2025 Highlights: Strengthening Leadership to Solve Urban Problems with the Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative
Cambridge, Massachusetts (December 10, 2025)—City leaders around the world turned to the Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative’s free research, teaching cases, and tools in 2025—resources that have now helped tens of thousands strengthen their leadership and tackle complex urban challenges.
Throughout the year, the Initiative continued to translate cutting-edge research into actionable tools that help cities make progress. Explore the 2025 highlights below and share them with colleagues, students, or partners to strengthen problem-solving and foster innovation on your team.
Top 2025 Research
Learning from Setbacks in Collaborations
Cross-sector collaborations can help cities tackle complex social and economic problems, but results are mixed. Learn the five key actions collaborators should adopt to enable progress. Read >>
When Residents Report: Hidden Insights in City Hotline Data
What does it mean when a neighborhood’s reports of crime to 911 and service calls to 311 go up? This study finds it may not be a sign of worsening neighborhood conditions. In fact, it could be the opposite. Read >>
Using Data to Solve Urban Problems
City leaders have more data than ever—but how do you use it strategically? Learn how cities can optimize their use of data to solve problems and deliver public value. Read >>
Solving Urban Problems: Research on Local Government Capacity
All of the Initiative’s latest research in one volume. Learn key findings and practical takeaways from two-dozen peer-reviewed studies organized in four sections: leading and managing strategically, using data and evidence, collaborating across boundaries, and innovating and implementing new practices.
Top 2025 Resources
Teaching Case: Collaborating for Youth Development in Hartford
How do cities move from funding to impact—especially when many agencies are involved? Expand your collaboration capabilities by exploring behind-the-scenes dynamics in Hartford after the city won a federal grant to support youth development. Read >>
Self-Paced Module: Using Data and Evidence as a City Leader
Become a better consumer and commissioner of data with this interactive online module featuring real-world challenges from cities around the globe. Exercises, tutorials, and quizzes provide a dynamic learning experience to help you use data to solve problems. Explore >>
Negotiation Teaching Case Set
City leaders negotiate every day over contracts, coalitions, and competing priorities. How can they do it more effectively? These cases and a simulation exercise are designed to help current and future city officials build essential negotiation skills. Read >>
Guide: Using Public Narrative to Strengthen Leadership
With concept overviews, instructor notes, and debriefing guides with example videos, this guide brings the power of storytelling to your team, classroom, or community. Use the power of narrative to do the work of leadership. Read >>
