OpenGov Is Bringing the Cloud To Local Governments To Power More Effective and Accountable Government

The global pandemic brought changes that will persist well beyond COVID-19, fundamentally changing how we work, learn, shop, and -- perhaps most telling of all -- how cities and counties serve their communities.

Even before the pandemic, local governments have not innovated apace with the private sector, as anyone who has recently applied for a permit to renovate their bathroom can attest. Inspections are backlogged as they still have to take place in person. Checks are still printed and mailed. Contracts require blue or black ink and a notary public. Budgets are planned in 400,000-row Excel spreadsheets with 90 tabs.

Local governments are feeling the need for change. Three out of four local governments acknowledge a need to improve productivity and service to meet demands from their stakeholders and communities, according to the 2020 State of Local Government Survey.

OpenGov is the leader in modern cloud ERP software for our nation’s cities, counties, and state agencies. With its mission to power more effective and accountable government, OpenGov is poised to ensure local government leaders can meet the demands of this new era.

Pandemic Boosts Demand for Data

While the pandemic has been fraught with risk for local governments, there is also an historic opportunity for investment in digital infrastructure. Federal spending from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) and the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) provide local governments a once-in-a-generation opportunity to invest in software to future-proof their communities with better data accessibility, improved collaboration and decision making, and greater accountability.

With OpenGov Budgeting & Planning, local governments are reducing their budget development time by 50%, experiencing an 80% time savings on reporting, and saving up to 1% of their budgets by eliminating their reliance on paper, spreadsheets, and outdated processes. This means that customers can spend more time and money meeting the needs, and addressing the strategic priorities of their cities, counties, and states.

The City of Tampa, FL, is better able to manage performance and show more value to residents with OpenGov. The City built its budget, published an online budget book, developed internal dashboards, and publicly shared performance metrics using OpenGov. “Affordable homes, good-paying jobs, reliable mass transit, and an overarching view of resiliency and sustainability -- that’s what OpenGov allows us to track,” describes Tampa Mayor Jane Castor.

OpenGov Procurement, the company’s newest suite, greatly influences a government’s ability to meet its strategic goals, including budget accountability, spend management, supplier diversity, economic development, and citizen experience. It plays an increasingly crucial role in facilitating remote work and enabling investments associated with the CARES Act and the ARPA.

Why Local Governments Need Cloud Software

In the current moment and a post-pandemic world, the benefits of modern cloud software are more needed than ever by local governments. Leaders must help their cities and counties attract economic development, manage finances more accurately, share performance data more confidently, and adopt solutions and processes that lead to greater resiliency in a risk event.

OpenGov customer, City of York, PA, was able to save its budget after a critical server was destroyed in a break-in. “If it had not been for OpenGov, I’m not sure when we would have gotten the budget done,” explained Thomas Ray, Business Administrator for York.

By partnering with the world’s leading cloud service providers for infrastructure and security, OpenGov’s cloud Suites effectively remove the responsibility for maintaining platform security and protecting critical infrastructure from the shoulders of over-stretched local government IT teams.

Cloud software also ensures that leaders can future-proof their investments and their governments by providing solutions that evolve with their needs. New enhancements are available to all customers and require no upgrades, patches, customizations, or hardware to manage. The result is that IT teams can be better strategic partners to stakeholders and leaders.

Why OpenGov Is Attracting Attention

OpenGov co-founder and CEO Zac Bookman recently set out on a nearly 4,000-mile, cross-country bike tour to thank and hear directly from town, city, and county leaders about how their governments have evolved to address the urgent needs of their communities in the pandemic.

In 2020 -- a year of uncertainty and shutdowns -- OpenGov achieved 39% revenue growth with the launch of OpenGov Financials and Citizen Services Suites (the latter for permitting, licensing, and code enforcement, grants management). In the same year, OpenGov added 130 employees, and expanded its footprint in the Midwest with a new office in Milwaukee, WI.

OpenGov has added noteworthy customers from across the U.S., including Austin, TX, Hempstead, NY, Dallas County, TX, and the State of Louisiana, and has expanded its relationship with customers like Montgomery County, PA, Richmond, VA, and the State of West Virginia.

In 2021, OpenGov CEO Zac Bookman described how OpenGov came together through the first year of the pandemic to serve customers: “In a year of remote work and virtual meetings, OpenGov came together to support and serve our nation’s cities, counties and state agencies during such a critical time. I’m proud of our collaboration and tenacity, and grateful for our organization’s alignment on the customer and our mission to power more effective and accountable government.”

This year OpenGov was named to Forbes list of America’s Best Startup Employers and as a Top Workplace USA. With the launch of OpenGov Procurement, the software company has secured its stature as the leading provider of cloud solutions for local governments.

To date, OpenGov has raised more than $140 million in capital from Andreessen Horowitz and other top venture funds.