APRIL 2015

Bloomberg Philanthropies works to ensure
better, longer lives for the greatest numberof people. We focus on five key areas
for creating lasting change: arts, education,
the environment, government innovation,and public health. These areas encompass
the issues Mike Bloomberg and his teamare most passionate about, and where webelieve the greatest good can be achieved.

About the cover: Bangladesh
Drowning is the top cause of death forchildren between 1- 4 years old in
Bangladesh. To address this critical issue,
Bloomberg Philanthropies is supporting
two interventions: community-led daycare
programs and locally made play pens,which are helping to keep children in rural
Bangladesh – like the ones featured inthis photo – safe.

RIGHT, Venezuela: Faced with extreme shortages ofwater and electricity, C40 member city Caracas has
introduced a number of measures to cut demand
and reduce carbon emissions.

contents

Our Approach7

public health

10environment14
government innovation

18arts21
Education24
founder's projects

27

bloomberg lp

30

bloomberg ASSociates

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ANNUALLETTERON
PHILANTHROPY

Modern philanthropy began as a substitute forgovernment. Where government failed, philanthropists
stepped in, providing food for the poor, hospitals
for the sick, and libraries, museums, and colleges
for the masses. Philanthropy continues to play avital role in all of these areas. But some still see
philanthropy as an alternative to government. I see
it as a way to embolden government.
In so many areas, governments represent our best hopefor making the broad-based societal changes thatphilanthropic organizations are devoted to bringing
about. Governments have the authority to drive change
in ways that philanthropic organizations cannot. Byleveraging our resources, and forming partnerships withgovernment, philanthropic organizations can help
push those changes forward. That mindset may beuntraditional, but it is at the heart of nearly everything
Bloomberg Philanthropies does.
I have been lucky to see this issue from the other side.
Serving for 12 years as mayor of New York City gave
me a special appreciation for government’s ability to
be a force for good and a catalyst for global change.
For instance, my first big contribution to the fightagainst tobacco was not a check that I wrote but a billthat I signed. The law that we adopted in New York Citybanning smoking in bars, restaurants, and all indoor
workplaces set in motion a wave of change that has
spread around the world. Nations in South America
and Europe – where smoking was such an ingrained
part of the culture – adopted similar laws, as did statesaround the U.S. By proving that the law could workin New York City, we helped start a global movement.
At Bloomberg Philanthropies, we’re adding momentum
to that movement by focusing much of our tobacco
work on government advocacy. We support groups thatare pushing their governments to adopt tobacco control
measures that are proven to have an impact, suchas tobacco tax increases, graphic health warnings
on tobacco products, and smoke-free laws. In 2014, thisapproach helped achieve some important victories.
For instance, we supported successful efforts to pass asmoke-free law in Beijing, which we hope will pave
the way for a national smoke-free law in China. In India,
the government began requiring some of the world’s
largest health warnings on tobacco packaging.

We are also pushing for governments to address
climate change. The world faces dangerous risks fromwarming temperatures, rising sea levels, and intensifying
storms. Solutions depend on global cooperation.
While an international treaty has thus far been elusive,
cities – where 70 percent of the world’s emissions
originate – have been making great strides. To help
accelerate that work, we have strongly supported
the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group, which provides
a forum for 75 of the world’s largest cities to discuss
strategies for addressing climate change. It also serves
as a platform to help mayors convince their national
governments to set more ambitious climate action goals.
As the UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Cities
and Climate Change, I have been encouraged to see
national governments increasingly recognize that cities
can help accelerate their carbon reduction efforts.
Here in the U.S., we have formed a partnership with the
Sierra Club to move our nation Beyond Coal. Together,
we help mobilize communities to replace coal power
plants with cleaner forms of energy production. Coalplants are the single largest source of carbon pollution
in the U.S., and they take an enormous toll on publichealth. Since we began working together, more than180 coal plants have either closed or committed toclosing. That achievement is a major reason why the
U.S. has led the world in reducing its carbon footprint
in recent years, and it has helped reduce the numberof annual deaths caused by coal pollution from13,000 to about 7,500.
Advocacy like this is essential, because even when
government leaders believe in the need for action, theyoften wait for the public to act first. With political capitalalways at a premium, elected officials tend to picktheir battles. Philanthropy can help nudge them into thetoughest battles by showing that they’re winnable.
One of those battles concerns obesity, which has rapidly
become one of the leading causes of death – and notjust in the United States. Mexico has one of the world’s
highest obesity rates, and it’s no coincidence that it
also has one of the highest rates of soda consumption,a leading contributor to obesity. To help save lives in
Mexico and reduce the stress on its health care system,
we supported local advocates who led a campaign
for a national tax on sugary drinks. They succeededin 2013, convincing a majority of the Mexican Congress
to vote for the tax, despite a well-financed attack
campaign funded by the soda industry.

Since then, we’ve been working with partners in Mexico
to measure the law’s impact. Preliminary data showsthat soda consumption is falling, partly because prices
are higher, but also because public awareness of thehealth dangers has increased. If that trend continues,
not only will it make a big difference in Mexico, it will
give public health supporters in other countries theevidence they need to push their governments to adopt
similar policies. In November 2014, voters in Berkeley,
California passed an initiative creating the first soda tax
in the U.S. – a campaign I contributed to personally.
Advocacy is not the only way to spur public sector
change. In many cases, government leaders are eager
to test out new policies and programs but cannot
justify spending scarce resources on unproven ideas.
Citizens rightly expect their representatives to be carefulstewards of their tax dollars, which is one reason why
risk-taking is harder in the public sector than it is in theprivate sector. But without experimentation there isno innovation, and without innovation, there is juststagnation. I know from talking with mayors around theworld that they have an enormous appetite for new
experiments, but often don’t have the funds or capacity
to undertake them. Philanthropy can help bridge thegap between ambition and implementation.
In 2012, we created a competition called the Mayors
Challenge, which invites cities to develop creative
experiments aimed at addressing their most pressing
problems. It proved to be a big success, and so lastyear we expanded it to Europe, where we received an
overwhelming response: More than 150 cities in 28
nations submitted proposals. We awarded the fivewinning cities a total of €9 million. Not every idea may
work, but those that do will spread, producing positivechange on a scale that would otherwise be beyond
the reach of philanthropy.
While the Mayors Challenge incentivizes innovativeideas, another program we began – called Innovation
Teams – helps implement them. In New Orleans,for instance, the Innovation Team that we funded andMayor Mitch Landrieu hired, focused on reducing thecity’s murder rate. Last year, New Orleans’s murder rate
hit a record low. Our grant to the city was $4 million
over four years. We could not possibly have helped
save as many lives if we had directed that money
away from city government.

annual letter3

We also fund innovation by encouraging governments toembrace and support the arts. With these governments
struggling to meet so many pressing needs, thearts often don’t receive the funding they should, eventhough they are an essential component of economic
development and job creation. In New York’s City Hall,
our support for the arts not only helped us increase
tourism by 40 percent, which benefitted many different
industries, it also helped make the city a more attractive
place for companies to invest. People want to live andwork in places that have vibrant arts communities, andpublic art is the most visible and accessible expressionof a city’s interest in the arts. This year, to encourage
more cities to embrace public art, we invited city
governments across the U.S. to propose projects thatengage people and strengthen communities.
There is no shortage of government leaders who areseeking help in taking on additional challenges. A year
ago, we formed Bloomberg Associates, which isessentially a free consulting firm available to cities. It’scomposed of former members of our administration
who had phenomenal success in city government andearned international reputations for their work. Demand
for their services has been extraordinary, and theyFranceMike Bloomberg
announced the winnersof the Mayors Challenge
Europe competition.

have taken on a roster of clients – from Kansas City to
Mexico City – that continues to grow. They work closelywith mayors and their staffs, offering the guidance,
support, and data that can help cities implement andinstitutionalize new policies and programs.
Empowering individuals and communities to take chargeof their futures has always been a focus of philanthropy,
and we can be much more successful when that work
is aligned with the goals of governments. Our women’s
economic empowerment program in Africa is a good
example of why that’s true. We have worked closelywith the governments of Rwanda and the Democratic
Republic of Congo to create job training programs inindustries that are central to their national economic
development goals. By working within a government’s
economic agenda, we are helping to ensure that those
who are most in need of economic opportunity – in thiscase, women in post-conflict zones and their families –share in the benefits of growth.
Whether in Africa or here at home, education is the key
that opens the door of opportunity. This year we launched
a new education initiative that is designed to help
more high-achieving high school students from low- andGermany
Mike Bloomberg
hosted Ideas Campin June 2014 for the
Mayors Challenge
Europe finalists.

Washington, D.C.
Together with the U.S.
Department ofCommerce, Bloomberg
Philanthropies hosted
the U.S.-Africa Business
Forum in August 2014.

middle-income families apply to top colleges anduniversities. Currently, too many do not, even though
they have the grades to get in and succeed. The initiative
provides one-on-one virtual advising to students
so they can find the best school for them and secure
the financial assistance they need to attend. We've
also put together a diverse group of college leadersand experts to figure out ways that the top schools
can accept more of these students.
We are committed to working with partners inside andoutside government who are positioned to help us
fulfill our mission: ensuring better, longer lives for thegreatest number of people. In 2014, we found newopportunities to advance this mission in all five of ourmajor areas of focus, and it was exciting to see someof that work firsthand. After serving 12 years in City
Hall, last year I was able to spend more time on
philanthropy. This year has brought more change forme, as I’ve reassumed full-time leadership of thecompany I founded 34 years ago, Bloomberg LP. But
the constant throughout my career has always been –and always will be – philanthropy.

New York
Mike Bloomberg,
Tom Steyer, and Hank
Paulson convened ameeting of the Risky
Business committee in
May 2014 to discuss
the economic impact ofclimate change.

In 2015, I will remain as involved as ever in the growing
work of Bloomberg Philanthropies, and I’m looking
forward to building new partnerships with leaders
around the world – in government, philanthropy, andbusiness – who share our goals.

Sincerely,

Michael R. Bloomberg

annual letter5We also added a new program to reverse the decline
in the world's fish supply, which threatens both humanhealth and the ecosystems that sustain oceanic life.
Last year, both our drowning and oceans initiatives
showed very encouraging results, as did programs inall five of the areas where our work is focused: arts,
education, the environment, government innovation,and public health. This report offers a snapshot of thework we did and the progress we made in each area.
As you will see, just as data drives the decisions wemake about where to invest, data also defines the way
we measure success.

We have always believed in big, bold ideas at
Bloomberg Philanthropies, and in 2014, ourambitions continued to grow. It was a year in which
our founder – Michael Bloomberg – left public office
and returned to the private sector, allowing him tospend more time on his philanthropic passions. As
a result, it was a year filled with new commitmentson new issues, new partnerships with new allies,
and new initiatives aimed at achieving new goals.
Our approach to philanthropy, as Michael Bloomberg
explains on the previous pages, is unique. We’reentrepreneurial at heart and apply the best lessons frombusiness and government to the management of ourglobal philanthropic work. By staying lean, our talented
team of experts and staff can act quickly and boldly totackle emerging issues. It keeps us nimble and allows
decisions to be made quickly, as well as empowers
every staff member on every level to put their best ideas
forward and interact directly with key leadership.
We also work to identify serious problems that receive
too little attention – or that are too easily accepted
as social or cultural norms. Reducing tobacco use, ourfirst major investment in a global campaign, certainly
fits that description, but so do many other areas of ourwork. And last year, we announced new initiatives,
including one to combat drowning deaths in Bangladesh,
where 32 children drown every day.

6

Bloomberg PhilantHropies

For instance, our Beyond Coal campaign does notmeasure success only by the number of power plantsthat have closed or transitioned to cleaner burning
fuels. Our goal is cleaner air that is healthier for ourlungs and planet, with fewer of the greenhouse gasesthat contribute to climate change. And there may be
no better evidence of the progress we’ve made towardthat goal than the fact that the U.S. now leads theworld in carbon emission reductions. Of course, theBeyond Coal campaign isn’t the only force drivingthat change, but it’s one of the most important.
Ensuring better, longer lives for the greatest numberof people is our mission, and it is inspiring to cometo work each day knowing that we have an opportunity
to advance that mission. In the year ahead, we willcontinue pushing the pace of progress, and pushingin new directions, too.

Sincerely,

Patricia E. Harris
Chief Executive Officer

our approach
Look for unmet needs that can beaddressed with proven solutions
Rely on data and continually
measure progress
Lead from the front and tackle
controversial issues
Utilize advocacy and lobbying whenothers aren’t willing
Focus on cities to drive progress
Identify and engage strong partners
Remain flexible to invest boldly andquickly and maximize our impact Environment
End America’s energy dependence on coal by:		
Working to close coal-fired power plants		
Helping states pass legislation to transition
from coal to cleaner energy
Securing tough reform to ensure safe fracking
in the states where the majority of natural gas
production is occurring
Invest in Little Sun, a solar-powered lamp sold in
off-grid communities to transition from kerosene
Empower cities to be more sustainable throughrole as UN Special Envoy and the C40 Climate
Leadership Group
Protect oceans and fish populations by reforming
fishing practices in Brazil, Chile, and the Philippines
and protect coral reefs and fish species by securing
marine protected areas Founder's Projects arts
Provide arts management training (marketing,fundraising, board engagement) to small andmid-size arts organizations
Increase public understanding of the arts
through Bloomberg Connects technology atcultural institutions
Support temporary public art projects in U.S.
cities to enhance urban identity and catalyze
economic development
Partner with ArtPlace to invest in the arts as a
strategy for revitalizing communities across the U.S.

 EDUCATION 
Increase college access and success for highachieving, low- and moderate-income students
through virtual guidance counselors to help
them enroll in top U.S. colleges and universities
Run a fellowship program for the nation’s top
teachers, principals, and superintendents to foster
collaboration, spread effective teaching andmanagement methods, and allow them to directly
shape education policy
Measure and share data on school performance,
empowering educators, parents, and the public tobring about reform

Support the Johns Hopkins Transformation
Initiative to solve large-scale problems throughcross-disciplinary work at Johns Hopkins University
Promote economic opportunities for womenin Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congoby providing vocational training in line withgovernment goals Government innovation
Promote public sector innovation and spread
effective ideas among cities through initiatives suchas the Mayors Challenge, Cities of Service,and Innovation Teams
Convene the world's most innovative mayors andcivic leaders at CityLab to share best practices,successful urban strategies, and emerging trends Public Health
Reduce tobacco use worldwide throughsmoke-free laws, advertising bans, and other 		proven measures
Improve road safety in countries with the highest
burden of traffic fatalities and injuries
Improve maternal health in Tanzania and increase
access to family planning services for women in
high-need countries
Raise public awareness and support policy reform
to combat obesity in Mexico
Partner with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
to end polio
Address the high rate of drowning deaths amongchildren in Bangladesh
our approach7

IN 2014
BLOOMBERG
PHILANTHROPIES
distributed$462 million
Dots represent the locations where
Bloomberg Philanthropies is working
around the world8

educationarts“I chose to serve as a Virtual Advisor to
be a part of something new andexciting. We are creating new ways toreach more students through theuse of technology, which is so relevant
to our students’ lives. Video chatting
is my favorite way to connect withmy students.”
Bianca Martinez"In New Orleans, and in cities acrossthe country, temporary public
art is striking – it disrupts the urban
backdrop, prompts discussion,and encourages connection amongst
viewers. Artists use public spaceas an open platform to showcase –and spur – creativity."
Mayor Mitch Landrieu

READ MORE p. 25

READ MORE p. 22

Bloomberg PhilantHropies

government innovation

public health“City Halls dedicate much of theirtime to day-to-day operations. It cansometimes be hard to find the bandwidth to step back and solve problems
holistically, but Atlanta's Innovation
Team is helping us do just that."
Mayor Kasim Reed

“Thankfully, the C-section was successful,and because the couple decided thatthese children should be their last, theAssistant Medical Officer counseledthem in family planning options. This isjust one of many success stories. As ourpartners upgrade more health centers,
mothers can take comfort knowing that
quality obstetric care is within their reach.”
Becky Bavinger

READ MORE p. 19

READ MORE p. 11

founder's projects

environment“Thanks to this training, Asterie
and thousands of additional womenfarmers gain access to coffee agronomy
best practices as well as training in
coffee processing, roasting, and tasting...
She and her cooperative members areable to support themselves and theirfamilies and, as local entrepreneurs,
engage with the global coffee market.”
Ruth Coleman“We fishers really depend on theseas as our life and our livelihood andbelieve that this resource is the last
frontier. Sadly, it is dying today due tothe abuse of illegal fishing. The Vibrant
Oceans initiative empowered us
and gave us a voice in every step ofproject implementation.”
Susan Saco

READ MORE p. 28

READ MORE p. 15

our approach9

PUBLIC HEALTH

Bangladesh
As one of the drowning
prevention interventions
in Bangladesh, children
attend a communityorganized day care during
busy morning hours, whichis the time when most childdrowning deaths occur.

spotlight project

TAnzAnIA
over 50,000 women inrural Tanzania havedelivered their babies
at a Bloomberg
Philanthropies-supported
health facility.

going globAl withreproductive
rights to sAve lives

burkina Faso, senegaL,
uganda & niCaragua
lack of access to contraception and medical
services contributes to almost 300,000 deaths andmillions of injuries to women every year. Since
2006, Bloomberg Philanthropies has been working
to improve maternal health in Tanzania, which has
one of the world’s highest numbers of maternal death.
The program is training non-physicians to perform
life-saving surgeries and building operating rooms inremote health centers so more women have accessto emergency care closer to home.
In 2014, Bloomberg Philanthropies expanded its
reproductive health work in a number of ways by:Partnering with Planned Parenthood Global andthe UN Foundation to help increase contraceptive
access for 120 million more women and girls
by 2020.
Expanding into Nicaragua, Burkina Faso, Senegal,and Uganda, and working with Planned Parenthood
to strengthen reproductive health rights.
Establishing a Global Rapid Response Mechanismwith the UN Foundation, which will deliver grants
to local organizations in 69 low-income countries
to ensure health services continue to be provided
when there are urgent gaps or catalytic opportunities.

ImPRoVIng Access tofAmilY plAnning services
WoRLDWIDe WILL:

firsthAnd Account“I met a father at the ujiji health center in
Tanzania. he had just donated a unit of blood forthe mother, who was experiencing complications
during the birth of twins. The first twin wasdelivered successfully, but the second twin wasin breech position and the Assistant Medical officer
needed to perform an emergency c-section.
Thankfully, the operation was successful, andbecause the couple decided that these children
should be their last, the Assistant Medical officer
counseled them in family planning options. Thisis just one of many success stories. As ourpartners upgrade more health centers, mothers
can take comfort knowing that quality obstetriccare is within their reach.”
Becky Bavinger
Bloomberg Philanthropies
Public Health

heLP sAVe
moRe LIVes

cReAte stRongeR
FAmILIes, communItIes
AnD nAtIons

sAVe goVeRnments
mILLIons on
heALthcARe costs

public heAlth11

spotlight project  Securing lasting    impacts through    policy change  

Taking on smoking
in CHINA and obesity
in MEXICO
China is the world’s largest producer andconsumer of tobacco and each year up
to 1 million people in the country die due totobacco use. In 2014, Beijing passed anhistoric tobacco control law that will make thecity one of the world's largest to go smoke-free.

Partners working in China supported the law which:Bans smoking in all indoor public places, including
schools, workplaces, and on public transportation –protecting more than 20 million residents from thedangers of secondhand smoke.
Reinforces national bans on sales to minors
under the age of 18.
Restricts where tobacco ads can be placed.
Mexico currently has one of the world’s highest
rates of obesity, which causes many preventable
deaths and illnesses and places stress on thenational health care system. The Obesity Prevention
Program raises public awareness about the causes
and consequences of obesity via media campaigns,
research, and support to advocates who shape policy.
Partners successfully pushed for a national
one-peso-per-liter tax on sugary beverages.
A preliminary evaluation shows that the tax
has resulted in people buying less soda andmore water.

China
Taxi drivers proudly
display their no smoking
signs. A smoke-freelaw was passed in
Tianjin in March 2012,and protects the
7.5 million people thatlive there.

12

Bloomberg PhilantHropies

spotlight project  Finding a solution    to a leading killer    of children  Supporting drowning
prevention
in BANGLADESH

In Bangladesh, drowning is the leading cause ofdeath among children with 10,000 deaths per year,
and 1- to 4-year-olds account for over 65% of
these drowning deaths. These deaths are largely
preventable. Studies show that most occur in small
bodies of water, close to where children live, andduring hours when adults are working and children
often go unsupervised.
To address these major factors – lack of supervisionand easy access to water – the Drowning Prevention
Project is testing two interventions that have highpotential to save lives and can be replicated elsewhere
if they are successful: daycare for children under theage of 5 provided by members of the community andlocally manufactured playpens to prevent children
from entering open water sources.

 Public Health dispatch
Bloomberg Philanthropies Reinvests$125 Million in Road Safety
In 2014, Bloomberg Philanthropies announced
a new commitment of $125 million over five years
to strengthen national road safety legislationin five countries and support the implementationof proven interventions in ten cities. Each year,
millions of people are killed or injured inroad traffic crashes, making it the ninth leading
cause of preventable death. Bloomberg
Philanthropies has been working with partners
to improve road safety, and it is having an impact:
Over 1.9 billion people have been coveredby strengthened road safety laws.
65 million people have been exposed tohard-hitting media campaigns promoting
road safety.
Over 36,000 professionals have been trainedon road safety tactics.
Governments have committed more than
$4 billion towards infrastructure improvementsthat will make roads safer.

To help draw attention to this leading cause ofdeath and the need for preventive action, Bloomberg
Philanthropies helped fund the first World HealthOrganization study on the subject, called The Global
Report on Drowning: Preventing a Leading Killer. The
report is the first major study of its kind to look atdrowning deaths worldwide and their causes, and torecommend practical solutions that will preventthese needless deaths.

Bangladesh
As part of the drowning
prevention program,
Bloomberg Philanthropies
is conducting an injury
and demographic
survey for 1.2 million
people in Bangladesh.

ENVIRONMENT

brazilCoral reefs are criticalto ocean preservation,
as they provide
protection and shelter
for many different
species of fish.

spotlight project  Vibrant Oceans  
The largest
philanthropic
commitment
to REFORM
INTERNATIONALFISHING PRACTICES

Philippines
Communities around theworld depend on local
and industrial fishing tofuel their economies.

Oceans provide food and livelihoods for 3 billion
people, and demand is expected to increase as theglobal population grows. But overfishing – taking
more out of the ocean than can be naturally replaced –is leading to a vicious cycle where fishers work harderand use more advanced technologies, but are catching
fewer or smaller fish.
Bloomberg Philanthropies is invested in reversing thistrend, because the degradation of our oceans is apotential public health emergency and can cause local
and global economic crises.
The Vibrant Oceans initiative, piloted in Brazil, Chile,and the Philippines, takes a multi-pronged approachto reform both industrial and small-scale fishing
simultaneously by:
Advocating for national policies that set commonsense limits on industrial fishing.
Working with local fisher communities toensure they have rights to their fishing grounds
and can create protected areas that help fish 		
populations recover.
Creating financial incentives to help communities
and industry transition to more sustainablefishing practices.

 Firsthand account“We fishers really depend on the seasas our life and our livelihood and believe that
this resource is the last frontier. Sadly,
it is dying today due to the abuse of illegal
fishing. The Vibrant Oceans initiative
empowered us and gave us a voice in every
step of project implementation.”
Susan Saco
President of the Peoples’ Association of Santo Niño
United Resource Protectors, at the Vibrant Oceanssite of Inabanga, Philippines

environment

15

Thailand
C40 member city
Bangkok has introduced
several infrastructure,public health, andeducational initiatives
to help fightclimate change.

spotlight project  Cities Leading on    Climate Change  Cities have a critical role to play in the effort toconfront climate change. The majority of the world’s
carbon footprint comes from cities, and city leadersusually have control over many of the biggest sourcesof emissions. They can take action immediately, andthey are.
From ambitious flood prevention plans in Dar es
Salaam, Tanzania, to new mass transit systems in
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, cities around the world are
acting to fight climate change, all while building
better infrastructure and improving the health andlivelihoods of billions of people.

16

Bloomberg PhilantHropies

Bloomberg Philanthropies is working to accelerate
progress in cities, including through support of the
C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group, a network ofcities working together to fight climate change andhelp spread effective strategies.
As the UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for
Cities and Climate Change and as Presidentof the Board of the C40 Cities Climate LeadershipGroup, Mike Bloomberg is promoting cities’ vitalrole in the fight against climate change. Supported
research, released at September’s UN Climate
Summit, found that if all the world’s cities tookaggressive steps to reduce their emissions, theimpact would be equivalent to a more than 60%
reduction in the world’s long-term coal use.
The newly launched global Compact of Mayors –the world’s largest effort by cities to reduce theiremissions and publicly track their progress – will
help demonstrate the role cities can play in
reducing national emissions.

spotlight project  Risky Business  Climate Risk
Assessment for the U.S.

The Risky Business Project, co-chaired by Mike
Bloomberg, Hank Paulson, former U.S. Secretaryof the Treasury and Bloomberg Philanthropies
board member, and Tom Steyer, retired founder ofFarallon Capital Management, released a reportthat reframes the way businesses and policymakers
measure the serious risks that the U.S. economy
currently faces from climate change. The reportfound that if the U.S. continues on its current path: Environment dispatch Delivering Solar-Powered Light to Off-Grid Populations:
Seven out of ten people in Sub-SaharanAfrica lack access to basic electricity.
That’s why Bloomberg Philanthropies
announced an impact investment in	Little Sun, portable solar-powered lamps
designed by artist Olafur Eliasson.
The lamps bring light and economic
opportunity to off-grid populations currently
dependent on toxic, CO2 - emitting kerosene
to light their homes.
 C40 Mayors Summit

Rising sea levels and storm surge will threaten
coastal infrastructure: If we do nothing, by 2030
climate change could cost coastal states
up to $3.5 billion every year in property losses.
Extreme heat will put food supply at risk:
Midwestern and Southern states could see up to
a 50-70% loss in crop yields – devastating local
economies and driving up the cost of food.
Climate change will impact the energy
production industry: Temperature extremes willaffect demand for air conditioning in the summer
and heat in the winter, increasing commercial
energy prices.
This is critical information for private and public sector
decision makers to have as they plan for the future.

The C40 Mayors Summit hosted in
Johannesburg, South Africa, brought together
mayors from cities around the world tocommit to new climate-change actions andwelcomed three new members: Cape Town,
	Dar es Salaam, and Nairobi.
 Shutting down more coal plants with the Sierra Club’s Beyond Coal Campaign
Coal is the largest contributor to America’s
carbon footprint and places an enormous
burden on public health.
The campaign has secured commitments
to more than 180 coal plants, and coalretirements have driven U.S. carbon emissions
to the lowest levels since 1994.

Even if you’re skeptical aboutclimate change, there’s nodenying that it presents majorrisks that no company, city,or country can afford to ignore.
Mike Bloomberg

environment

17

government
innovation

Los Angeles, CA
Mike Bloomberg
participated in aconversation about
innovation at CityLabin September 2014.

spotlight project  Innovation Teams  

Helping Capitalize
On New Possibilities
Cities are pioneering new approaches to many ofour most challenging social and economic issues.
To support their efforts, Bloomberg Philanthropies has
piloted an Innovation Team approach to help mayors
generate and implement new ideas, and to makeinnovation the rule rather than the exception in City
Halls. The results have been impressive:
New Orleans reduced its murder rate by 20% in
less than two years.

Atlanta, GA
Mayor Kasim Reed andthe Atlanta Innovation
Team moved 1,022
chronically homelessindividuals into
permanent housing.

Memphis reduced retail vacancy rates by 30%
along key commercial corridors.
Louisville redirected 26% of acute 911 medical
calls to a doctor’s office or immediate care center
instead of requiring an ambulance trip to theemergency room.
Chicago cut the licensing time for new restaurants
by 33% and more than 1,000 new restaurants
have opened.
Atlanta moved 1,022 chronically homelessindividuals into permanent housing, quickly
establishing itself as a national leader.
Given the successful pilot and growing demand forinnovation approaches from mayors worldwide,
Bloomberg Philanthropies expanded the program in
2014. The latest Innovation Team grantee cities are
Albuquerque, NM; Boston, MA; Centennial, CO; Jersey
City, NJ; Jerusalem, Israel; Long Beach, CA; Los Angeles,
CA; Mobile, AL; Minneapolis, MN; Peoria, IL; Rochester,
NY; Seattle, WA; Syracuse, NY; and Tel Aviv, Israel.

 Firsthand account“City Halls dedicate much of their time to dayto-day operations. It can sometimes be hard
to find the bandwidth to step back and solve
problems holistically, but Atlanta's Innovation
Team is helping us do just that. Atlanta's
Innovation Team brought this unique approachto two of my top priorities: homelessness
and customer service. Partnering with multiple
government agencies and community
stakeholders, the team helped create solutions
to substantially reduce the number of homelessin Atlanta, and revolutionize how city residents
access information.”
Kasim Reed
Mayor of the City of Atlanta

GOVERNMENT INNOVATION

19

spotlight project  Mayors Challenge    Goes to Europe  

Identifying andSpreading Bold Ideas

The Mayors Challenge is a competition that inspires
cities to generate bold, scalable ideas that improvecity life. Cities are uniquely positioned to generate
breakthrough ideas, but certain barriers like the lack oftime, resources, and staff bandwidth make it difficult.
By offering flexible funds for untested ideas, peer
networking, and skills building, the competition
provides a powerful set of incentives for innovation.
The first Mayors Challenge took place in the U.S. in2012 and in 2014, the Mayors Challenge expanded toEurope, where 155 cities from 28 countries applied.
These cities proposed new approaches to some ofEurope’s most critical issues, from unemployment toenergy efficiency to obesity.

 Government Innovation
dispatch  CityLab 2014, Developing   a New   Global    Net work for  City Innovators  
Aspen Institute, The Atlantic, and Bloomberg
Philanthropies brought together global mayors
and urban visionaries in Los Angeles for thesecond annual “CityLab: Urban Solutions to
Global Challenges.”
The multi-day summit in downtown Los Angeles
included mayors from around the world, architects,
artists, economists, urban scholars, and othercivic leaders for conversations about the ideas thatare making cities more livable and sustainable.
Thirty attending mayors also participated in a
Mayors Innovation Studio, where they discussed
tools and techniques to bring more innovation
to the public sector.

Barcelona, Spain received the Mayors Challenge
Grand Prize, supporting its proposal to use technology
to create a network of family members, friends, neighbors,social workers, and volunteers to care for at-riskelderly residents. Mayors Challenge innovation prizes
were also awarded to Athens, Greece; Kirklees, UK;
Stockholm, Sweden; and Warsaw, Poland.

Even if you’re skepticalaboutclimate change,
Innovation
involves
takingthere’s no denying that it presentsrisks
and trying new ideas,
major risks that no company, city, or country
which
doesn'toften comecan afford
to ignore.
easy to government.
Mikemore
Bloomberg
But
and more leaders
around the world areembracing the challenge.

Mike Bloomberg

20

Bloomberg PhilantHropies

Germany
Bloomberg Philanthropies
hosted 21 Mayors
Challenge finalists at
Ideas Camp in June2014 to help develop
their proposals
further and encouragecross-collaboration.

arts

Israel
A close-up of Mikeand Doug Starn’s public
art installation Big
Bambú: 5,000 Arms to
Hold You on exhibit at
the Israel Museum.

spotlight project  National Public    Art Challenge  

1,400 Cities Invited to
Apply for Grants

NEW ORLEANS, LA
Mayor Mitch Landrieu
has worked tomake arts and culture
an important partof his city’s economic
development plan.

Art can bring vibrancy and growth to communities,
revitalize neighborhoods, and make cities more
appealing to visit and live in. From the Dazzle Shipin London to Big Bambú in Jerusalem to We thePeople in New York City, Bloomberg Philanthropies
has supported public art projects around the world
to help enhance the quality of life in cities.
In 2014, Bloomberg Philanthropies launched the
Public Art Challenge, an invitation for U.S. mayors
to collaborate with artists and arts organizations indeveloping innovative projects that engage residents
and attract visitors. The program drew applications
from 237 cities across 45 states, along with Puerto
Rico and Washington, D.C.
The Public Art Challenge will grant at least three cities
up to $1 million each over two years to support
temporary public art projects that celebrate creativity,
enhance urban identity, encourage public-private
partnerships, and drive economic development.

 Firsthand account“In New Orleans, and in cities across thecountry, temporary public art is striking –it disrupts the urban backdrop, prompts
discussion, and encourages connection
amongst viewers. Artists use public spaceas an open platform to showcase – and spur –creativity. For residents, it breaks up theroutine. For tourists, it provides a unique,memorable experience and another reason
to visit a city.”

Even if you’re
skeptical aboutclimate change,
Publicart projects
play
there’s no denying that it presents
a majorvitalrisksrole
in bringing newthat no company, city, or country
energytotocities.
can afford
ignore.
Mike Bloomberg
Mike
Bloomberg

22

Bloomberg PhilantHropies

Mitch Landrieu
Mayor of the City of New Orleans and Chairof the Tourism, Arts, Parks, Entertainment
and Sports Standing Committee at the U.S.
Conference of Mayors

spotlight project  Creating cutting-    edge technology    at   cultural    organizations    around the world  

through Bloomberg
Connects, A digital
engagement program
Cultural institutions have world-class resources,
which technology can make accessible tomore people. That’s why Bloomberg Philanthropies
is supporting the development of state-of-the-art
technology, from mobile applications to immersive
galleries and other dynamic digital tools. ThroughBloomberg Connects, visitors can explore andengage with cultural organizations on and offsite.

Arts dispatch Cooper Hewitt CreatEs THE First Smart Pen for Museums
All visitors are equipped with an interactive
Pen to digitally collect objects on view
and access other elements on ultra-highdefinition interactive tables. The Pen enables
visitors to become designers with theability to create their own designs, record
their visits, and share them online.
 Gardens by the Bay Connecting Visitors
to the Plant WorldThe Gardens by the Bay mobile app uses
dynamic mapping tools and educational games
to encourage exploration of the vast collectionof plant life featured at Singapore's iconic
garden. Available in five languages – English,
Mandarin, Malay, Tamil and Japanese – theapp introduces basic science concepts andpromotes an understanding of urban designand environmental issues to both actual andvirtual visitors from around the world.

Bloomberg Philanthropies supports digital projects
at the American Museum of Natural History,
the Art Institute of Chicago, the Jewish Museum,the Museum of Modern Art, the Metropolitan Museumof Art, the Tate Modern, the Metropolitan Opera,
the New York Botanical Garden, and the Solomon R.
Guggenheim Museum.
The initiative expanded in 2014 to include the newly
re-opened Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum,the Brooklyn Museum, the San Francisco Museumof Modern Art, Singapore’s Gardens by the Bay, andLondon’s Science Museum.

You must digitize to survive,
and Bloomberg Philanthropies
is helping us do that.
Thomas P. Campbell
Director and CEO,The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Singapore
The Flower Domeat Gardens by the Bay,
one of the world’s
largest climate-controlledgreenhouses whereunique Mediterranean
plant life grows
year round.
arts 23

education

San Antonio, TX
Virtual college advisors
receive training on
effective ways
to offer guidance tostudents throughdigital communication.

spotlight project  College Access    and Success  Helping high-achieving,
low-income students
apply to and graduate
from top institutions
Many of America’s brightest students don’t apply tocollege simply because they lack access to the rightinformation and guidance, particularly students fromlow- and middle-income families who don’t thinkthey can afford a competitive college.
The College Access and Success program aims
to ensure that family income does not prevent talented
and qualified students from getting a great educationthat will expand their career and economic opportunities.
The initiative will help as many as 65,000 students
apply to, enroll in, and graduate from the top 265
colleges and universities.
The program works to:Provide one-on-one virtual advising to low-income,high-achieving students identified by the College
Board, ACT, and others.
Engage college and university presidents andleading experts to spur changes in higher
education policies and practices in order to enable
more of these students to enroll and graduate.

America is the world's greatest
meritocracy but we have much
more work to do and a big partof that work is making sure thatfamily income does not prevent
talented and qualified students
from applying to top colleges.
Mike Bloomberg

chapel hill, Nc
Virtual college advisor
Bianca Martinez is
helping high school
students realize theirpotential and apply
to top colleges.

 Firsthand account“Growing up as a minority was difficult.
I didn’t see or know many families of color andevery day seemed like a fight to prove I was justas bright as the other kids at my school. As afirst-generation college-bound student, I knew
very little of the college process. Despite thelack of knowledge or support, I applied to NYU
and I found my calling as a College Advisor
with the NYU College Advising Corps. I choseto serve as a Virtual Advisor to be a part ofsomething new and exciting. We are creating new
ways to reach more students through theuse of technology, which is so relevant to ourstudents’ lives. Video chatting is my favorite
way to connect with my students.”
Bianca Martinez
College Access and Success Virtual Advisor

education25

spotlight project Education dispatch  Teacher and    Principal Fellowship   Building Knowledge to Invest in What Works  in Education

Giving Teachers the
Resources they needto help students
achieve more

In 2011, Bloomberg Philanthropies launched thenational Fellowship for Teachers and Principals
program to help America’s most promising
educators collaborate, spread effective practices,and ultimately play a more direct role in shaping
education policy. The program now has 180 fellows
in 34 states and has emerged as one of the go-to
resources on critical educational issues such as theCommon Core.
In October 2014, 135 fellows gathered in New York City
to receive in-depth content and communications training.

New york, NY
The ratio of counselors
to students in lowincome schools is often
1:1000, limiting quality
interaction andsupport during thestudent’s college
application process.

Teachers, principals, and school
superintendents agree that better information
about what works is key to providing highquality education. Enormous amounts of time,money, and effort are spent on designing,authorizing, and regulating federal spending
on education with very limited guidanceon what actually works, under whatcircumstances, and for which students.
A report sponsored by Bloomberg
Philanthropies partner Results for America
found that by allocating just 1% of federal
education funds to evaluate education
program impact, that funding could be muchbetter informed and driven by evidenceof what actually works. By investing just a 		penny on the dollar, the Department of
	Education can build a rigorous system ofprogram evaluation that will improve education
outcomes for all.

founder's
projects

RwandaA training participant
at Sustainable
Harvest's Let's Talk
Coffee Conferencein February 2014.

spotlight project  FROM FARMER    TO ENTREPRENEUR  
Bloomberg Philanthropies partnered with Women
for Women International (WfWI) to support womenin Sub-Saharan Africa through access to training,education, and long-term economic opportunities.
WfWI’s program consists of a yearlong curriculumthat teaches women about economic, social, and civic
rights as well as health and wellness practices.
In 2013, Bloomberg Philanthropies expanded thiswork by forming a partnership with Sustainable
Harvest to develop the Rwanda Coffee Institute, an
NGO that works with women to cultivate sustainable,and profitable, local agriculture including coffee,
mushrooms, and honey. It includes the use of digital
tools, such as iPad software designed to help
women access training videos, connect with otherfarmers around the globe, and track progress.
“TEXT it” is a recent initiative that allows local farmers
with cell phone technology to communicate withlocal agronomists about problems affecting their crops.
Working with the national government and private
sector, the project provides women an entry point
to international buyers and helps further national
economic development.
This partnership with WfWI, Sustainable Harvest,
and the governments of Rwanda and the Democratic
Republic of Congo (DRC) is now working to train
40,000 additional women in marketable skills.
Sustainable Harvest will focus its efforts on helping
3,500 women farmers enter the global coffee tradeand deliver the highest-quality product to coffee
buyers around the world.

RWANDA
Asterie Mukangango
is a Rwandan farmer
and President of the
Nyampinga cooperative.

 Firsthand account“Asterie Mukangango, Rwandan farmer andpresident of the Nyampinga cooperative, is one of
the first trainees of the Bloomberg Philanthropies
coffee partnership with Sustainable Harvest andWomen for Women International. Thanks tothis training, Asterie and thousands of additional
women farmers gain access to coffeeagronomy best practices as well as training in
coffee processing, roasting, and tasting. Asterie
embodies the positive potential of investingin Rwandan women; she’s a mother andgrandmother who prioritizes educating not only
her family but also the younger members ofher cooperative, in turn strengthening
her entire community. She and her cooperative
members are able to support themselves
and their families and, as local entrepreneurs,
engage with the global coffee market.”
Ruth Coleman
Executive Director of the Relationship Coffee Institute28

Bloomberg PhilantHropies

Women in the Bloomberg Philanthropies program
receive basic training on their rights, financial
literacy, and health through partner Women for
Women International as well as specialized training
in jobs that are in demand locally.
Working with the national government andpartners, women harvest and export high-quality
coffee and benefit directly from coffee sales.
Through Sustainable Harvest, the coffee grown by these
women is exported to international distributors. It isalso currently served in eight Bloomberg LP offices
around the world and at Bloomberg Philanthropies
headquarters in New York City.

founder's projects dispatch Women's Economic Development in Africa A third-party evaluation of the women's economic
development in Africa program showed that it not
only helped women generate income and become
self-sufficient – it has had secondary positiveeffects on their health and also has impacted halfa million family members of program participants.
From 2009 to 2012, the percentage of program
participants in the Democratic Republic of Congocompleting prenatal care increased by 40%,and the percentage of in-hospital deliveries
increased by 55%.
In one Rwandan community, savings accounts
were opened by 2,380 women, amounting to$117,000 in savings over two years.
For every dollar a woman earns, sheinvests 80 cents in her family, demonstratingthat investing in women means investingin communities.

RwandaTogether with ourpartner, Sustainable
Harvest, Bloomberg
Philanthropies isteaching women coffee
growers methods
for quality control
and assurance.

founder's projects

29

Bloomberg LP

Brooklyn, NY
Bloomberg LP employees
and their families
cleaned and restored
Plumb Beach at Jamaica
Bay as part of coastal
resiliency andprotection efforts.

  Global    Philanthropy    & Engagement    program  Bloomberg LP’s philanthropy and engagement
program strives to serve the communities where
employees live and work. Through a diverse rangeof volunteer opportunities as well as Bloomberg
Startup mentoring and education initiatives,
employees assist neighbors in need, strengthen
their local communities, and inspire the next
generation of leaders.
In 2014, Bloomberg supported 1,200 nonprofitsin 28 countries. More than 7,300 employee
volunteers contributed over 57,000 hours of service
in 53 cities worldwide.

7, 300
STRENGTH IN NUMBERS

employee volunteers

CARING FOR OUR WORLD

53 CITIES
in 28 countries

2014 Highlights:
Approximately 1,700 Bloomberg employees
provided more than 8,000 hours to serve 118,600
meals with 55 nonprofit organizations fighting
food insecurity in 31 cities around the world.
Nearly 2,000 employees in 17 cities participatedin 130 local greening and stewardship projects
including park and river cleanups, and planted
over 16,000 trees.

1, 200SERVING A PURPOSE

nonprofits worldwide

100,000 beach grass stems were planted in
New York City (in Rockaway and Staten Island) as
part of coastal resiliency and protection efforts.
More than 750 employees served as mentors
in Bloomberg Startup, reaching 900 students in
17 cities around the world, in partnership with
50 nonprofit organizations.
More than 1,400 Bloomberg employees ran
or walked more than 14,366 miles to support
42 charity organizations.
1,421 units of blood were donated to 18
nonprofit partners, potentially saving over 4,200
lives and setting the company's record forblood donations.

57,000GOING THE DISTANCE

hours of service

spotlight project  Inspiring THE Next    Generation of    Leaders with    Bloomberg Startup  
New York and London

In 2014, Bloomberg LP launched Bloomberg Startup,
the next level of global education engagementthat leverages the company's history as a startup
and unique expertise as a technology company
to support academic achievement for youth.

United Kingdom
Bloomberg employees
participated in speed
mentoring sessions
with 130 students
from Petchey Academy
as part of Bloomberg
Startup.

32

Bloomberg PhilantHropies

Building on the commitment of more than 750
employee mentors globally, Bloomberg Startup
provides technical and leadership training toapproximately 900 students within the Bloomberg
nonprofit network by developing a series ofworkshops focused on the following key areas:
science, technology, engineering, arts, math,business, and college and career readiness. Startup
participants are immersed in the Bloomberg
enterprise, and students learn from and alongsidededicated Bloomberg mentors and subject
matter experts.
This signature program combines the company's
corporate strengths in technology and innovation
to create a one-of-a-kind experience and provide
access to opportunity for a network of students.
Developed in collaboration with nonprofit education
partners, the workshops aim to expose students
to training opportunities and experiences that will
broaden their perspectives and give them an edge
as they develop their college and career paths.

Bloomberg
Associates

MexicoBloomberg Associates is
working with Mexico City
Mayor Miguel Mancera tosolve long- and short-term
municipal challenges.

In January 2014, Mike Bloomberg continued
his efforts to revolutionize and support city
governments around the world by forming thefirst-ever philanthropic international municipal
consulting service – Bloomberg Associates.
Led by globally recognized experts and experienced
practitioners, the firm’s mission is to help mayors
and senior city government leaders positively impact
the quality of life of their citizens through hands-on
consultation across nine specific disciplines:
Communications
Cultural Assets Management
Marketing & Tourism
Media & Technology
Municipal Integrity
Social Services
Sustainability
Transportation
Urban Planning

34

Bloomberg PhilantHropies

The teams assist and advise municipal agencies andorganizations on developing best practices, building
consensus, and fostering key relationships. Associates
does not believe in a one size fits all approach, andtherefore, the goal is to develop tailored strategies that
help each city solve its own unique challenges throughinnovative, creative, data-driven solutions.
Working closely with agency counterparts, Associates
develops a specific scope of work in each discipline andworks hand-in-hand with each client city through allphases of project implementation – including setting
metric targets to track success and impact.
The philanthropic nature of the practice enables
Associates to have open, honest relationships withmayors and their teams.

Bloomberg Associates is able to set very specificproject goals that help each city focus on criticalmacro-level improvements, such as:
Enhancing the short- and long-term
quality of life of citizens

In addition, Bloomberg Associates aims to workwith cities where it can make the most impact throughhonest, direct collaboration and mentorship. It is
important to the organization's mission to be engaged
with an array of different cities geographically, in termsof population size, and in regards to the challenges
they face.

Creating economic impact
Promoting job creation
Ensuring lasting improvements
to governanceIn its first year, Bloomberg Associates successfullylaunched in four cities: Los Angeles, Mexico City,
London, and Kansas City. Looking ahead in 2015, thefirm expects to add an additional three to four cities.

Inter-agency collaboration within an administration
as well as engagement across multiple disciplines
is essential to Bloomberg Associates’ approach.
The firm believes having multiple touch points withsenior city government leaders can lead to faster
implementation, increased coordination, and longer
lasting positive change.

KANSAS CITY, MO
Bloomberg Associates
partners with cities
to build resources
and implement
programs acrossmultiple disciplines.

Bloomberg Associates

35

Bloomberg Philanthropies encompasses
all of Michael R. Bloomberg’s charitable
activities, including his foundation,
his personal giving, and his corporate
philanthropy. In 2014, Bloomberg
Philanthropies distributed $462 million.
© 2015 Bloomberg Philanthropies
Based in New York, NY

100%
post-consumer FOUNDER 
Michael R. Bloomberg Board of Directors
Dr. Tenley E. Albright
Emma Bloomberg
Georgina Bloomberg
David L. Boren
Kenneth I. Chenault
D. Ronald Daniel
Manny Diaz
Daniel L. Doctoroff
Fiona Druckenmiller
Patricia E. Harris
Walter Isaacson
Maya LinJohn J. Mack
The Reverend Joseph M. McShane, S.J.
Admiral Mike Mullen, USN (ret.)
Sam NunnSamuel J. Palmisano
Secretary Henry “Hank” M. Paulson, Jr.
Dr. Alfred Sommer
Sir Martin Sorrell
Anne M. Tatlock
Dennis Walcott

 Photography provided byAlex MaguireCollege Advising Corps
Doug and Mike Starn
Gardens by the Bay
Han Zhenhua – Tianjin Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Jasper Carlberg
Kuni Takahashi
Lievain Rcyaha – Sustainable Harvest
Moiz Husein
OceanaOffice of the Mayor – City of Atlanta
Office of the Mayor – City of New Orleans
Rarebloomberg.org@ BloombergDotOrg

Bloomberg Philanthropies@ BloombergDotOrg