Smarter Cities Challenge
IBM has launched the Smarter Cities Challenge, a competitive grant program that will award winning cities a total of $50 million worth of technology and services over the next three years. By partnering with 100 municipalities across the globe, IBM will help urban leaders reduce costs, increase efficiency and at the end of the day, improve the lives of their citizens.

How can cities improve services for their citizens while they are simultaneously faced with population growth and declining income from tax revenues?  We think innovative public-private partnerships provide one pragmatic solution. 

The need for better city management has never been greater. In 2008, according to the United Nations, more than half the world's human population began living in cities for the first time in the world's history. And this trend is only going to continue.

IBM Helps Cities Improve Services Through the Smarter Cities Challenge, IBM will award winning cities a total of $50 million worth of technology and services over the next three years.

Cities already wield more economic power, greater political influence and more advanced technological capabilities than ever before. Simultaneously, they are struggling with a wide range of financial and infrastructure challenges, in areas as diverse as transportation, energy, clean water, education, social services, public safety and economic development. The current global economic crisis has only exacerbated the situation.

To address this issue, IBM has introduced the Smarter Cities Challenge. This competitive grant program will award $50 million worth of technology and services over the next three years to help 100 municipalities across the globe become smarter.

Teams of IBM experts will work in a collaborative, constructive and transparent manner alongside leaders from the public, private, and volunteer sectors. They will focus on providing strategic guidance across a range of issues such as economic growth, better delivery of municipal services and improved citizen engagement.

Smarter Cities Challenge draws upon the field experience collected over the last three years from IBM’s pro bono Corporate Service Corps grant program. The Corporate Service Corps deploys teams of top IBM employees from around the world to work with local government, non-profit civic groups, and small businesses in developing blueprints that connect business, technology, and society. Teams have gone on assignments to such places as Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Chengdu, China; and Katowice, Poland.

IBM implements a wide range of other grant programs that address specific vital issues such as the environment, community economic development, education, health, literacy, language, and culture. IBM uses its most valuable resources - technology and talent - to bring these programs to fruition.

While some companies have been slow to realize the importance of citizenship and corporate social responsibility, IBM has always been active in this area. It is a key differentiator for IBM in the global marketplace.

Smarter Cities Challenge is simply the latest innovative program in IBM’s century-long tradition of providing support to global communities. More information is available at: www.smartercitieschallenge.org