Through a series of recent webinars, we heard from these award winners about their groundbreaking projects. Across different levels of government, a few key themes emerged — modernizing engagement, leveraging data, and improving transparency to build public trust.
Modernizing public engagement
One of the most common challenges across agencies is effectively reaching and engaging the public. Traditional methods such as mailers or phone calls often lack the reach and responsiveness digital platforms provide.
Lessons from the Changemaker Award
Hadiza Buge, recipient of the Changemaker Award, led an initiative at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) to transform how rule making updates were communicated. Instead of relying on outdated methods like postal mail and phone calls, her team launched an email campaign through govDelivery that increased public awareness and provided measurable insights.
“Within an hour, we had about 30,000 hits to the website. Within two hours, that number climbed to 40,000. Our leadership saw, in real-time, the power of using digital tools for engagement.”
Hadiza Buge
Division Chief, Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms
Streamlining communication: Oregon’s community engagement success
Similarly, Katelyn Jackson from the Oregon Department of Transportation, the Community Engagement Award winner, found success by bundling outreach for multiple transportation projects into one centralized digital effort. Rather than sending fragmented messages, her team created a comprehensive communication strategy that simplified information access for the public.
“It’s not that effective to send four separate mailers for different projects,” Jackson said. “Instead, we streamlined everything into one source and made it easier for the public to stay informed.”
Building trust through transparency: Houston’s Engage platform
At the local level, Kenya Williams from Houston Public Works emphasized the importance of transparency in infrastructure projects. Her team launched Engage Houston, an interactive platform that allows residents to enter their ZIP codes and access real-time information about public works projects in their neighborhoods.
“Instead of surprising residents with construction crews, we provide them with accessible, clear information. This approach builds trust and makes people feel involved in the process.”
Kenya Williams
Division Manager, Houston Public Works
That trust is vital. By leveraging digital technology to connect with citizens, government organizations improve transparency and engagement, leading to more productive outcomes. Citizens will have different ways they want to receive and provide feedback; digital communications technologies provide those avenues to increase and enhance public participation.
Leveraging data for smarter communication
Data-driven decision-making has become essential for government agencies looking to optimize outreach and service delivery. Several of this year’s award winners highlighted how they leveraged analytics to refine and enhance their communication strategies.
Data-driven communication: Insights from GSA’s Tech Bestie newsletter
Marvin Heath and his team at the General Services Administration (GSA) created a new technology-focused newsletter called Tech Bestie, aimed at helping new employees navigate IT systems more effectively. Using engagement metrics from previous internal newsletters, Heath’s team crafted content tailored to user needs.
“We made the new employee the center of the experience,” Heath said. “We leveraged data from other internal tech communications to create a voice that felt like a ‘tech best friend’ — helping employees find exactly what they needed when they needed it.”
Digital transformation in licensing: Michigan’s charitable gaming portal
At the state level, Roshan Mahant from the Michigan Gaming Control Board led the digital transformation of charitable gaming licensing, replacing an outdated manual system with an online portal. The result? A more secure, efficient process that drastically reduced administrative burdens.
“Our old system relied on paperwork and email. By moving to a fully digital process, we not only improved security but also cut application processing times significantly.”
Roshan Mahant
Senior Principal Consultant, Michigan Gaming Control Board
Redesigning for engagement: U.S. Department of State’s newsletter revamp
Amie Vaughn from the U.S. Department of State, recipient of the Trust and Transparency Award, spearheaded a redesign of the department’s Week at State newsletter. By analyzing email open rates, click-through data, and audience feedback, Vaughn’s team improved both the format and content of the newsletter to better align with reader interests.
“We weren’t just sending out updates. We were making sure they were reaching the right people in the most effective way possible,” Vaughn said. “That small shift made a big difference in engagement.”
Data-driven approaches ensure the efficacy of communication activities. While it is important to provide citizens with multiple avenues to connect, using data-driven approaches allows government organizations to communicate more efficiently. They can prioritize not only the platforms citizens feel comfortable using but also the types of information they find valuable.
Improving service delivery & building trust
Beyond engagement, many award winners focused on delivering more efficient and transparent services. As government organizations look for increased efficiencies, digital communications tools allow for more direct communications. Older methods such as calling citizens directly or sending out physical surveys are both time-consuming and expensive. With digital tools, messages can reach more people with a fraction of the time and expense.
Veterans Health Administration’s VA Health Chat
For example, Dennis Rennock, who led the team behind the VA Health Chat at the Veterans Health Administration, used digital tools to streamline how veterans access healthcare information.
“The success of this initiative represents a monumental achievement — not just in its technical execution, but in the way it empowers veterans to take control of their healthcare,” Rennock said.
Queen Creek’s mobile-first website redesign
John Zetmeir from Queen Creek, Arizona, led a major website redesign to improve mobile accessibility and ease of use for residents. By prioritizing user experience, his team created a digital front door that better serves the growing community.
“We saw that over 55% of our website traffic came from mobile devices,” Zetmeir said.
“Our redesign focused on making navigation seamless — especially for residents looking for essential services like bill payments and permitting.”
John Zetmeir
Digital Media Specialist, Town of Queen Creek
Modernizing inspections: Alaska’s SmartGov system
Similarly, Isobelle “Ice” Mahoney from the Alaska State Fire Marshal’s Office implemented a new SmartGov system to modernize fire inspections and plan reviews across the state’s vast and remote regions.
“Before, everything was done on paper,” Mahoney said.
“Now, inspectors can complete reports digitally, even in areas without internet access, and sync them later — saving time and improving accuracy.”
Isobelle “Ice” Mahoney
Building Plans Examiner, Alaska State Fire Marshal’s Office
The road ahead: The future of digital government
These award-winning projects highlight how government agencies are using technology to create more responsive, efficient, and citizen-friendly experiences. As digital transformation continues to shape the public sector, the success of these initiatives provides a roadmap for others looking to modernize their approach.
Congratulations again to our 2024 Granicus Digital Government Award winners. We look forward to seeing how your work continues to drive meaningful change.
