---
title: "To Do: Fund a Globally Competitive Smart-Cities Program"
summary: |-
  Congress should establish a smart-city pilot program and funding mechanism to spur the development of comprehensive smart-city services that leverage the Internet of Things.
date: "2017-10-30"
issues: ["Data Innovation"]
content_type: "Knowledge Base Articles"
canonical_url: "https://itif.org/publications/2017/10/30/to-do-fund-a-globally-competitive-smart-cities-program/"
---

# To Do: Fund a Globally Competitive Smart-Cities Program

# Recommendation

Congress should authorize and fund development of a globally competitive smart-cities program.

# Details

The United States is missing an opportunity to be a global leader in smart cities—cities that rely on networked sensors and data technologies to drive decision-making and improve municipal services and infrastructure, including transportation, due in part to a lack of federal support or guidance. Though the Department of Transportation launched a smart city pilot in 2015, it was a one-off project and the country lacks any ongoing, institutionalized smart city development program. Congress should establish a smart-city pilot program and funding mechanism to spur the development of comprehensive smart-city services that leverage the Internet of Things.

**Keep reading:**

- Joshua New, Daniel Castro, and Matt Beckwith, “How National Governments Can Help Smart Cities Succeed” (ITIF, Center for Data Innovation, October 2018), [http://www2.datainnovation.org/2017-national-governments-smart-cities.pdf](http://www2.datainnovation.org/2017-national-governments-smart-cities.pdf).

---
*Source: Information Technology & Innovation Foundation (ITIF)*
*URL: https://itif.org/publications/2017/10/30/to-do-fund-a-globally-competitive-smart-cities-program/*