March, 2024

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How to prevent ideas from getting lost in translation

GCN

Policy researchers and government administrators often seem like they’re speaking different languages. A new book aims to help experts communicate more clearly, so their ideas can have real-world impacts.

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Federal Government Made $236 billion “Improper Payments” Last Fiscal Year

GAO (US Government Accountability Office)

The federal government reported an estimated $236 billion in “improper payments” during the most recently completed fiscal year (FY 2023). Such payments are essentially payment errors that can be the result of many things—include overpayments.

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There are 100,000 fewer Election Day polling places in 2024

GCN

A major Supreme Court decision, a pandemic and localized issues have all conspired to reduce the number of physical voting locations. Advocates say that’s bad for democracy.

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How New Jersey’s new affordable housing law aims to ease the housing crisis

GCN

The new law lets municipalities know exactly how much affordable housing they have to build. It’s an approach that states are increasingly trying in an effort to pressure local governments to increase affordable options.

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A Look Inside the Minds of Government’s Most Innovative Leaders

Successful partnerships start with knowing what public sector leaders care about. This report spotlights global innovators shaping the future of public service by tackling real-world challenges across AI, digital identity, citizen experience, and data strategy. Their work reveals the priorities, pain points, and investment areas that are driving transformation.

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Why so many election officials are leaving

GCN

Some states are seeing high rates of turnover among local election officials, according to new research. It’s a troublesome trend that may have a silver lining.

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6 foundational capabilities you need for generative AI

AWS Public Sector Blog

Generative artificial intelligence (AI) is easy to use—and that’s what makes the technology so exciting. But it’s important not to confuse ease of use with effortless deployment. The value of generative AI is inextricably linked to the technology’s reliability and traceability, as described in our earlier blog post, Generative AI: Understand the challenges to realize the opportunities.

More Trending

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FOIA Backlogs Hinder Government Transparency and Accountability

GAO (US Government Accountability Office)

Each year, media outlets, businesses, and members of the public file hundreds of thousands of requests for government records on a wide range of topics—from consumer safety to national security. Their ability to access these records is protected.

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State and Local Governments Should Embrace the Geolocation Capabilities of 5G

State Tech Magazine

Research has shown that 9 in 10 companies worldwide use location data, and that use is expected to grow in significance over the next few years. However, geolocation data from telecommunications service providers is currently heavily underused. And while other sources of geolocation data, such as smartphone application data, are harder to come by after recent privacy policy changes, 5G geolocation data is only improving as the technology advances.

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SCP 202: Exploring Specialty Camps (Part 1)

Summer Camp Programming

SHOW NOTES In part one, Curt and Chris delve into the world of specialty camps and their significance in offering targeted experiences beyond traditional camping. They discuss the evolution and variety of specialty camps, from music and equestrian camps to coding, robotics, and even escape room camps, highlighting the unique opportunities these provide for children […] The post SCP 202: Exploring Specialty Camps (Part 1) first appeared on Summer Camp Programming.

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Private: Policy & Politics announces the 2024 winners of the Early Career and Best Paper Prizes

Policy & Politics Journal blog

We are delighted to announce this year’s prizes for award winning papers published in Policy & Politics in 2023.

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Local Government Tax Guide: 6 Benefits Businesses Will Buy Into for Compliance

In a survey of U.S. business owners, more than 64% indicated their local government’s online tax portal needs improvement. It’s clear that while business owners want to work with their local government to stay in compliance, many online tax systems do not enable them to do so effectively.

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How Pearson improves its resilience with AWS Fault Injection Service

AWS Public Sector Blog

Introduction Application owners are committed to developing new applications and enhancing existing ones rapidly as a top business priority. However, when it comes to mission-critical applications, whose availability is vital for business operations, owners must allocate dedicated time to design and rigorously test the resilience of their applications.

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Repair Cafes Are the Beating Heart of the Right-to-Repair Movement

Next City

Op-ed: Right-to-repair legislation is crucial to systemic change. But every item salvaged through America’s growing patchwork of local repair movements is its own victory.

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The U.S. Now Has a National Cybersecurity Strategy, but Is It as Strong as It Could Be?

GAO (US Government Accountability Office)

In February, Change Healthcare, the largest health care payment processer in the United States, was the victim of a ransomware attack that disrupted services across the country. The attack threatened health care workers’ paychecks, impacted the.

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3 Technology Trends That Improve Hybrid Work for State and Local Governments

State Tech Magazine

Whether an organization is hybrid or fully remote, having a digital-first culture and strategy for collaboration is a wise move for ensuring employees are able to do their work in any setting, at any time. This means prioritizing tools and technology that enable an agency to create a digital experience that is scalable, secure, reliable and cost-effective.

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Municipal Maintenance Guide: Inspections

Get this municipal maintenance guide that provides municipalities with a detailed and structured approach to maintaining city infrastructure. This guide outlines systematic inspection procedures and best practices, ensuring the safety, longevity, and operational efficiency of municipal assets. From roadways and bridges to public buildings and utilities, the guide covers all aspects of municipal maintenance.

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SCP 203: Exploring Specialty Camps (Part 2)

Summer Camp Programming

SHOW NOTES In the second installment of their discussion on specialty camp ideas, Curt and Chris share an array of unique camp themes, drawing from both their personal experiences and broader trends. They delve into a variety of specialized camp options, including cooking, survival, archery, scuba diving, music production, detective camp, and fitness camps, among […] The post SCP 203: Exploring Specialty Camps (Part 2) first appeared on Summer Camp Programming.

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The importance of feminist democratic innovations in policy and politics 

Policy & Politics Journal blog

by Paloma Caravantes and Emanuela Lombardo Democratic innovations in institutional politics are processes or institutions aimed at improving the quality of democracy beyond electoral politics.

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Karsun Solutions builds modernization platform using Amazon Bedrock

AWS Public Sector Blog

Summary Highly regulated enterprises and government agencies still maintain critical applications operating on legacy mainframe systems. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) published a 2023 report identifying critical federal IT legacy systems in need of modernization that were written in older languages, such as COBOL. According to GAO, reliance on older languages carries risks “such as a rise in procurement and operating costs, and a decrease in the availability of individuals with the

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The Music Industry Chooses Winners and Losers. Cities Can, Too.

Next City

By creating a robust music ecosystem policy, cities can incubate talent and launch new stars, Shain Shapiro argues in his new book.

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Empower Digital Government: Strategic Workbook for Modern Transformation

Digital transformation is reshaping government interactions, bringing agencies closer to the communities they serve. However, while many have adopted new digital tools, few have implemented comprehensive strategies to maximize their benefits. Our Strategic Workbook for Modern Government offers a step-by-step guide to developing a sustainable digital strategy.

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The U.S. Now Has a National Cybersecurity Strategy, but Is It as Strong as It Could Be?

GAO (US Government Accountability Office)

In February, Change Healthcare, the largest health care payment processer in the United States, was the victim of a ransomware attack that disrupted services across the country. The attack threatened health care workers’ paychecks, impacted the.

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States Improve Unemployment Insurance Systems with Cloud Solutions

State Tech Magazine

Anyone in Wyoming who’s applied for unemployment benefits is familiar with the state’s Department of Workforce Services. What they may not realize: The unemployment insurance system through which claims are filed does not run on infrastructure at DWS headquarters in Cheyenne but on an offsite Microsoft Azure Government data center. The DWS moved its UI system to the cloud in 2018 using federal funding from the U.S.

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Ep 31: Exploring Camp Traditions: A Rapid Fire Discussion

Summer Camp Programming

SHOW NOTES Hosts Kelie and Shauna, after a series of serious episodes, decide to lighten the mood by introducing a fun, rapid-fire segment focused on camp traditions. Utilizing a wheel to randomize selections, they explore their experiences and thoughts on a variety of camp traditions, such as the Apache Relay, family/parent days, awards for campers […] The post Ep 31: Exploring Camp Traditions: A Rapid Fire Discussion first appeared on Summer Camp Programming.

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Revolutionizing Local Government Recruitment: The Impact of Artificial Intelligence

Careers in Government

In the government sector, AI is rapidly transforming traditional recruitment practices, offering unique solutions tailored to the complexities of public service hiring. The post Revolutionizing Local Government Recruitment: The Impact of Artificial Intelligence appeared first on Careers in Government.

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7 Signs Your Local Government ERP Is Holding You Back: A Guide for Small Municipalities

Local governments and municipalities serving populations under 200,000 face distinctive challenges in delivering efficient and effective services to their communities. To overcome these challenges, many rely on Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems tailored to their specific needs. Not all ERP systems are created equal, and some may hinder progress rather than support it.

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Cloud incident response at UNSW with digital forensics powered by AWS

AWS Public Sector Blog

Introduction In the digital age, universities face increasing cyber threats that put valuable data at risk. The University of New South Wales (UNSW), a renowned research institution, is taking proactive measures to address this growing concern. By collaborating with Amazon Web Services (AWS) , UNSW aims to modernize its IT infrastructure and bolster its cybersecurity defenses as part of its cloud transformation program.

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Investigating stakeholder rationales for participating in collaborative interactions at the policy–science nexus 

Policy & Politics Journal blog

by Helena Seibicke Contemporary politics has become increasingly reliant on scientific knowledge. In evidence-based policymaking, science is invoked to address complex, ‘wicked’ problems.

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What’s the Status of U.S. Assistance to Ukraine? Our First Reports on Oversight Efforts

GAO (US Government Accountability Office)

The war in Ukraine has had devastating consequences—creating a humanitarian crisis, threatening Ukraine’s democracy, and exacerbating global challenges, such as food insecurity. Congress has approved $113 billion in response to the Ukraine crisis.

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State Governments Deploy Contact Center AI to Bolster Customer Service

State Tech Magazine

Minnesota’s Driver and Vehicle Services wants to improve customer service. The agency acknowledges that getting a driver’s license and other services there can be a drag for some, intimidating for others and seemingly impossible for non-English speakers. “From our community listening sessions, we heard loud and clear that it was hard to get services from DVS, but it was significantly harder if you didn’t speak English,” says DVS Director Pong Xiong.

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ASPA TIMES Magazine: Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

PA TIMES Magazine is a publication of the American Society for Public Administration (ASPA), a not-for-profit corporation. This edition focused on diversity, equity and inclusion in public administration, including guest columns, insights for the field and interviews with city government DEI officers about their work at the local level.

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Silly “Survival Kits” for Summer Camp Fun

Summer Camp Programming

Long ago, I discovered a charming concept of creating playful “survival kits” to give to friends and colleagues, bringing a smile and a moment of appreciation to their day. Recently, I stumbled upon my collection of these whimsical kit ideas, and I figured they were perfect for the challenges of camp life. These kits can […] The post Silly “Survival Kits” for Summer Camp Fun first appeared on Summer Camp Programming.

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Accepting Rejection As Part of The Executive Job Search Process

Careers in Government

The executive job market is an arena of intense competition and distinctive demands. The post Accepting Rejection As Part of The Executive Job Search Process appeared first on Careers in Government.

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How using cloud technology can help your organization meet sustainability goals

AWS Public Sector Blog

The right cloud technology leads to more sustainable IT and business operations. As a foundation for innovation, the cloud supports the delivery of sustainable products, services, and business models, and gives organizations the opportunity to transform themselves with sustainability at the core of their operation. Technology and sustainability were among the top 10 priorities of CEOs in 2023, according to Gartner.

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NEW SPECIAL ISSUE BLOG SERIES ON POLICY EXPERTISE IN TIMES OF CRISIS. BLOG 7: The challenges experts face during creeping crises: the curse of complacency

Policy & Politics Journal blog

Special issue blog series on Policy Expertise in Times of Crisis Ahmad Wesal Zaman, Olivier Rubin and Reidar Staupe-Delgado The policy literature has generally presented crises as urgent public threats with clearly demarcated ‘focusing events’.

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How Gilbert, AZ Prepares for the Future While Protecting What Makes It Great

A top-rated place to live, Gilbert, AZ struggled with outdated short-term rental management—low compliance, lost revenue, and growing administrative strain. By adopting the GovOS Tax & Compliance suite, the Town: Increased compliance from 40% to 90% Generated over $85K in new revenue Has a single digital system to manage tasks more efficiently With a centralized hub for short-term rental registration and enforcement, Gilbert balances tourism and community needs.