Philly Leader

On Thursday, June 15, 2023 the City of Philadelphia hosted the Operations Transformation Fund (OTF) Project Showcase at the Parkway Central Free Library. As the funding cycle for the OTF comes to an end on June 30, 2023, the 29 project teams displayed their work and shared the impact of this funding.

The Operations Transformation Fund was inspired by the rapid shifts City departments took to adapt their operations and continue serving the public during the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, the Office of the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) launched the OTF. The goal of the $10 million fund was to underwrite upfront costs of departmental efforts to reimagine and transform City processes to better serve Philadelphia residents.

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Mayor Kenney addresses audience at OTF Project Showcase.

Since then, two cohorts have been funded. A total of 29 creative and innovative projects were made possible through the OTF. In addition to funding, project teams received direct support and technical assistance from CAO for navigating administrative processes. The OTF cohorts met regularly, working collaboratively through challenges and sharing successes. Project teams tracked progress toward implementation each month on the public-facing OTF Project Dashboard.

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City officials and the program speakers pose together for a photo. (Left to right: Hannah Louie, Program Officer – Operations Transformation Fund, Mayor Jim Kenney, Stephanie Tipton – Chief Administrative Officer, Sara Hall – Digital Services Director)

The OTF Project Showcase kicked off with speaking remarks from City officials, including: Mayor Kenney, Chief Administrative Officer Stephanie Tipton, Digital Services Director Sara Hall, and the OTF Program Officer Hannah Louie. The speakers remarked on the various impacts of the OTF. They shared enthusiasm for project teams’ ability to work cross-departmentally with sustainability, equity, and resident engagement as core priorities. The process improvements, increased accessibility, and human-centered approach of the OTF will transcend the current administration and benefit the City for years to come.

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Guests interacting with project teams at their project display tables.

Attendees were then invited to explore and interact with the 29 project teams set up throughout the Library’s 4th floor. Each team displayed information, answered questions, and shared stories and experiences. Some displays included posters, visualizations on computer monitors, handouts, photographs, and demonstrations. The Telehealth Service Expansion team even brought in a mobile telehealth unit for visitors to interact with.

The OTF Project Showcase, like the OTF cohort process itself, brought City employees together – in some cases, for the first time due to hybrid work schedules! The Showcase was also a chance for community members and residents to see “behind the curtain” of municipal government and the understand the impact the OTF has had.

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Guests chat with project teams at their project display table.

Learn more about the individual projects by visiting the OTF Project Dashboard. A full report of the OTF impact will be available later this year.

Original source can be found here.