The Granicus Digital Government Award for “Total Government Experience” recognizes organizations that deliver a unified, intuitive, and seamless digital journey across the full spectrum of public services. This year’s winners demonstrate how modern government meets residents where they are: with clarity, consistency, and a connected ecosystem that turns complexity into ease.
We’re proud to honor Aurora, Illinois, Reno, Nevada, and Passaic Valley Water Commission (PVWC) for redefining what it means to serve the public with trust at the center.
Why they won
City of Aurora, Illinois
Aurora’s transformation is rooted in one clear vision: making government easier for people. The city delivered a sweeping digital transformation that unified its website, 311 service, and communications and engagement platforms into a single, connected resident experience. Aurora created a modern digital ecosystem built for clarity, accessibility, and community connection by reimagining how residents interact, learn, and engage with their government.
“Revamping our digital experience has completely changed the way we support and address the needs of our residents,” said Jon Zaghloul, Aurora’s communications manager. “Through the Granicus suite of products, we have strengthened our relationship with the community, enhancing two-way communication and civic engagement.”
“What sets Aurora apart is the relentless focus on making government easier,” said Charlotte Lee, director of CX and innovation at Granicus. “From finding information to reporting an issue to engaging with city projects, residents move through one seamless experience without friction or confusion. Behind the scenes, staff now work within clearer standards and more consistent tools, making updates faster and service more predictable. The city didn’t just modernize its tools, it reimagined how a city stays connected with its community.”
City of Reno, Nevada
The city of Reno delivered a sweeping reinvention of its governance experience by transforming agendas, boards, and commissions into a unified digital ecosystem. What was once a fragmented, manual, error‑prone process is now a transparent, accessible workflow that reimagines the way residents interact with their government.
Lee explained, “The city reduced friction for residents while making staff work more predictable and sustainable. Their disciplined approach — consolidating content, rewriting standards, and simplifying navigation — created clarity where there was once complexity.”
Reno’s work proves that Total Government Experience isn’t about technology alone, but about building a structure that supports transparency, efficiency, and long‑term community trust.
“Modernizing how Reno manages its boards and commissions was essential to strengthening transparency, accountability, and efficiency in how we serve our community,” said Reno Agenda Manager Tyler Shaw. “By activating technology we already owned and redesigning our processes, we reduced costs, streamlined appointments, and created a more accessible system for residents who want to engage in local government.”
Passaic Valley Water Commission (PVWC)
As part of its shift to a more customer-focused digital strategy, PVWC redefined the customer experience by weaving its website, project hubs, service updates, and payment tools into a single, connected journey that makes essential services feel easier and more intuitive.
“Our total website experience is part of Passaic Valley Water Commission’s commitment to providing top-notch service and transparency to our customers. From an enhanced way to pay online to our dedicated project pages, PVWC is dedicated to communicating more effectively with our customers, community partners and other key stakeholders,” said Marisah L. Potkalesky, senior technician for management information systems at Passaic Valley Water Commission. “The tools and resources now available provide an opportunity for the public to manage their accounts, stay informed about projects, and reach us with greater ease.”
The redesigned site strengthened communication, customer service, and accessibility for the utility’s 800,000‑person service area.
“What once required navigating multiple channels now flows through clear, consistent pathways where residents can learn, act, and follow up without confusion,” explained Lee. “Internally, staff benefit from streamlined processes and better-aligned tools that reduce repetitive work and improve the pace of updates. PVWC’s transformation shows how a unified digital experience can strengthen trust in public utilities and dramatically improve how communities stay informed and supported.”
Insights and trends from full-spectrum public servants
One government, one experience
Residents don’t think in departments or systems, they think in tasks. Winners created seamless ecosystems where every path — paying a bill, reporting an issue, learning about a project — feels unified and predictable.
Internal alignment is the engine behind great digital experiences
Total Government Experience is an organizational mindset. Cross-department standards, workflows, and governance ensured information is accurate, timely, and consistent across every public touchpoint.
Guide residents from information → action → follow-up
The winning organizations mapped entire journeys and eliminated friction. Pages flowed to forms, forms to confirmations, confirmations to status updates — removing guesswork and reducing drop-off.
Modernization is as much about clarity as technology
Content cleanup, navigation improvements, and plain-language naming drove major gains in self-service and reduced call volume. The best systems are the ones people barely notice because every step feels intuitive.
Strong digital ecosystems build long-term resilience
Simplified staff workflows led to better public outcomes. The experience improves automatically for residents when contributors have clearer guidelines and easier tools.
Unified platforms also helped winners respond quickly and consistently in moments of urgency — from emergencies to major announcements. A connected system keeps residents informed and services steady under pressure.
The winners of the Total Government Experience Award are rewriting the blueprint for resident-centered service. Their achievements prove that when government feels easier, trust grows and communities thrive.
Learn more about all the winners of this year’s Digital Government Awards.
