BasicGov / BLOG

Government 2.0, also called Gov 2.0 and e-government, essentially gives easier access to government information.

There are many benefits of Gov 2.0 from more citizen engagement, paperless office, faster processing, and better service with added convenience.

Examples of Gov 2.0 and greater citizen participation include blogging and web portals.

1. Blogging to communicate with citizens

• Montgomery County, Maryland, Division of Solid Waste has a blog titled “Talkin’ Trash“

• The government of Rhode Island has a media center on their portal, including a place where you can read state agency blogs

• EPA.gov has established blog writing and blog commenting guidelines, which include sample blog posts

• To read tips for starting a government agency blog, click here

2. Web portals for citizen services such as

• Submit building plans for permits and check progress on permit approval

• Apply for or renew business licenses

• Schedule construction inspections

• Report graffiti or other neighborhood complaints

• Click here to see citizen portal example

• To learn more about finding the right services for a citizen portal, click here for a down-loadable book

3. More resources

To learn about strategies and planning for Government 2.0 initiatives click here

Feel free to share your examples and resources …

You may have heard about the new Citizen Portal, and are wondering what it would take to implement this for your city.  If you are already using BasicGov’s other modules, then this is simply an add-on to your existing system.  Our Implementation Team works with you to determine what kind of requests you would like to receive online: Permits and Inspection Requests, Complaints, Planning Applications, and/or License Applications.  We configure the Portal to show this information, and we configure the Portal with your city logo, header information, and messages.  We then review the configured Portal with you, to make sure it captures the information you want your citizens to see.

This is a fast and easy process, and when it is done, we work with you to develop a rollout plan that works for your city.  You may choose to roll out the Portal to a few developers or citizens, before rolling out the Portal to your full user community. Or you may decide to roll it out immediately to the full user community.  In either case, we work with you to complete the implementation process, train your users on how to review the Portal information in BasicGov, and support you as your citizens begin using the Portal.

We’ll update our community as we roll out Citizen Portals including best practices and tips.  Watch for more information.