Mayors in 5 Cities Get Grants From Bloomberg Fund

New York mayor Michael R. Bloomberg’s family foundation has awarded a collective $24-million to five other mayors seeking innovative solutions to issues in their home cities, writes the Associated Press.

The mayor announced the awards Thursday in Atlanta, which will share the money with Chicago, Louisville, Ky., Memphis, and New Orleans. Mr. Bloomberg said urban chief executives “are uniquely positioned to tackle some of our most pressing challenges” and his Mayors Project will help them share ideas and spread effective programs.

The five mayors, all in their first 18 months of office, outlined a variety of projects they will support with the money, such as improving constituent service, boosting exports, and reducing handgun violence.

The grants will cover salaries for teams operating outside of city halls to manage programs and measure success.

Mr. Bloomberg is one of the nation’s most-generous donors. He ranked No. 2 on The Chronicle’s most recent list of top philanthropists.