What if there is an online platform for local governments worldwide to share their projects, innovations, products, and tools for other communities to learn and apply in their councils?
The LG Magazine shares the story on Lindsay Pica-Alfano global online site, Govlaunch, a platform where innovative projects could be shared in a standardized and digital format between local governments anywhere, aimed to increase local governments’ efficiency and productivity.
Alfano and her husband, both based in the US, put together this site using technology as a bridge between producer and user to address business needs, increase efficiency and productivity. The site is a product of her finance and technology background and her husband’s experience helping the public sector.
Alfano says that “Local governments are all tackling the same sort of problems, but there isn’t great communication between them.” As a result, governments operate in isolation and are forced to “reinvent the wheel.”
Problems like improving services, reducing costs, and making their communities better are common issues shared by local governments. Through the platform, they can share innovations and see what is working in other cities to apply to theirs.
Govlaunch is a platform where local governments can share innovative projects in a standardized and digital format.
The site expanded to Canada, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, and other countries outside the US. Almost 3 thousand projects are uploaded to the site, accessible and free to use by all.
New Zealand is one of its most enthusiastic users, who has already shared some 131 Kiwi projects on the site.
The projects are grouped and tagged into categories, like road safety, citizen engagement, and waste management for easy navigating on the site, saving a local government’s time when preparing budgets, presentations, and related tasks, allowing them to save some time.
A podcast added to the site is another venue where innovators from local governments can share their products, services, and projects. The site has been beneficial during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Projects and innovations are usually shared during conferences, but when people can no longer gather in person, they can still access the information through the site.
With access to the internet almost anywhere globally, information and knowledge sharing has never been easy and accessible.
Online platforms like this are an excellent way for local governments and communities to share ideas that could be replicated and make a difference in another city/town.
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