Expanding language access resources, strengthening and implementing protective policies, and investing in small businesses are among the priorities for Philly’s immigrant communities.
Philadelphia Uses Innovation Fund to Inspire Agencies to Take Action
To encourage city agencies to reimagine and transform their internal and public-facing services, Philadelphia, Penn., has established an accessible and flexible innovation grant process. Shutterstock
For years, the city of Philadelphia, Penn., has worked to foster innovation among government agencies to facilitate delivery of improved services. A key factor in this effort has been the Innovation Management Team (IMT), which uses the Innovation Fund (IF) to create low-barrier opportunities for city departments to test fresh ideas through pilot programs.
Since 2015, the IF has successfully funded 29 projects through five grant cycles, according to Eliza Pollack, director of innovation. What’s unique about IF projects is they re not necessarily chosen with cost savings or ROI in mind. While there are still grant reports and a support system, the IMT takes a hands-off approach with these projects on