The Next Great City initiative is dedicated to creating a positive future for Philadelphia by advocating for common sense, cost effective policies that enhance environmental quality, strengthen neighborhoods and increase or economic competitiveness.

Philadelphia is on its way to becoming the country's Next Great City. Philadelphia's downtown has seen the strongest retail, tourism and residential growth in a half century. Housing markets that were stagnant are now moving again and, for the first time in decades the number of Philadelphia building permits exceeded that of some of its suburban neighbors. Blight that had advanced unchecked for decades is on the run, more than 3,000 lots have been cleaned and greened and 100,000 abandoned cars have been removed. Philadelphia, however, cannot become a great city by fighting blight and strengthening our downtown alone. To become a great city, all of Philadelphia's neighborhoods must be good, safe and healthy places to live and work served by an efficient, effective city government.

Funded by the William Penn Foundation and made up of community, public health, environmental and civic organizations, the Next Great City initiative came together in the fall of 2005 to address the environmental and public health issues that are harming Philadelphia’s economy and quality of life.