Gov1 Topic Directory

Our Gov1 BrandFocus sponsored content provides local government leaders with valuable information about a variety of products and technologies.

Community development can be defined as a process in which community members work together to develop solutions to shared problems. This can include anything from fixing up run-down neighborhoods, to increasing the supply of affordable housing, to improving access to educational and professional opportunities within the community. The bottom line is this: When communities collaborate to make their cities healthy and resilient, everyone wins.

Community engagement is all about trust building. For local government agencies to work effectively with the communities they serve, officials must be able to nurture mutually respectful relationships earned through a demonstrated commitment to common goals. These initiatives can range from surveys or town hall meetings to garner community feedback, social media and other timely communication strategies, programs to increase turnout at the polls, and more.

The World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic on Mar. 11, 2020.

Officially named COVID-19 by the World Health Organization on Feb. 11, 2020, the novel coronavirus is thought to be spread by respiratory droplet transmission and/or contact with infected patients.

Find COVID-19 breaking news, what local officials need to know about the novel coronavirus and tips for government leaders in how to prepare for and educate on the COVID-19 pandemic here.

Local governments provide the primary funding for school districts and face unprecedented challenges and growing complexity. School safety, food programs, afterschool care, mental health awareness and other challenges press local resources and school budgets alike. While making critical decisions based on what schools need is highly localized, Gov1 explores strategies, solutions, best practices and grant funding molding education in the U.S.

It is a topic for EDUGH columnists

The World Health Organization defines an emergency as a state in which normal procedures are interrupted and immediate measures must be taken to prevent any further risk to communities. Our Emergency Management topic features information on emergency planning and training, including working with state and federal emergency management agencies, dispatch, emergency communications, disaster recovery, climate adaptation and other risk management strategies.

Through the passing and enforcement of laws, governments wield a powerful tool for keeping their communities safe. In this section, we highlight the myriad ways local governments engage with the legal system to move their communities forward and protect their citizens. Though by no means a perfect system – enforcement inequities continue to make the headlines – local leaders are striving to create laws that work fairly for all.

According to the National Recreation & Park Association, nearly all local government officials believe that parks and recreational programming are essential to their communities. Funding parks can increase safety, improve economic development and public health, support schools and can also help increase revenues. But strained resources often end up leaving these departments with reduced budgets. Generating the needed funding to support and operate local parks comes from a variety of sources, including federal and state governments, as well as foundations and private partners. In addition, strategies to maintain vibrant and safer parks involve multiple stakeholders, including public safety and other local government departments, as well as community groups.

According to the CDC Foundation, public health is the science of protecting and improving health across communities. This is accomplished through public services, educational programs and research initiatives, particularly as they relate to the promotion of healthcare equity. Here we feature information on emergency response for health crises, harm reduction, disease prevention and wellness, access to health services and improving outcomes.

As the National League of Cities explains, public safety is one of the core functions of local governments. Through the implementation of robust police, fire rescue and EMS services, governments ensure their communities are ready for whatever emergencies come their way. Policy initiatives likewise go hand in hand with public safety, including crime reduction strategies like community policing, environmental hazard plans, roadway safety and more.

From keeping the lights on and ensuring the safety of dams and roadways to providing sanitation delivery, local public works departments must evolve efficiently to meet numerous demands and keep costs in line. Each day, tasks include safely managing infrastructure, responding to reports, reducing risks to public asssets and gauging community feedback.

SafeGov is a new information source helping local governments better protect their communities as well as their operations and staff from a wide range of modern threats. We’re on a mission to see municipal operations and communities made more secure and resilient by focusing on the best available data strategies, technologies, training and resources.