City of Fort Worth joins a select group of cities honored for excellence in data driven policy

Fort Worth, Texas – The City of Fort Worth has been recognized as a leader in data-driven decision-making, earning a Silver What Works Cities Certification from Results for America in partnership with Bloomberg Philanthropies. This designation places Fort Worth among 21 newly awarded cities and highlights its commitment to using real-time data and analytics to improve governance and city services.

A Prestigious Recognition for Data-Driven Governance

The What Works Cities Certification acknowledges municipalities that excel in using data to inform policy, allocate funding, enhance public services, evaluate programs, and engage residents. Cities earning this distinction have demonstrated that they have the necessary policies, practices, and infrastructure to utilize data effectively for better decision-making.

With this latest announcement, a total of 104 cities across North, Central, and South America have now received the What Works Cities Certification, while 700 cities have submitted assessments since the program’s inception in 2017.

How Fort Worth Earned Silver Certification

Fort Worth’s recognition at the Silver level stems from its successful use of real-time data, particularly in water management, which has led to a 90% reduction in field investigations and resulted in more than $1 million in cost savings since 2019.

Mayor Mattie Parker expressed her pride in the city’s achievement, emphasizing the role of data, insights, and analytics in driving Fort Worth’s success.

“I’m proud of our team for this incredible achievement and its commitment to measuring outcomes and impact in Fort Worth,” said Mayor Parker. “Decision making in a successful city requires strong data, insights and analytics, and The FWLab is moving Fort Worth forward as one of the best in the nation in this regard.”

The Certification Standards and Levels

The What Works Cities Certification evaluates a city’s use of data based on 43 key criteria. The certification is divided into three levels based on a city’s ability to meet these benchmarks:

• Silver Certification: Awarded to cities meeting 51-67% of the criteria.
• Gold Certification: Given to cities achieving 68-84% of the standards.
• Platinum Certification: Reserved for cities that meet 85% or more of the criteria.

Christianne Simmons, Fort Worth’s Chief Transformation Officer, emphasized the importance of collaboration in the city’s efforts.

“Earning our first-ever What Works Cities certification is a major milestone in Fort Worth’s commitment to data-driven decision-making,” said Simmons. “In the FWLab, we know that collaboration and curiosity drive smarter strategies and better outcomes. This recognition highlights our progress, and we’re excited to keep advancing how we use data to serve our community.”

About the What Works Cities Certification

The What Works Cities Certification program, created by Bloomberg Philanthropies and led by Results for America, was launched in 2017 as the global standard of data excellence in city governance. The program is open to cities in North, Central, and South America with populations of 30,000 or more.

The initiative aims to enhance government efficiency by helping cities improve how they collect, analyze, and use data to inform policies and improve services for residents.

Rochelle Haynes, managing director of the Bloomberg Philanthropies What Works Cities Certification, emphasized the importance of data in modern governance.

“At a time when people are questioning the role of government, and what good government looks like, governments must be better at using data to know what is and isn’t working – and that is what the Bloomberg Philanthropies What Works Cities Certification stands for,” Haynes said. “Over 100 cities are now showing what is possible by investing the time, energy, and political capital to shift the culture of how local government works.”

A Step Toward Better City Governance

Fort Worth’s Silver Certification marks an important step in the city’s commitment to leveraging data for public good. As the city continues to enhance its data infrastructure, officials are looking forward to further improvements that will make Fort Worth an even more efficient and forward-thinking city.

Residents and city leaders alike can expect continued efforts to use data in meaningful ways, ensuring that Fort Worth remains a leader in data-driven governance and innovation.