September, 2024

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The Urban Gardens Where Gender and Climate Justice Grow

Next City

In Ecuador, urban farms have long been a way to create sustainable access to food. But they’re also helping women flourish as gardeners and entrepreneurs.

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A look at the technology trends that matter most

McKinsey Public & Social Sector Insights

McKinsey’s latest analysis of 15 core technology trends points to a new “influencer” role for generative AI as well as growing interest in robotics and digital trust.

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Zero-Touch Provisioning Simplifies and Augments State and Local Networks

State Tech Magazine

Not long ago, a rural area of Cass County, N.D., faced flooding. Officials set up an emergency operations center to support volunteers who were filling sandbags to mitigate the damage. To connect the government staff operating the emergency operations center, the county’s three-person IT team dropped a switch into a remote barn and configured it automatically.

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Azure OpenAI now authorized as a service at DoD IL4 and IL5

Microsoft Public Sector

We're thrilled to announce that Azure OpenAI has been approved as a service within the DoD Impact Level 4 (IL4) and Impact Level 5 (IL5) Provisional Authorization (PA) for Azure Government by DISA, the agency of the US Department of Defense (DoD) that is responsible for the Provisional Authorization of commercial cloud offerings and their services, as well as developing and maintaining the DoD Cloud Computing Security Requirements Guide (SRG).

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A Guide For City Managers & CAOs to Achieve Operational Excellence

This guide addresses the unique operational challenges faced by smaller municipalities, such as limited resources, budget constraints, and diverse community needs. By leveraging digital tools, City Managers and Municipal Chief Administrative Officers (CAOs) can streamline workflows, enhance communication, and improve service delivery. The guide covers identifying operational challenges, choosing the right software, and implementing digital solutions.

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Governments should look under the hood to make sure their IT systems are safe from cyber criminals

American City & Country

Cities and counties should take a close look at their entire IT setup to ensure security against cyber threats, says Josh Koenig , co-founder & chief strategy officer at Pantheon , a website operations platform that offers tools that enable building Drupal and WordPress cloud-based sites with streamlined workflows, scalable infrastructure, and a fast, efficient content delivery network.

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TribalNet 2024: AI and Health IT Innovation Require Cybersecurity and Modernization

FedTech Magazine

Native American tribes and tribal agencies looking to benefit from artificial intelligence and advancements in healthcare IT must prioritize cybersecurity and IT modernization, according to CDW technology experts, citing a recent Indian Health Service implementation as an example. “IHS is planning for a new electronic health record, and as a part of this implementation, there will be some transition to the cloud.

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Leading from the inside out: Why CEOs must make time for self-reflection

McKinsey Public & Social Sector Insights

The authors of a new book on the journey of leadership explain why this era of unprecedented global change demands a new style of leadership—one that reflects the inner world of the CEO along with the needs of organizations and employees.

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Small-Town Tech: How Modest Municipalities Do More with Less

State Tech Magazine

The U.S. is a country of small cities and towns. A staggering 96% of all incorporated places had populations under 50,000 as of 2020, according to the Census Bureau. Of the nearly 20,000 incorporated cities and towns in the U.S., 76% have fewer than 5,000 people. All cities face talent shortages, a worsening cyberthreat landscape and the ongoing need for IT modernization.

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Pioneering Sustainable Urban Mobility: Detroit, Varanasi and Venice Lead Global Challenge

The City Fix

In the face of rapid urbanization, evolving mobility patterns and the looming climate crisis, the Sustainable Cities Challenge emerges as a pioneering initiative providing a catalytic approach to drive progress. Launched by the Toyota Mobility Foundation in collaboration with WRI.

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Cities and counties can take key steps to avoid costly ransomware attacks

American City & Country

It costs real money when the public sector gets hit with a ransomware assault. The average (mean) cost for state and local government organizations to recover from a ransomware attack was $2.83 million in 2024, more than double the $1.21 million reported in 2023. This is a sample of the data in the “State of Ransomware in State and Local Government 2024 report.

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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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Refresh & Secure: StarTech.com’s Guide to Your Next Laptop Upgrade

FedTech Magazine

A surge in laptop sales expected in 2025 will impact other workstation accessories used in offices and by hybrid workers. The surge will be fueled in part by the migration to Windows 11 from Windows 10 and Microsoft’s end of support for the latter, says John Mardinly, product performance manager for connectivity technology company StarTech.com. Agencies began clamoring for new laptops when remote work increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, but inventory was constrained due to supply chain issue

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$1,000 a Month Changed These Artists’ Lives

Next City

Op-ed: The results are in for one of America’s biggest guaranteed income programs, which supported 2,400 artists across New York state.

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An unconstrained future: How generative AI could reshape B2B sales

McKinsey Public & Social Sector Insights

With emerging technologies beginning to open a world of possibilities, B2B sales is on the brink of a transformative evolution.

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Backup and Recovery Systems Augment Government Cyber Resilience

State Tech Magazine

For William Mann, CISO of West Chester, Pa., a borough 25 miles west of Philadelphia, phishing messages remain a big challenge. In fact, although automated solutions block 85% to 90% of the threats, 1 out of 10 phishing messages still lands in employees’ inboxes, Mann says. Mann recalls a phishing email in late July that was sent to 34 employees, asking them to enter their Microsoft 365 credentials.

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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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Critical Materials Are In High Demand. What is DOD Doing to Secure the Supply Chain and Stockpile These Resources?

GAO (US Government Accountability Office)

Critical materials, such as titanium, tantalum, and tungsten, are key building blocks in many U.S. military weapon systems. They enable unique, high-performance combat capabilities. For example, titanium is a strong, light-weight metal that helps.

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Library’s Print Magazine Is a Community Must-Read! Here Is Their Secret Formula.

Super Library Marketing

Photo courtesy Cincinnati and Hamilton County Public Library I’ve signed up for a lot of emails from libraries. A few weeks ago, an email hit my inbox… my first from this library… that made me sit up. It was a link to a print news magazine called Words from Marion County Public Library System in Ocala, Florida. It’s been a while since I’ve seen a print news magazine from a library.

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How Cities Can Support Family Economic Security

NLC (National League of Cities)

The research is clear: economic security is one of the strongest predictors of long-term well-being for families. And yet, too many families with young children lack economic security and experience high poverty levels. This puts babies and toddlers at a greater risk of chronic stress, adverse experiences and poor health.

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A Community Program Is Transforming New York Schoolyards Into Climate-Resilient Spaces

The City Fix

In Brooklyn, one of New York City’s five boroughs, a new schoolyard features newly-planted native trees offering shade and bright playground equipment that sits adjacent to a track and turf field. Colorful murals celebrating the diversity of its Boreum Hill.

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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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Revitalizing organizational health in the care delivery sector

McKinsey Public & Social Sector Insights

The care delivery sector continues to navigate challenges following the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Meaningfully improving organizational health will be crucial to optimizing performance.

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Application Modernization Is Key to Augmenting Citizen Services for State Government

State Tech Magazine

State governments too often are stymied by the limitations of their legacy technology, and no where is that more true than with old applications. Application modernization can revolutionize citizen services, and governments can capitalize on the doors opened by application modernization to create a more efficient and effective citizen experience. In 2022, the National Association of State Chief Information Officers released a report, “Application Modernization Is an Imperative for State Governme

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Proof of Workforce Foundation and Careers In Government Inc. Launch Groundbreaking Partnership to Integrate Bitcoin into Public Sector Employment

Careers in Government

The partnership will focus on innovative strategies for attracting and retaining talent in the public sector. The post Proof of Workforce Foundation and Careers In Government Inc. Launch Groundbreaking Partnership to Integrate Bitcoin into Public Sector Employment appeared first on Careers in Government.

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Quantum Computing: Dissecting How, Why and When

GovLoop

Many students of high school biology learned about fruit flies: the tiny, winged creatures with red or white eyes that teach us about chromosomes, DNA, and dominant and recessive genes. It’s the study of genetics at a basic level. But to understand complex gene interactions — the kind of knowledge that leads to breakthrough drugs for infectious diseases, for instance — you need a lot more math, which humans and traditional computers can’t handle.

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Key Strategies for Public Works Employees to Embrace Government Software

In a rapidly evolving landscape, the integration of digital software into Public Works teams has become imperative. This shift presents an opportunity to transcend traditional approaches, unlocking new levels of efficiency, cost savings, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement. This eBook offers comprehensive strategies to navigate this transformation.

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The major challenges in government payment processes: Survey reveals critical inefficiencies

American City & Country

With local governments facing increasing pressure to modernize their revenue collection processes, the Autoagent 2024 Government Payment Processing survey presented to 2,500 government payment collections administrators and payment processing officials nationwide in July 2024 highlights the many significant challenges and inefficiencies plaguing current payment systems used by city and state governments.

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Ukraine Aid is Important, But So is Oversight of This Funding and Assistance

GAO (US Government Accountability Office)

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has caused a devastating loss of life, widespread humanitarian crisis, and other global effects. As of April, Congress has appropriated more than $174 billion to assist Ukraine. This includes funding to purchase missiles.

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Diversifying global supply chains: Opportunities in Southeast Asia

McKinsey Public & Social Sector Insights

Southeast Asia is emerging as a global manufacturing hub, presenting opportunities for logistics companies. Here’s a look at global trade flows in the region.

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How to Ensure Success with Application Modernization

State Tech Magazine

As government organizations embark on modernization journeys, it is imperative that they make informed decisions that maximize efficiency and deliver tangible results. Here are four best practices administrators should keep in mind as they tackle application modernization. Click the banner to learn more about application modernization.

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A Guide For Everyone: Accessibility & Inclusivity Inspection Handbook

Dive into this comprehensive guide to inclusivity and accessibility! This handbook equips you with indispensable insights and practical strategies to ensure every space welcomes all. Whether you're an inspector, designer, or municipal employee, streamline compliance with regulations while fostering genuine inclusivity. From detailed checklists to case studies, we cover every aspect, empowering you to create environments that prioritize accessibility without compromising service.

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AI governance: Ensuring artificial intelligence is a force for good

Open Access Government - Technology News

Seizo Onoe, Director, Standardization Bureau, International Telecommunication Union (ITU), highlights the importance of AI governance, discussing the reasons behind ensuring it benefits society positively Breakthroughs in artificial intelligence (AI) are changing how we think about the relationship between humans and machines and creating compelling new opportunities to advance sustainable development.

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Refresh & Secure: StarTech’s Guide to Your Next Laptop Upgrade

FedTech Magazine

A surge in laptop sales expected in 2025 will impact other workstation accessories used in offices and by hybrid workers. The surge will be fueled in part by the migration to Windows 11 from Windows 10 and Microsoft’s end of support for the latter, says John Mardinly, product performance manager for connectivity technology company StarTech.com. Agencies began clamoring for new laptops when remote work increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, but inventory was constrained due to supply chain issue

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2024 Update: Local governments are closing the financial gap for affordable housing developments

Community and Economic Development Program of UNC

Earlier this month, DFI examined how local governments in North Carolina have stepped in to make new affordable housing construction economically viable after a historic increase in construction costs and elevated interest rates. In 2023, local governments contributed nearly $30 million in soft loans to new construction projects funded by 9% Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC) — more than double the amount in any previous year.

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Think Child Care is Hard to Find? It’s Even Tougher for Children, Parents with Disabilities

GAO (US Government Accountability Office)

Year-long waits, cold calls that end in goose chases, and a lot of worry. While many parents struggle to find child care, parents of children with disabilities (and parents with disabilities themselves) often face additional challenges. For a new.

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The Ultimate Playground Inspection Handbook

Dive into the world of playground safety with this complimentary guide. It offers a detailed exploration of essential practices to ensure the utmost safety for children. Delve into inspection techniques, from assessing equipment conditions to evaluating surfacing materials. Gain insights into maintenance strategies to keep playgrounds in top-notch condition year-round.