Introducing the New & Improved Report Builder!
A crucial piece of feedback we’ve heard our local government partners repeat over the years is that they need to be able to easily share the data they see on the Zencity dashboard with stakeholders
A crucial piece of feedback we’ve heard our local government partners repeat over the years is that they need to be able to easily share the data they see on the Zencity dashboard with stakeholders
2023 has already proven an incredibly impactful year at Zencity. We’ve welcomed numerous new partner communities across the world, rolled out cutting-edge new features, including the first-ever use case of ChatGPT in local government, and
I recently had the privilege to represent Zencity at the Global Forum on Modern Direct Democracy, convened in Mexico City. By invitation of the Solonian Democracy Institute, and alongside delegates from 60 countries, I was
We all have our vices; mine is that I am a huge geek when it comes to technology trends in the public sector space (as far as vices go, it’s a pretty harmless one). One
I had the great pleasure of joining the chiefs of North America’s largest police departments. The Major Cities Chiefs Association (MCCA) winter meeting took place in Washington, DC from February 8-10th. At the meeting, we
If a new park has been built and no one knows about it, does the park exist? We don’t mean to get too philosophical here; the answer is obviously yes, the park exists. But if
A national survey conducted immediately following the release of the video of Tyre Nichols’ death shows US adults are split on improvements in policing; nearly half of US adults believe the death of Nichols will
In a recent press release the City of Greensboro Police Department announced the key findings of the first round of results from their Blockwise survey. The survey measures public opinion on police services, such as
In mid-January, the Clearwater (Florida) Police Department launched a new public survey to better understand residents’ trust and satisfaction with the department. The survey instrument, Blockwise, will allow the police department to holistically understand neighborhood
It’s a new year, which means our events team is hard at work and we’re keeping up with our New Year’s Resolutions (eat better when traveling to conferences, for example). We’re finalizing our calendar and
Law enforcement has become much better at utilizing data to make informed decisions in recent decades. Law enforcement relies on crime data to identify trends and deploy resources accordingly, to use in budget formulation and
In their paper, “The Responsive City Cycle,” Stephen Goldsmith and Betsy Gardner present a model of trust-building between local governments and their residents based on responsiveness. With the influx of billions of dollars in federal
A Cross-Client Analysis of Resident Conversations Following the recent record heat wave in California, and in support of our partner communities in the state, Zencity’s expert analysts analyzed the main discussion themes. The following data
A moment of increased scrutiny Immediately following the tragic murder of George Floyd in May of 2020, a cry for structural and meaningful change to policing could be heard across the nation. Law enforcement hiring,
To our dear community of partners in government – we have some big news to share. Today, I’m excited to announce Zencity’s new platform – Zencity 360 – creating a radically new way for local
Here are the top 3 benefits of getting involved in the Zencity Hall community, a free resource for the staff of our Zencity partner communities. Zencity Hall is a space created exclusively for leaders in
We at Zencity unequivocally stand with Ukraine and remain steadfast in our commitment to empowering the functions of democracy.
A successful federal grant application for local government requires a strong community engagement strategy.
City managers are in a unique position to help residents manage pandemic-related mental health challenges. Check out some sage advice from former city manager Lee Feldman on supporting residents and employees during these trying times.
At the recent Large Urban Counties Caucus (LUCC) there was a lot of discussion about the recent infrastructure bill and the American Rescue Plan (ARPA), including on how counties are prioritizing this federal funding.
From ICMA 2022 to NASCIO, here are the top local government conferences of 2022
We’ve put together 5 best practices for increasing digital community survey effectiveness and engagement to help local government make decisions based on residents’ expressed needs and priorities.
Where is resident satisfaction highest in the United States? We took a look at the cities with the highest resident sentiment—and why residents in these cities are so satisfied
We’ve acquired Civil Space and are thrilled to be adding the ability for cutting-edge, two-way, direct engagement between governments and their residents to our leading suite of community engagement capabilities.
Social media has the power to positively impact civic engagement. Our blog takes you through both the challenges and the successes of digital civic engagement and why it has so much to offer local government.
No matter which budget type your city or county uses, incorporating resident feedback into the budget process helps to better prioritize the allocation of funds, evaluate the success of initiatives, correct mistakes, and ensure the community as a whole is being served.
We identified five innovative cities and counties from across the country who are introducing new recycling and composting programs, or are engaging their communities on this topic. Read all about them!
Retired Police Chief David Rahinsky recently joined Zencity as our Senior Advisor for Law Enforcement Strategy. Following a year that saw almost unprecedented challenges for law enforcement and a 45% increase in retirements, we asked Chief Rahinsky to share his thoughts on the state of policing in 2021 and the role that measuring trust can play in the field. Read more for his observations.
San Diego – the 8th largest city in the US – takes a major leap forward to increase police accountability by teaming up with Zencity – and we couldn’t be more excited! Last week, San
Dive into the world of local government with these top local gov podcasts of 2021, with different perspectives on the inner workings of cities and counties.
Smart cities are no longer just about using technology to increase operational efficiency like optimizing traffic patterns, or parking management. Nowadays, it’s about leveraging communication and civic engagement technologies to bring residents on board with
Without a standard metric of success, performance management for local governments is a major challenge. Community engagement is the key to that standard KPI.
Incorporating equity into your strategic plan from the start will help you build a more just city. But to do so, you need better citizen participation.
Water conservation is more critical than ever, but many cities and counties are experiencing resident backlash to restrictions. Better messaging can help.
AI is just one game-changing technology that counties can and should be leveraging. There’s incredible potential for counties, in particular, to reap the benefits of AI in the context of community feedback, in order to help them operate more efficiently and be more effective and inclusive in the services they provide.
Law enforcement agencies are using social media to improve police community relations and trust. Here are the top trends that police departments are following to leverage Facebook and Twitter for improved police-community relations.
Local government strategic planning is complex. With these best practices, city and county managers can leverage community input for a simpler planning process.
There are many benefits to community policing for improving police-community relations. Could COP be a solution to systemic police reform?
I have some big news to share; wejust announced a $30 million funding round, making Zencity one of the biggest govtech SaaS companies out there.
With July 4th just around the corner and vaccine rates plateauing, local governments are adjusting their celebrations accordingly. Learn how community engagement platforms are helping guide their holiday celebration decisions.
Introducing a next level community engagement solution, combining AI-powered organic discourse analysis alongside representative, ongoing community surveys
From scratch-off lotto tickets to free booze, some of the best ways local and state governments are getting residents vaccinated
My residents are talking about the relief funding coming in; my community desperately needs this aid; how can I engage without creating false expectations?
Resident scrutiny of federal funding is higher than ever – making community engagement a must
Why it’s important to understand resident budget priorities – lessons from Lafayette, LA
Although American approval of police has steadily declined over the past 4 years, 2020 was a particularly challenging year for law enforcement agencies resulting in a widening trust gap between police officers and the communities they
As the US Covid-19 vaccination challenge shifts from scarcity to scaling, understanding what’s keeping some Americans from getting inoculated is proving pivotal for overcoming the pandemic and enabling local government leaders to make more informed
In order to keep businesses afloat, local government authorities, alongside residents and businesses themselves, are stepping up to fill the “time is money and money is time gap” in both traditional and innovative ways.
In response to the recent signing of the American Rescue Plan Act, we consulted with leading policy professionals in Washington D.C. to put together an overview of the ARP for the inspiring local government leaders who have been on the frontlines of this crisis.
It’s been over a year since the first cases of Covid-19 were detected, reshaping our lives, shattering economies, shutting down schools and small businesses, and of course, compromising the well being of millions. And although
Announcing the most inclusive and comprehensive community insights & analytics platform for local government and law enforcement agencies Get a first look at a first-of-its-kind civic engagement tool combining organic and proactive community input. Get in
We founded Elucd in 2016 with a mission to give public servants on the frontlines of local government the ability to keep a finger on the pulse of their communities — and make sure that
This month at Zencity we’re celebrating the Black civic leaders we have the honor to work with on a daily basis.
This month at Zencity we’re celebrating the Black civic leaders we have the honor to work with on a daily basis.
This month at Zencity we’re celebrating the Black civic leaders we have the honor to work with on a daily basis.
This month at Zencity we’re celebrating the Black civic leaders we have the honor to work with on a daily basis.
As a data analyst at Zencity, I’ve spent the past two months studying resident feedback from across the United States – in communities large and small – on how vaccines are being locally distributed. The
Originally written for ELGLs Morning Buzz By all accounts, 2020 was a rough year for local governments, their employees and service providers. Although it spurred a lot of innovation, many local governments found themselves on
2020 required a new approach to conferences, events and summits, with many moving to the virtual realm thanks to COVID-19. With 2021 just ahead, we’re here to help with your conference planning! We’ve done the
Now is the time for local governments to overcome the trust gap by combatting Covid-19 vaccination misinformation in their communities
One of the most strategic relationships in local government is that between a City or County Manager and their council. Oftentimes, these stakeholders are faced with a common occurrence, called the STP. This STP is
Yelp’s recently released Economic Impact Report found that between March and August of this year, an estimated 163,735 U.S. businesses closed their doors, with 60% shutting down permanently. Unsurprisingly, the most impacted businesses were those
“Disasters don’t stop for a virus,” said former FEMA administrator, Craig Fugate. The Atlantic hurricane season that started on June 1, was predicted to be one of the most active hurricane seasons on record. With the
Halloween 2020 will be remembered as one unlike any before. Frankenstein masks are being replaced with surgical masks, haunted houses will go unvisited, and door-to-door trick-or-treating may not happen at all. Local governments across the
A Pew Research Study conducted in August found that nearly half of American voters are approaching this year’s presidential election with uncertainty due to the combination of the pandemic and a fear of cyber attacks.
With over 3,000 counties throughout the US, county officials are at the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic. In an effort to help local county leaders navigate these uncharted territories, Zencity held an open discussion with
Counties’ role in facilitating the electoral process is more critical than ever before due to COVID-19. Overcome communication challenges this upcoming election by reading our guide for local government leaders.
Residents are engaging with their local governments more than ever before particularly on the topic of reopening schools during a pandemic. See what their top concerns are.
In a personal note, following the announcement of raising 13.5M in new funding, Eyal Feder-Levy, CEO and Co-Founder of Zencity, shares why it is especially exciting right now and how this funding will be used to continue working tirelessly for local governments.
As budget shortfalls impact the nation, US citizens are voicing their opinions online. Learn why transparent local government communication is vital in your FY21 planning.
Following Governor Newsom’s mandate to shut down indoor business activity, cities that authorized and encouraged outdoor business activity generated 2X positive sentiment amongst residents. The recent announcement by California Governor Gavin Newsom about the rollback
Masks are here to stay. Therefore, understanding what your residents have to say about them is critical. Zencity analyzed over 9.7M online interactions to understand what Americans are saying about face masks and collected best practices for local government communications surrounding masks.
Co-Author: Assaf Frances Public events and gatherings were (and are continuing to be) postponed, altered or cancelled altogether in response to Coronavirus sweeping the nation; but what are local governments planning for the upcoming federal
For census content to cut through the online noise, it needs to be relevant, digestible, engaging, and even a bit humorous. Zencity gathered a few tips, resources, and ideas for how to increase awareness to your census content and increase response rate during this time.
Zencity is helping local government leaders unlock the critical insights found in residents’ online discourse about COVID-19, so they can understand developing trends, tackle misinformation, and use the data to create actionable insights.
While our economy was mostly shut down for the past couple of months, many of our parks and green spaces remained open to allow people to maintain some sort or normalcy as well as their physical and mental health. In the months to come, it is evident that the “new normal” will take its toll on how we spend our time outdoors and enjoy our green spaces.
Co-Author: Michaela Sokol COVID-19 has impacted cities, both big and small, across the U.S. Subsequently, the varying ways in which it has affected these cities also differs greatly. College towns are communities that are dominated
Co-Author: Michaela Sokol The majority of the American population is currently under a stay-at-home or shelter-in-place order due to COVID-19. However, as a result of the economic impact from coronavirus, some states are beginning to
Co-Author: Carmel Blanca While the Coronavirus outbreak has been significantly impacting all segments of the population, Californians are not only concerned for their own well-being, but are also actively expressing interest in the safety and
Coronavirus has placed a significant strain on communities throughout the world. Since the beginning of March, residents across the United States have been dealing with the physical threat, and subsequent economic instability, of the novel
At-risk communities are not only those who are most vulnerable to the COVID-19 virus, often due to limited access to healthcare, mobility and reduced hygiene, but these people are also most vulnerable to the economic
With activitations of state of emergencies throughout the U.S. and self-isolation periods lasting beyond a month, the very fabric of society has been impacted . Many local government CIOs had contingency plans in place pre-corona,
Stronger together, weaker apart; or so the saying goes. In the wake of the Coronavirus era social distancing has become the new norm and we all need to find a way to stay apart while
COVID-19 has made it harder for local governments to physically hear from their communities, especially at a time when they need their feedback the most. City halls are closed, many local government teams are working
As the coronavirus new normal sets in and confines people largely to their homes, residents are continuing to utilize a range of social media platforms to voice their concerns/interests related to the outbreak. The public
As another week goes by, it seems like the world is starting to set into a new normal, a coronavirus normal. The coronavirus pandemic and resulting lockdowns, self-isolation, and school closures have meant that communities
The coronavirus outbreak is completely changing day to day realities across the world, and fast. As more cities announce positive cases, create new policies, and implement different measures, the concerns of their communities change as
As the coronavirus starts to spread across the US, so too has online discourse about the new pandemic, including questions, concerns and misinformation. Subsequently, local government agencies across the country find themselves on the frontlines
Census 2020 is right around the corner and local authorities are gearing up for the biggest count of the decade! To help your city evaluate and refine its approach to the 2020 Census, Zencity’s Urban