Building digital trust: An opportunity for local governments amid uncertainty

Year after year, the annual budget season sparks important public conversations for communities across America. This year, however, it is taking place against the backdrop of wider economic uncertainty. Executive orders related to federal funding and grants are impacting parks, libraries, museums, and research institutions in some communities.

In addition, new tariffs are raising the cost of raw building materials like steel and aluminum, lumber and appliances necessary for public infrastructure projects. Community leaders may need to revisit funding strategies and explore additional revenue options, such as tax adjustments, to address shortfalls and support future initiatives.

While local budget discussions can be challenging, they also represent a great opportunity for local leaders to address ways to build trust and support within their communities. With innovative trust-building tools, local governments can implement proactive communications and engagement strategies that help residents easily find the information they need and trust that their questions will be answered.

Building Trust With Digital Transparency, Proactive Communication

Now, more than ever, local governments have the opportunity to build public trust using resources that give residents ways to stay informed and get engaged.

Trust-building begins with ensuring residents get the answers they need, on their terms. For example, easy-to-use websites or apps let the public search for information, review meeting minutes, or track public projects at their own pace — empowering them with knowledge while respecting their privacy.

Fundamentally, any approach must consider the importance of information flowing both ways. It’s not just about answering questions, but also about proactive communication. Whether through websites, mobile apps, text alerts, or centralized dashboards, proactive communication helps demonstrate that leaders are transparent about spending decisions, policy changes, and community developments, even as budgets shift.

As a city council member in North Bend, Washington, I’ve seen firsthand how proactive communication can strengthen our ability to implement public projects and pass policies that require every community member’s investment. Communication is essential for building trust with constituents.

How to Assess Your Trust-Building Tools

First, talk to residents and find out what they’d like to hear more about, when they’d like to hear it, and how. For example, ask: Where do they struggle to find information or access services? Implementing community surveys or simple and frequent polling on community social sites like “Nextdoor” can also be an important first step and a powerful ongoing engagement tool.

Your local government website is often the first touchpoint for resident engagement, so consider investing in a tool that can efficiently audit your site to identify gaps in accessibility. A recent CivicPlus report found that only 43% of residents describe their local government website as very or extremely easy to navigate. 

Accessibility is especially important to address in light of the incoming U.S. Department of Justice rule requiring state and local governments to ensure that their web content and mobile apps are accessible to individuals with disabilities. By prioritizing accessibility, we build trust and ensure each member of the community remains informed regardless of age, income, or ability.

Next, assess which additional trust-building resources might help meet your community’s needs, from user-friendly issue-reporting and tracking tools to mass notification systems. According to a recent survey question posed to 5,020 Americans, 64% of residents said it was essential for local governments to provide a non-emergency reporting app, and 69% supported using tax dollars for this purpose.”

Proactive communication and making information accessible also benefit local public leaders. Any public official knows what it feels like to be approached in the grocery store by a friend or a neighbor asking for an update on a project. Tools that build public trust give leaders the resources and information to tell their constituents a unified story that answers their questions.

Recognize the ROI of Trust-Building Tools 

Communities across the country are modernizing their digital infrastructure and, in the process, improving public trust. CivicPlus found that residents who rate their municipal website as extremely or very easy to navigate report significantly higher levels of trust in their local government — 88% compared to just 45% among those who find their website difficult to use.

However, digital infrastructure projects can be expensive and take time to implement. That’s why assessing and recognizing the potential return on investment to staff and policymakers is vital. It saves staff time and money when residents can easily find information, request services, or check the status of projects and service requests themselves. 

Policymakers gain greater resident trust, which is necessary to galvanize support for capital projects, bond measures, and even volunteering. Once you’ve determined the ROI for your tool, include it in your proposals to fund improvements and communicate potential benefits to the public.

Focus on empowering people with important facts about proposed projects or initiatives. This kind of consistent, open communication not only improves resident trust and satisfaction but also encourages deeper engagement between residents and their local leaders.

Ultimately, trust is the currency of local governance. Without it, even the most well-intentioned public initiatives and projects can falter, especially when local governments feel the pressures of economic uncertainty. Whatever the future brings, proactive, transparent, and accessible communication can build the trust we need to navigate change and build flourishing communities. Now is the time to start.

Brenden Elwood is vice president of market research at CivicPlus and a city council member in North Bend, Washington.