What is a Public Innovator

Many people do good work across the country in public life and politics, and yet a small percentage of these people stand out because of the meaningful change they are able to generate. These people are instrumental in creating community change, serving as engines for the public good.

At the Harwood Institute we call these people public innovators, and believe that they are one of the great untapped resources in this country. Public innovators are pragmatic idealists with a deep understanding of the reality of their community and a strong desire to imagine a path for a brighter future. Public innovators determined to make progress. They combine pragmatism and strategy with a willingness to take risks when necessary.

These leaders have learned to innovate from within whatever structure they operate. Public innovators also understand that real and sustainable change only occurs in a community over time, as the effects of civic actions ripple out and eventually connect with one another. Their knowledge of the community guides their strategies and helps them calibrate when it's time to push ahead and when to be patient.

Click here to find out if you're a public innovator