Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower.

-Apple CEO Steve Jobs

World Creativity and Innovation Week is April 15-21.  Founded in 2001, this week brings together people from more than 50 countries and from businesses, schools, associations, nonprofit organizations, and communities to celebrate creativity and innovation (http://wciw.org/wciw-2015/).  

Practicing creativity generates much personal benefit, and also has many benefits to local governments.  It creates an environment for finding better ways to solve local issues and improve services and can be a driving force in helping communities advance.  In this blog post I highlight 5 communities that exemplify the vision of World Creativity and Innovation Week.

1. Catawba County, North Carolina, has received a local government innovation award from Alliance for Innovation’s annual awards program for the county’s Public Health Farmers Market.  In partnership with the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program, Catawba County is increasing access to fresh fruits and vegetables by providing supplemental vouchers to the WIC food benefits during the summer months.
2. The city of London, Ontario, collaborated with students to build a web resource, named Your London Calling, to connect with the approximately 50,000 post-secondary students living in the city. This program encourages students to engage and embrace the Ontario community. Kate Graham, the manager of the city’s corporate initiatives, states, ““If they [students]  love the amenities of the London community, they are much more likely to want to start their business and settle here.”  
3. Assistant Village Manager Rebecca Van Ragenmorter, Bayside, Wisconsin, writes how this small community is promoting and embracing an innovative culture.
4. Evanston, Illinois, developed an online water management tool that allows its water customers to monitor their utility accounts and water usage in real time.  This innovative tool helps citizens recognize that Issues like a “running” toilet can waste more than 200 gallons of water a day and cost customers up to $60 on their monthly bills.  The tool not only saves its citizens money but also promotes water conservation!
5. This blog post from the ICMA Center for Management Strategies describes how Encinitas, California, is engaging and empowering its citizens to update their city’s housing plan in this innovative housing exercise.

To explore other innovations, check out the Knowledge Network Innovation topic.

What innovative solutions has your community developed lately? Please share your stories below.

Douglas Shontz

Knowledge Network Intern