Ideas We Should Steal

Letting Citizens Shape Philly’s Budget

South Bend, Indiana proactively boosted resident feedback in its budget season through its 311 line and by meeting citizens where they are. Could the same efforts in Philly create a budget that reflects residents’ priorities?

By Malcolm Burnley
Ideas We Should Steal

Manufacturers Paying for Recyclable Waste

In California, Colorado and other states, Extended Producer Responsibility laws help fund recycling efforts in underserved communities. Could a similar rule improve Philadelphia's trash problem?

By Courtney DuChene
Ideas We Should Steal

Educate Adults For Teaching as a Second Career

Philadelphia’s teacher shortage keeps getting worse. A long-time university president finds solutions from her own past, and from the UK, where a program has trained 850 professionals for new jobs as teachers

By Elaine Maimon
Ideas We Should Steal

The School Day When No One Eats Alone

Lots of kids feel socially isolated — especially at lunchtime. A national movement is working to change that, today

By Michaela Haas
Recap

What We Learned at the 2023 Ideas We Should Steal Festival

The Philadelphia Citizen’s sixth annual celebration of solutions was its biggest yet — with some of the biggest revelations to inspire you to make our city better in approximately a bajillion ways

By Lauren McCutcheon

Ideas Philly Has “Stolen”

Solutions that have launched in Philly as a result of The Citizen’s annual Ideas We Should Steal Festival

By Ralph Thorn
Ideas We Should Steal Festival 2023

The Ultimate Citizen Reading List

Catch up on the books written by this year’s Ideas We Should Steal Festival speakers — along with some of our all-time favorite tomes for anyone who lives in, or simply loves, cities

By Jessica Blatt Press
Ideas We Should Steal Festival 2023

Majora Carter Wants You to Stay in Your Neighborhood

The MacArthur “Genius” has a solution to the problems facing low opportunity communities: Treat them like struggling companies

By Roxanne Patel Shepelavy
Ideas We Should Steal Festival 2023

Reducing Gun Violence with Roca’s Molly Baldwin

Roca, a program in Massachusetts and Baltimore trains shooters to refrain from shooting by literally changing their minds. See the founder at Ideas We Should Steal Festival on November 17

By Roxanne Patel Shepelavy
Ideas We Should Steal

Becoming a Manufacturing Hub

Pennsylvania lags behind Ohio, Michigan and other states in an economy-boosting 21st century manufacturing resurgence. Drexel’s Metro Finance head lays out what PA must do to catch up

By Bruce Katz, Avanti Krovi and Milena Dovali