Bloomberg Philanthropies Mayors Challenge: Vizag wins USD 1M grant for climate resilience
The city was selected as one of 24 winners from a competitive pool of more than 630 cities worldwide, placing it on the global climate innovation map.
By - Newsmeter Network
File Photo
Visakhapatnam: Visakhapatnam has won a USD 1 million grant under the prestigious Bloomberg Philanthropies 2025–2026 Mayors Challenge for its citizen-driven climate resilience initiative, Vizag–Prajamukhi Urban Living Lab (V-PULL).
The city was selected as one of 24 winners from a competitive pool of more than 630 cities worldwide, placing it on the global climate innovation map.
V-PULL model earns Global Recognition
The V-PULL initiative, developed by the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC), focuses on mitigating the impacts of floods, cyclones, and extreme heat through a participatory and hyperlocal governance framework.
The model integrates community engagement, ward-level consultations, and data-driven tools to build climate resilience at the grassroots level. It emphasizes citizen participation as a core pillar of urban disaster preparedness and climate adaptation.
From seed funding to global winner
In the initial phase of the Mayors Challenge, GVMC was shortlisted among the top 50 finalists and received USD 50,000 in seed funding along with technical assistance.
Using this support, the civic body piloted several interventions, including structured ward-level meetings, testing of hyperlocal sensing systems, and deployment of data-based decision-making tools.
These measures strengthened coordination between residents and municipal departments, establishing an effective bottom-up governance mechanism.
Grant to strengthen disaster preparedness
GVMC Commissioner Ketan Garg described the recognition as a proud moment for the city.
“Being selected as a winner of the Bloomberg Philanthropies 2025–2026 Mayors Challenge is a great honour for GVMC. This recognition strengthens our belief that cities can lead transformative change when innovation is grounded in citizen participation and field-tested solutions,” he said.
He added that the USD 1 million grant will be used to expand the V-PULL model to more wards, enhance disaster preparedness systems, and further institutionalize community-led governance practices.
A global platform for urban innovation
The Mayors Challenge was launched by Michael R. Bloomberg, Founder of Bloomberg Philanthropies and former Mayor of New York City, to encourage bold, innovative solutions by city governments to tackle pressing urban issues.
With this win, Visakhapatnam joins a global platform of leading cities recognized for climate innovation, marking a significant milestone in its journey toward resilient and citizen-centric urban governance.
