Strategic proximity: Bologna’s Neighborhood Labs

Bologna’s Neighborhood Labs (Laboratori di Quartiere) are the bedrock of the city’s participation network. They represent both physical spaces and permanent processes of participation and collaborative governance conducted at the district level. They are supported by the Urban Innovation Foundation (Fondazione per l’Innovazione Urbana, or FIU), instituted by the municipality and the University of Bologna. Neighborhood Labs aim to channel and catalyze processes for collaboration between citizens, the local government, relevant stakeholders and multiple funding agencies. The FIU’s centralized staff provides technical and strategic support that allows Neighborhood Labs to facilitate participatory budgeting, collaboration agreements between citizens and the municipality and other co-creative policymaking processes.