Using ARPA to Improve the User Experience of Government

The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) is aimed at helping the U.S. bounce back from the economic devastation of the Covid-19 pandemic. This massive $1.9 trillion federal stimulus bill was signed into law in March of 2021. As a major piece of that legislation, $350 billion of emergency recovery funds were allocated to state and local governments to be utilized at their discretion by no later than 2024.

ARPA funding can be applied to any number of projects provided they fall under the range of eligible applications laid out by the Treasury Department. Unlike some federal stimulus efforts of the past, the funds are directly approved by the Treasury. Now unbound by the need for state approval to benefit from these federal funds, counties and cities are grappling with the best ways to use these funds to address their unique local issues.

The pandemic illustrated just how important efficient and scalable government communication practices are. Now state and local governments are using ARPA funds to invest in technology that improves their ability to communicate with, and deliver services to residents.

What is Eligible for ARPA Funding?

Although the flexibility of the program is one of the biggest benefits of ARPA, it has also caused confusion for many state and local leaders. This past April, the Treasury Department released their ARPA Final Rule in order to exhaustively clarify and elaborate on project eligibility.

Strengthening the user experience of government and improving administrative technology are among ARPA's key priorities.

In the 437 page Final Rule document (and fortunately a 44 page Final Rule Overview document), the Treasury listed countless applications ranging from public park maintenance to broadband infrastructure. However the Final Rule has clarified two areas that have piqued the interest of state and local governments looking to invest in their constituent services, both of which are found under the Public Sector Capacity category:

• Improving Administrative Technology — “Eligible uses include: [addressing] administrative needs caused or exacerbated by the pandemic, including addressing backlogs caused by shutdowns, increased repair or maintenance needs, and technology infrastructure to adapt government operations to the pandemic (e.g., video-conferencing software, data and case management systems)”

• Providing Access and Delivery of Government Services — “Eligible uses include: Technology infrastructure to improve access to and the user experience of government IT systems, as well as technology improvements to increase public access and delivery of government programs and services.”

Why Are Constituent Relations Management (CRM) solutions in the Discussion?

These days it’s easier than ever for the average citizen with a smartphone to reach out to their elected representative in a dozen different ways. Unfortunately, it is also tougher for state and local officials to match that level of communication as they are often burdened by outdated legacy systems or a hodgepodge of email accounts, spreadsheets, and sticky notes.

CRMs make it easy for local governments and elected officials to communicate quickly and effectively with all residents.

There is a growing divide between the tools that constituents use to reach out to their representatives and the tools that their representatives use to respond. This burdens elected officials and their staff and results in missed opportunities to provide their constituents with timely information and case management assistance. CRMs allow local governments and elected officials to adapt to crises, better communicate with constituents, and more effectively deliver government services by:

Responding to Constituents Faster and Easier

CRMs allow staff to serve their communities efficiently and at a more personal level. Instead of juggling a half-dozen different systems, inboxes, and applications, all incoming email, voicemail, and even snail mail are routed to a single inbox from which staff can entirely operate.

Within that inbox, staff can batch messages with similar content, triage requests, make notes, and build templates. They can send dozens or even hundreds of personalized responses with a single click of a button. Furthermore, all interactions are tracked within a constituent profile, allowing the office to quickly access previous outreach and flag identical correspondence to ensure all messaging is consistent and that there is no unnecessary duplication of work.

Making a Difference for Constituents

In addition to helping governments communicate with each and every constituent, CRMs are a one stop shop for case management. In the event that a constituent message requires more than a simple response, a CRM enables staff to assign, track, and correspond from a single platform. Every action is automatically logged for full visibility throughout the office. Staff can even liaise with other government agencies on behalf of the constituent, all without ever leaving the dashboard.

Helping constituents access the services that they need in a timely manner, is one of the primary roles of local representatives and is essential to building public trust. Even something as simple as reaching out to the public works department to ensure a pothole gets filled, can make a lasting impression on the community. Ensure that none of your constituents' requests for help ever go unanswered, no matter how busy or chaotic things are in your office.

Building Better Outreach

The pandemic has taught us that it is essential for every level of government to keep the public apprised of policy changes and programs that might affect their lives. In a rapidly changing landscape, receiving timely information can be the difference between a citizen receiving important benefits, or going without them.

When it comes to community outreach, communication efforts are significantly more effective when they focus on the unique issues that affect peoples’ everyday lives. By using demographic data to help build audiences, elected officials can micro-target outreach to specific groups such as small business owners or military veterans, and provide them with the news and information that is relevant to them.

Considering a CRM?

Are you interested in learning more about the ways that cities and counties are using CRMs to better communicate with residents and more effectively deliver services? Do you have questions about ARPA funding and how it can be used to improve constituent engagement? Please reach out by requesting a demo. We’d be happy to answer questions and learn more about your goals.

About Indigov

Indigov is the leading provider of Constituent Relations Management (CRM) software at all levels of government. Our easy-to-use solution reduces average response time, improves case management, and gives elected officials unprecedented outreach capabilities and data insights that are changing the way they do their jobs and structure their teams.

We currently support public officials in Cities, Counties, State Governments, and the United State Congress where officials using Indigov serve over 130 million Americans every day.