Bloomberg Philanthropies on Wednesday announced Denver as one of 30 U.S. cities selected to participate in a new program designed to help them recover from the coronavirus pandemic and ensure cities’ budget crises do not disproportionately impact vulnerable populations and communities of color.

Two other Colorado cities, Fort Collins and Pueblo, were also picked for the program. 

Nearly 90% of cities, including Denver, are bracing for revenue losses in the wake of COVID-19. U.S. cities are estimated to lose a combined $360 billion in revenue over the next three years, with more than half expected to slash public safety spending and more than a quarter planning for layoffs, according to a survey conducted by the National League of Cities and the U.S. Conference of Mayors. 

Bloomberg’s new City Budgeting for Equity and Recovery program is part of the organization’s What Works Cities initiative, an effort started in 2015 to invest in cities’ data-collecting abilities and solve “big” problems. The new program, valued at over $100,000 per city, will help mayors and their financial teams manage and spend federal relief dollars, responsibly budget, increase revenues equitably and incorporate an equity analysis into major budget decisions, including scalebacks. 

“Cities across the country are facing an unprecedented fiscal crisis. Revenues are down, demand for services is up, there is uncertainty about what support cities will receive from the federal government, and there are urgent needs around racial equity,” Michael Bloomberg, founder of Bloomberg Philanthropies, former Democratic mayor of New York City and former Democratic presidential candidate, said in a statement. “Through this new initiative, we will offer municipal leaders tools to help them navigate the crisis, setting a path more cities can follow as they develop their own recovery plans.”

City leaders will receive guidance from finance experts across the public, private and academic sectors, including Boston College professor Lourdes German and Marc Shaw, the chair of the CUNY Institute of State and Local Governance. The program will also include interactive workshops and “customized” support and technical assistance. 

Denver faces a $220 million budget shortfall in 2020 and is attempting to close a $190 million gap next year. Its financial strategy in 2021, similarly to what was outlined this year, will include budget reductions across most city agencies, including public safety, and mandated furlough days for city employees. 

“The 2020 and 2021 budgets are some of the most challenging in our city’s history as we face both the impact of a global pandemic and an economic crisis, including the disproportionate impact of they have had on our communities of color and First Nations people,” Denver Mayor Michael Hancock said in a statement. “I look forward to collaborating with Bloomberg Philanthropies and What Works Cities to not just withstand these crises, but recover stronger and more equitable than before.”

Other cities chosen for the program, which will run through Dec. 2021, are: Akron, Ohio; Austin, Texas; Birmingham, Alabama; Chattanooga, Tennessee; Chula Vista, California; Columbia, South Carolina; Columbus, Ohio; Durham, North Carolina; Knoxville, Tennessee; Lincoln, Nebraska; Madison, Wisconsin; New Orleans, Louisiana; Oakland, California; Peoria, Illinois; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Providence, Rhode Island; Rochester, New York; Salt Lake City, Utah; Savannah, Georgia; Seattle, Washington; Springfield, Illinois; Stockton, California; Syracuse, New York; Tacoma, Washington; Tampa, Florida; Toledo, Ohio; West Palm Beach, Florida.

“This program is the latest in Bloomberg Philanthropies’ continued effort to help cities use data, creativity, and collaboration to tackle their biggest challenges,” Simone Brody, executive director of What Works Cities, said in a statement. “With COVID-19 exposing the stark inequities that exist in our communities and the outsized impact that government decisions have on low-income communities and communities of color, city leaders must address these budget crises through an equity lens. Data best practices, innovation tools, and intercity collaboration will play a critical role in how cities build back stronger and more inclusively.”