ELGL and What Works Cities are partnering once again to bring local government learning about how cities with with data to two #ELGLRoadTrip locations!
This year, What Works Cities will host learning opportunities in conjunction with the #ELGLRoadTrip events in Little Rock, Arkansas, and Tarrant County, Texas. Learn more about the sessions below, and register to attend these exciting events!
Register for #ELGLRoadTrip & What Works Cities Training in Little Rock, Arkansas!
September 24, 2019
Noon, lunch: #ELGLRoadTrip: How Little Rock is Using Data to Change Local Government
- Learn about ideas and solutions from the Data & Performance Program. Little Rock is currently working on ways to make accessing City services more user friendly in this digital age and breaking down departmental silos in data usage for decision making and resident engagement.
1:45: Learning What Works: How Cities Can Apply Behavioral Insights And Evaluation To Innovate And Improve
- Does your city struggle to collect taxes, fines, or unpaid bills? Or maybe your city offers an incredible service but faces a challenge in encouraging residents to sign up? Perhaps you want to promote energy or water conservation? Or you want to recruit a diverse group of people into your workforce? Behind each of these goals is an opportunity to innovate, learn, and improve. By using the tools of applied behavioral science and rigorous evaluation, cities can design better policies, improve their services, and produce better outcomes for their residents.
3:00: Exploring Performance Measures
- Performance measures are often talked about in cities in varying levels of detail. In this interactive workshop, we’ll walk through how to create effective performance measures, provide examples and discuss key issues associated with strong measures, and help you address challenges as you define your own measures. Throughout the workshop, you’ll have the chance to work on measures from your own city, receive feedback from peers, and consult with GovEx experts. At the end of the workshop, you will be able to explain what performance measures are and how they are used; and identify types of performance measures.
Register for #ELGLRoadTrip & What Works Cities Training in Tarrant County, Texas!
September 26, 2019
Noon, lunch: #ELGLRoadTrip: Nonprofits & the Local Government Departments They Love
- This session includes local government department heads and CEOs of 501©3 organizations that support government operations. (For example, a Library Director and Library Foundation CEO.) Topics include: why this relationship is so critical; why local government departments need non-profit support; and the types of programs/services that benefit from private support
1:45: On the Path to Certification: How to Sustain and Grow Your Data-Informed Government
- Developing the right technical skillsets for staff is critical, but it is the strategic cultivation of culture that distinguishes the cities that let data-informed practices take root from those that die on the vine. Cities that build commitment and culture are more likely to realize results, whether it’s better stewardship of taxpayer dollars, increasing positive outcomes for residents, or building authentic engagement with the community. Yet building culture is extremely challenging and requires consistent, visible demonstrations of commitment from leadership and staff. At What Works Cities, we have observed the power of commitment to grow an intentional culture so much so that it lies at the heart of our Certification program. In this workshop, learn from Results for America about how your city can build a data-positive culture through long-term strategies as well as small-input, big-impact steps your city can take immediately. You will learn through real-life tactical examples from other cities.
3:00: How local governments can engage communities in problem-solving using open data
- While open data policies and portals are invaluable components of improving local governments’ outcomes, the ultimate goal of all government work — including open data — is to improve the day-to-day lives of the people in a community. The Sunlight Foundation’s Open Cities team has developed a framework called Tactical Data Engagement, a process for cities to facilitate opportunities for community use of open data to improve residents’ lives. Through the What Works Cities program, Sunlight has been able to pilot this approach with city governments around the country. Learn more about this approach and take away some ideas to try in your community. (The session format will be a presentation followed by discussion.)