Where local government and tech intersect

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

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.

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

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. 

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.

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

Now is the time for local governments to overcome the trust gap by combatting Covid-19 vaccination misinformation in their communities

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.

Co-Author: Assaf Frances 7 Takeaways from this year’s Biggest City/County Manager Conference – ICMA UNITE COVID-19 has determined a new normal, and conferences certainly haven’t been exempt. For many city/county managers and urban geeks (like

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.

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