundreds of mayors and municipalities engage residents as a leading voice in public problem-solving, now integrated under the Bloomberg Center.

Quantifiable outcome

• 216 global cities impacted since 2021 launch
• +7 more outcomes

Named customers15 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core, major and minor.

• Bloomberg PhilanthropiesflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 October 2021Bloomberg Philanthropies is the founding partner and primary funder of the Bloomberg Center for Public Innovation. Established in October 2021, Bloomberg Philanthropies provides ongoing funding for all programs including Love Your Block, fellowships, training, and network building. Michael R. Bloomberg, founder of Bloomberg Philanthropies, has been a longtime champion of government innovation.
• Johns Hopkins UniversityflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 October 2021Johns Hopkins University is the institutional host for the Center. The Center is based at the School of Government and Policy. The partnership brings world-class academic research infrastructure to government innovation practice. JHU provides institutional support, academic credibility, and faculty connections.
• AmeriCorps VISTAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAmeriCorps VISTA is a federal anti-poverty program that provides full-time volunteers to support Love Your Block cities. VISTA members lead volunteer recruitment and impact volunteering efforts. One VISTA member works under the direction of each designated city lead annually.
• United Cities and Local GovernmentscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in delivering the Youth Climate Action Fund, a global program delivered in partnership with United Cities and Local Governments and Bloomberg Philanthropies to support youth engagement in climate action in cities worldwide.
• Kresge FoundationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCarol Coletta led Kresge Foundation's national initiative, Reimagining the Civic Commons, a multi-funder effort to demonstrate that transformative public spaces can connect people of all backgrounds, cultivate trust, create more resilient communities, and generate greater value in neighborhoods.
• ÁGATA (Data Analytics and Artificial Intelligence Agency of Bogotá)majorTechnology or IntegrationSantiago Amador led Bogotá's GovTech efforts as CEO of ÁGATA, the Data Analytics and Artificial Intelligence Agency of Bogotá. The agency develops AI tools and frameworks cited as global best practices.
• Urban InstitutemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConducted a study of Love Your Block that found cities participating in the program were able to strengthen social cohesion among residents, increase civic participation, and build stronger relationships with community members.
• Knight FoundationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCarol Coletta previously served as Vice President of Community and National Initiatives for the Knight Foundation, leading civic engagement initiatives.
• Urban Land InstitutemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAwarding body for the ULI Prize for Visionaries in Urban Development awarded to Carol Coletta in 2025. ULI is a prominent land use and development organization.
• Georgia Institute of TechnologyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSavannah's i-team uses Map Spot, a low-cost mapping tool developed at Georgia Tech to engage residents in documenting flood-prone areas through collaborative mapping sessions.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Emerging players

• Living Cities: U.S. collaborative of philanthropic and financial institutions working to close racial income gaps in cities. Overlaps with BCPI's urban equity focus but is funder-collaborative rather than a university research center.

Direct peers

• The GovLab (NYU): NYU research center studying how technology and innovation can improve governance. University-embedded model with strong research orientation, making it a close structural analogue to BCPI.
• Nesta: UK-based global innovation foundation backing innovation in government and public services. Similar mission of advancing innovation methods in the public sector, though operating outside the U.S.
• Code for America: Nonprofit that works with government to deliver equitable public services through technology and human-centered design. Direct peer in civic-tech and government innovation, though delivery mechanism is technology rather than research.
• Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative: A sibling Bloomberg-funded initiative at Harvard Kennedy School that trains mayors and senior city officials. Operates in the same city-innovation space with shared Bloomberg Philanthropies funding and overlapping city cohorts.
• Results for America / What Works Cities: Nonprofit that helps city leaders use evidence and data to improve services, including the What Works Cities program working with 200+ U.S. cities. Directly comparable city-government innovation and capacity-building focus.
• Innovations for Successful Societies (Princeton): Princeton research program that studies how governments in developing countries build reform-oriented institutions. Comparable university-based research-to-practice model focused on public sector reform.
• Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation: Harvard Kennedy School research hub advancing democratic governance and public sector innovation through research, fellowships, and case studies. Highly comparable university-embedded model with similar research-to-practice orientation.

Broad incumbents

• Urban Institute: Major social and economic policy research nonprofit with deep work in urban policy, governance, and evidence-based program evaluation. Already a BCPI research partner on Love Your Block; broader scope but overlapping methods.
• Brookings Metropolitan Policy Program: Major think tank program producing research on cities, urban policy, and governance. Adjacent to BCPI's urban-innovation scope but operates as a broader policy research institution without BCPI's programmatic service-delivery orientation.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/publicinno
• Facebookfacebook.com/publicinno
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/johns-hopkins-university
• Instagraminstagram.com/publicinno

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Bloomberg Center for Public Innovation at Johns Hopkins University