Giving Compass' Take:

• Kate Elizabeth Queram explains how Bloomberg Philanthropies and the National League of Cities are partnering to help cities access and understand data to create targeted solutions. 

• How can funders contribute to collaborations in their communities? What data do cities need to fully understand the problems they face? 

• Learn about the need for efficient innovation to create smart cities. 

The National League of Cities is partnering with a Bloomberg Philanthropies group to offer cities access to data and statistics that can help with targeted problem-solving and services.

Through the organization’s NLC University initiative, an educational and professional development program, member cities can participate in a workshop series on “foundational data practices that build effective local governments.” The series will be offered through a partnership with Results For America, a nonprofit initiative linked to What Works Cities “that helps cities use data and facts to tackle their most pressing challenges and improve residents’ lives,” according to a news release.

The partnership will host programs at several events in the next year, including the 2018 City Summit in Los Angeles and the 2019 Congressional City Conference in Washington D.C. NLC University will offer five courses to help cities build data skills. Topics include community and economic development and learning to explain "data-informed government" to staff and members of the public.

Read the full article about data education by Kate Elizabeth Queram at Route Fifty.