The internet has become an important and ever evolving tool for local governments. One of the newest approaches to building civic engagement is through the use of apps, for smart phones. The group DotGov has created an iPhone app called YouTown. This new app will allow local leaders to post events, news, maps and more on the site. It then works in conjunction with Twitter and Facebook providing minute to minute updates from all departments of government, helping citizens to always remain in the loop. Many jurisdictions have already signed on to this new platform, from Morris County, New Jersey to Overland Park, Kansas.

Apps are an increasingly popular tool for citizens to contact their local government officials directly with neighborhood concerns. For example, Highland Village, Texas has subscribed to a GORequest application service which allows for instant reporting of local problems like potholes or vandalism. (See an article on Highland Village’s app from NBC Dallas-Fort Worth) Residents need only take a photo, choose an appropriate label, and press send. The problem is then reported automatically to the correct government department for follow up.  The app is free for users and it costs the town just $1,000 per year for the program subscription.

Of course, the app can only help identify the problem; it still falls to the local government to respond to it. In a recent Knowledge Network Question on SeeClickFix, a similar citizen reporting app, local managers discussed the importance of integrating this information into their existing work plans. While this type of citizen engagement can be a major shift from traditional communication channels between citizens and the government, many jurisdictions are finding it also provide opportunities to provide services more effectively and efficiently.

The value of this new technology is just starting to take hold, and now the federal government is trying to make these tools more accessible to all citizens. The FCC, together with the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, is holding a competition offering up to $10,000 in prizes to help develop an app which can foster civic engagement in underserved communities. The winners will be announced in August along with a list of new possible uses for smart phone apps.

Before you tackle these new apps in your jurisdiction, check out some of the resources on the Knowledge Network. On the Documents tab of the Social Media topic page, you’ll find stories from local governments that have made these tools work for their communities, as well as some cautions of what to avoid.