United States
Pete Buttigieg
102,245 (2017)
Denise Linn Riedl (current), Santiago Garces (at time of 2018 survey)
Improve service delivery
Improve resident outcomes
Improve internal government operations
Dedicated funding
Focus on measurement
Dedicated innovation team
Leadership from Mayor
Culture of innovation in city
Support from outside city administration
South Bend has developed a comprehensive approach to problem solving through its SBStat program. Each quarter a department chooses one high priority topic to workshop with the innovation team. The innovation team reviews both soft and hard data to deeply understand the problem and build recommendations. The innovation team also brings the central administration into the process such as the legal, human resources, and IT departments as these departments often play a role in supporting the program.
Note: The City Innovation Snapshot (PDF version) was produced in 2019 and some aggregate findings have been updated with the latest survey results below.
Along with 50% of cities surveyed, South Bend has an explicit innovation strategy. Similar to more than half of cities surveyed, South Bend approaches innovation capacity both from a holistic/macro level, as well as in specific policy areas.
South Bend has a dedicated office for innovation with 17 staff. Until 3 years ago, innovation capacity was based in the Mayor’s office and consisted of a much smaller team.
Taking risks or testing new ideas
Data-driven analytics/public data management
Engaging residents in new ways
Developing new solutions based on digital technologies
Organizational change within the municipality
Human-centered design
Rethinking your city’s approach to financing partnerships
Like 81% of cities surveyed, South Bend has dedicated funding to support innovation capacity.
South bend also invests in digital services and physical infrastructure, and pays for services from a third party.
South Bend has developed partnerships to promote its innovation capacity internally within the city’s administration, other levels of government, public agencies, private firms, not-for-profit organizations, and city residents/resident associations.
The city has also fostered partnerships with academia/think tanks, philanthropy, and other cities.