Belfast has secured $1 million (approximately £750,000) from the Bloomberg Philanthropies Mayors Challenge 2025–2026 to transform alleyways across the city.
The funding will support a bold, community-driven programme designed to rethink how the council and neighbourhoods manage and improve shared alleyway spaces.
A Global Recognition for Belfast
The city was selected from more than 630 applications worldwide. It emerged as one of just 24 winning cities representing 20 countries and over 35 million residents.
The award is part of the prestigious Bloomberg Philanthropies Mayors Challenge, which supports innovative local government solutions that can be scaled globally.
What the $1 Million Will Fund
The funding will allow Belfast to redesign a core council service using a new collaborative model. Rather than relying on reactive maintenance, the programme will focus on long-term, sustainable community stewardship.
Key elements include:
- Local resource hubs
- Use of recycled materials
- Digital and data-driven tools
- Small grants to support resident-led projects
- A testbed approach to refine new service delivery models
The aim is to empower communities while creating a scalable blueprint for citywide improvement.
Community-Led Innovation at the Heart
Extensive engagement took place during the development phase, including:
- An online public survey
- Face-to-face engagement sessions
- A conversational AI agent presented as a wheelie bin
Residents expressed strong interest in shaping and caring for shared neighbourhood spaces. However, feedback also confirmed that every alleyway has unique needs.
The programme will therefore avoid a one-size-fits-all model. Instead, it will prioritise tailored local solutions.
What Belfast Leaders Are Saying
Lord Mayor of Belfast, Councillor Tracy Kelly, described the award as a major milestone for the city.
She said the funding provides an opportunity to place neighbourhoods at the centre of decision-making and test new ways of delivering council services.
The initiative will initially run as a pilot. Learning from this phase will help shape a longer-term, citywide strategy for waste management, environmental improvement and community stewardship.
A Message from Michael Bloomberg
Michael R. Bloomberg, founder of Bloomberg Philanthropies and former mayor of New York City, praised the selected cities.
He emphasised that effective city halls must be creative and proactive. The Mayors Challenge exists to support local governments in delivering bold, practical solutions that meet residents’ needs.
How Residents Can Get Involved
If you live near an alleyway and would like it considered for the project, visit:
- belfastcity.gov.uk/alleyways
To explore all 50 global finalist proposals, visit:
- mayorschallenge.bloomberg.org
This funding marks a significant opportunity for Belfast to reshape how shared neighbourhood spaces are managed. If successful, the model could influence urban service delivery far beyond Northern Ireland.
