For over 5 years, the Readiness Program has been a key event in the Smart Cities Council annual programming for North America.
The free event takes a ‘Collaborative Acceleration’ approach and reflects our approach of cities helping cities accelerate the implementation of their key projects.
“Instead of four or more years of planning, we work with the city to accelerate their planning by identifying needs, recruiting stakeholders, and scoping solutions – all with the goal of delivering benefits to its residents sooner with a larger range of solutions and better financing options.”
You win by applying
As an applicant, you gain access to Smart Cities Activator, the world’s most complete listing of upcoming smart city projects that make cities livable, workable and sustainable.
You win as a finalist
A representative from your city can attend Smart Cities Week to present your projects to a virtual global audience.
You win when selected as a Readiness Cohort Leader
Along with project acceleration, your city’s staff can earn the world's only Smart Cities Practitioner certificate.
The Readiness Challenge is a rolling process with new applications accepted each calendar quarter.
The criteria for becoming a Readiness Cohort Leader are:
Leadership - does the city share with other cities its learnings and experience from its own smart city projects?
Transparency - is the city willing to discuss difficult subjects and lead difficult conversations about issues that affect all of us?
Commitment - is the city committed to being a leader and helping other cities, regardless of their size, budgets, and location?
Willingness - is the city committed to leading a Readiness Cohort providing personnel, insights, and information about a shared problem.
Apply Now
Past Challenge Winners
2017 - Austin / Indianapolis / Miami / Orlando / Philadelphia
2018 - Birmingham, AL / Cary, NC / Las Vegas, NV / Louisville/Jefferson County, KY / Commonwealth of Virginia
2019 - Baltimore / Edmonton / Montgomery / Racine, WI / Cleantech San Diego
2020 - Brisbane, Australia / Nashville, USA / Orange County, USA
2021 - **To be announced soon**
The city of Nashville, TN - a Readiness Program Winner for 2021
The Council has been working with Metro Nashville and Davidson County to lead a Readiness Cohort addressing disparate impacts of urban flooding on residents, a common natural disaster in the United States.
Nashville is committed to developing programs and policies based on data that promote flooding resilience in vulnerable neighborhoods.
Working with the Council, Nashville will lead an effort to increase the use of data and analytics to inform local policy and program development.
Cities with a similar problem will join Nashville in activating beneficial action for urban flooding resilience and equity.
The process is simple –
Identify your most urgent needs.
Indicate your willingness to participate in a Readiness Cohort and possibly lead it.
Join with other cities to solve our most pressing problem.
Using Smart Cities Activator the world's only online collaborative planning platform - you can work virtually and safely in over 150 languages!
"The 2019 Readiness Challenge provided the City of Montgomery an opportunity for greater collaboration among our city stakeholders and partners. The Workshop provided a vehicle to share innovative ideas in 3 main focus areas including Digital City Services, Economic Development, and Education and Workplace Development and we will continue to work toward moving our projects forward."