About the Global Cities Initiative

In the aftermath of the Great Recession, the United States faces economic challenges that are both structural and cyclical in nature. At the most basic level, the U.S. needs more jobs—to recover those lost during the downturn and keep pace with population growth and labor market dynamics—and better jobs—to grow wages and incomes for lower and middle-class workers and reverse the troubling decades-long rise in inequality.

Launched in Los Angeles in March 2012, the Global Cities Initiative is a $10 million, five-year project of Brookings and JPMorgan Chase aimed at helping the leaders of metropolitan America strengthen their regional economies by becoming more competitive in the global marketplace. GCI is built on the concept that the global economy is a network of metropolitan economies which are home to most of the world’s population, production, finance, and sources of innovation. Combining Brookings’ deep expertise in fact-based, metro-focused research and JPMorgan Chase’s longstanding commitment to investing in cities, this initiative:

• Helps U.S. city and metropolitan leaders better leverage their global assets by unveiling the economic starting point of their communities on such key indicators as advanced manufacturing, exports, foreign direct investment, freight flow, and immigration.
• Provides these leaders with proven, actionable ideas for how to expand the global reach of their economies, building on best practices and policy innovations from across the nation and around the world.
• Creates an international network of leaders from global cities intent upon deepening global trade relationships.

In each of the initiative’s five years, Brookings and JPMorgan Chase will co-host a series of domestic and global forums in collaboration with local, metropolitan area leaders to drive discussions, build consensus, and catalyze action about best practices and strategies for regional economic growth. ‪ Using Brookings’ data-driven analysis and original research, metropolitan leaders will evaluate their regional standings on crucial economic measures and be exposed to best policy and practice innovations from around the world. Ultimately, GCI aims to foster an international network of metropolitan leaders who are committed to trade, invest and grow together.