Tech & Data

One State’s Grant Management Breakthrough

With the One Stop portal, organizations in Massachusetts can apply for economic development grants across three agencies, and grant administrators can more easily manage programs and ensure regional equity.

Feds Seek Input on How to Create Semiconductor Hubs

The Commerce Department wants stakeholders’ “best ideas” for new research and manufacturing hubs for computer chips that could transform communities nationwide.

Report: Increased Remote Work for Many Governments Also Raises Cyber Risks

Roughly one-third of government employees believe “their actions don’t matter when it comes to security,” according to a new survey.

Broadband Equity Means Access and Adoption, Not Just Infrastructure Rollouts

Governments should not just install new infrastructure but ensure residents can take advantage of the access, experts say.

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Eliminate Manual Processes Route and Approve Invoices from Anywhere

Today’s finance teams carry a heavy burden, supporting everything from growth strategies to long-term planning – all while continuously delivering monthly and quarterly numbers and keeping cash flowing. But even as demands on finance departments grow, many still spend excessive time using paper, spreadsheets, and e-mails to process vendor invoices, approvals, and payments.

National Cyber Strategy ‘Promising’ for State, Local Governments

While some groups applauded the Biden administration’s pledge to prioritize cybersecurity and help small governments fight attacks, others said more technical assistance and federal funding is needed.

Criminal Justice Algorithms Still Discriminate

COMMENTARY | Proponents of algorithms as a solution to bias in criminal justice systems say they're dispassionate. "But algorithms can discriminate."

White House Pitches $1.6B in Anti-fraud Funding

The anti-fraud proposal includes funds to modernize state governments’ benefits systems, identity verification and data analytics capabilities.

One State's Plan To Amass Homelessness Data

To target services and funds aimed at reducing and preventing homelessness, California’s data sharing platform allows state and local leaders to coordinate services, policies and programs.

Data-Based Decision-Making Is Flawed When the Data Is Flawed

There are many reasons the quality of state and local data can be poor. Using that information can lead to unfortunate results.

Look for Fraudsters to Apply COVID-era Tricks to New Programs

The pandemic laid bare state and local governments’ vulnerability to fraud, and agencies must lean into data-sharing technology to keep up defenses, an expert advises.

Demand Heats Up for Grants Management Solutions

With state and local entities having to track extraordinary numbers of grants, thanks to unprecedented amounts of pandemic-related federal funding, the search for software that can simplify grants management is on.

How State Legislators Tweet

An analysis of tweeting habits found that women lawmakers tweet more often than their male counterparts. Experts have a few ideas as to why that is.

Cyber Training Expands to Local Leaders

The National Cybersecurity Center will offer the training every two years, and push local governments to take advantage of free resources and information-sharing.

VR Map Tracks ‘Silent Killer’ of Extreme Heat

A 3-D map of Washington, D.C., overlaid with temperature data illustrates urban heat islands and shows neighborhoods that are most at risk.

The Worker Shortage Is Real. Could Tech Help Governors Close Gaps?

Business leaders pointed to high-tech job training and tools like artificial intelligence as possible solutions to the historic shortage of workers.

Digitized ID Eases Re-entry for Formerly Incarcerated

To streamline the re-entry process for released inmates, the Maryland Re-Entry Passport program launched an online portal that stores digitized copies of personal documents.

‘Whole Nation’ Effort Needed to Build Broadband Workforce

Federal investment could mean the creation of up to 150,000 broadband-related jobs, but state and local leaders must build robust apprenticeship programs and commit to diversity to make it happen.

State Looks to ‘Unconventional’ Tactics to Find Talent

The Indiana Office of Technology eliminated degree requirements for most jobs in 2019, and now it uses a work-based learning apprenticeship program to reskill employees keen to learn IT.

Machine Learning Maps Location of Lead Pipes

An open-source map will help communities find and remove pipes faster.

In Search of Cheap Power and Land, Crypto Companies Look to Nebraska

Cryptocurrency is carving itself a home in rural Nebraska, bringing with it both jobs and an enormous demand on the state’s electrical grid. Critics say it could be cause for environmental concern.