2025 Top 10 Trends and Priorities for Government - Local & Municipalities

Tailored Industry Research to Empower IT Leadership

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01

Transform communities

The Challenge

Overcome the smart city divide.

Traditional smart city approaches have focused on urban issues, leaving rural and regional governments out. These communities are interconnected and need to be collectively intelligent, requiring a shift from isolated initiatives to collaborative models.

Why It Matters

Elevate community life and sustainability.

Collaborative smart community development enhances quality of life, promotes sustainability, and fosters social cohesion. Leveraging data analytics and ensuring equitable broadband access connects communities in physical and digital realms.

The Solution

Embrace AI solutions and geographic information systems (GIS)

Local government leaders must leverage AI and implement sound GIS solutions to create smart communities. These technologies can improve decision-making and resource allocation and provide personalized services to constituents.

Ensure equitable broadband access

Enable communities to benefit from digital services and foster social inclusion by ensuring equitable access to broadband across rural and urban divides.

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02

Manage vendors and contracts

The Challenge

Navigate vendor management risks.

Local governments often struggle with vendor management due to a lack of governance, leading to inefficiencies, increased risks, and higher costs. Without proper oversight, vendor relationships can become strained, compliance issues may arise, and the quality of service delivered can suffer. This hinders transparency, accountability, and the ability to adapt to a dynamic environment.

Why It Matters

Enhance efficiency and accountability.

Proper vendor management is crucial for local governments to control costs, mitigate risks, and comply with regulations. It ensures high-quality service delivery, fosters positive vendor relationships, and promotes transparency and accountability. This strategic approach optimizes resource allocation and enhances flexibility in a constantly changing environment.

The Solution

Craft a vision and governance structure

Define a governance structure for the vendor management program, including roles, responsibilities, decision-making processes, and progress metrics, alongside a vision statement.

Assess and categorize vendors

Conduct a thorough assessment of the current vendor landscape and existing relationships. Identify all vendors, contracts, and services in use, as well as any gaps or areas for improvement. Categorize vendors based on their criticality and track costs and deliverables over time.

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03

Master the cloud

The Challenge

Manage diverse cloud environments.

Managing multiple cloud environments from different providers adds complexity to IT operations. A hybrid multicloud strategy combines public cloud services, private cloud infrastructure, and on-premises resources to leverage benefits while mitigating risks.

Why It Matters

Reduce risks and improve performance.

A hybrid multicloud strategy optimizes performance, reduces risks, and ensures flexibility. It enhances IT operations, improves service delivery, and adapts to a rapidly changing technological landscape.

The Solution

Conduct a comprehensive assessment and architecture design

Assess current IT infrastructure and develop a scalable, flexible architecture integrating on-premises, private, and public cloud resources. Ensuring the architecture is scalable, flexible, and interoperable across cloud environments.

Implement data management and a security strategy

Establish data management policies and a security strategy with controls like identity management, encryption, and compliance with regulations to govern the storage, access, sharing, and protection of data in the hybrid multicloud environment.

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04

Strengthen cybersecurity practices

The Challenge

Overcome cybersecurity vulnerabilities.

Local governments are prime targets for cyberattacks due to aging systems and skill gaps. Cybersecurity isn't a one-time purchase or policy; it requires robust processes, effective technologies, and advanced skill sets tailored to the specific structure of city, regional, county, or rural governments.

Why It Matters

Secure public trust.

Protecting information is crucial for all levels of government. Publicized security incidents can erode public trust and bring into question the effectiveness of government operations. Effective cybersecurity measures are essential to safeguard data, ensure compliance, and maintain the integrity of government services.

The Solution

Create a comprehensive cybersecurity strategy

Develop a systematic approach to cybersecurity, identifying threats, vulnerability, and consequences. This ensures that investments in control measures are appropriate to the risks faced by the agency.

Enhance visibility and understanding

Work with public sector executives, IT leaders, and legislative officials to improve the visibility and understanding of the community's cybersecurity posture and risk exposure.

Research Center - Security Research Center

Security Research Center

A holistic approach to building an agile, robust security program.

Local Government Cybersecurity Report

Featured

Local Government Cybersecurity Report

  • Increased use of technology to improve effectiveness of public services delivery has led to more to cyberthreat risks.
  • Cybersecurity is not an afterthought. It must be addressed through a combination of technology and best practices.
  • This trend analysis will provide you with key insights to assist your IT team to effectively meet these threats head on.
Local Government Endpoint Protection Report

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Local Government Endpoint Protection Report

  • Cybersecurity encompasses best practices, training and awareness, and technology.
  • Most Local Government IT departments do a good job at securing their networks and intrusion monitoring. However, the most vulnerable part, the “endpoint,” is often at risk.
  • Learn about what endpoint protection is, the state of the market, key features, and leading vendors to see how this technology can transform your IT strategy and the ability to deliver it.
Addressing the Cybersecurity Talent Shortage in Government

Addressing the Cybersecurity Talent Shortage in Government

State/Provincial Government Cloud Access Security Broker Report

State/Provincial Government Cloud Access Security Broker Report

  • As government organizations move to the cloud, the challenge is on IT leadership to clarify the new risks associated with this strategy.
  • Those subscribing to these services require very little IT knowledge or involvement. These arrangements are often made outside of IT and without IT oversight.
  • Learn about cloud access security brokers, the state of the market, key features, and leading vendors to see how this technology can transform your IT strategy and the ability to deliver it.
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05

Empower digital government

The Challenge

Meet the growing demand of digital services.

Local governments struggle to meet the growing demand for accessible and user-friendly digital services. Creating seamless and equitable digital experiences that are intuitive, secure, and build trust while also addressing complex requirements and ensuring robust authentication for transactions involving sensitive data is a growing challenge.

Why It Matters

Empower constituents.

Digital services must improve equitable access to government services and participation in democratic processes. Ensuring robust authentication and redesigning service delivery processes are crucial for reducing touchpoints, meeting service level expectations, and building accessibility and security by design.

The Solution

Identify the value streams and use cases that provide the most value

Use human-centered design, personas, and empathy mapping to identify the best value streams and use cases for digital service delivery. This includes creating user-friendly interfaces and mobile applications.

Ensure seamless access and address conflicts

Identify and address potential areas of conflict such as privacy, legal, technical, and compliance/security issues. Map value streams, shared capabilities, and conflict areas against a digital government reference architecture.

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06

Effectively integrate AI

The Challenge

Balance the potential and risk of AI.

The potential of AI in local government scenarios has both excited and concerned technologists and policymakers. The rapid advancement of AI technologies requires governments to navigate issues related to data privacy, ethical use, and the potential displacement of workers.

Why It Matters

Harness the transformative power of AI.

AI can revolutionize local government operations, enhancing efficiency and service delivery. Understanding and leveraging these technologies is crucial for staying ahead in a rapidly evolving technological landscape.

The Solution

Develop an AI strategy

Incorporate an AI strategy into the broader IT strategy and roadmap. This includes understanding and communicating to leadership the differences between AI and generative AI and establishing responsible AI policies.

Identify and prioritize use cases

Identify viable use cases for AI and generative AI, from constituent service delivery automation to threat detection and process automation. Use capability maps to identify candidate opportunities and initiatives.

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07

Modernize IT

The Challenge

Overcome legacy system hurdles.

Local governments face significant challenges in modernizing applications to stay efficient and effective. There is often no framework to communicate and justify modernization efforts. Additionally, some users are resistant to change, and competing priorities can undermine the value of modernization.

Why It Matters

Modernize for efficiency.

Application modernization is essential to holistically serve the needs of the community. It ensures that government services are efficient, effective, and capable of meeting the demands of constituents, staff, and the organization as a whole.

The Solution

Establish a digital application vision

Guide modernization efforts and ensure alignment with organizational objectives by gaining a grounded understanding of the digital application and prioritizing attributes against digital business goals.

Define the modernization approach

Obtain a thorough view of the organization and technical complexities, risks, and impacts. Employ the right modernization techniques based on the organization's change tolerance, ensuring a smooth transition.

Make the Case for Legacy Application Modernization

Make the Case for Legacy Application Modernization

Address the Risks Posed by Legacy Applications

Address the Risks Posed by Legacy Applications

Modernize Your Applications

Modernize Your Applications

Local Government Service Modernization Report

Featured

Local Government Service Modernization Report

  • Local government organizations continue to be pressured to provide more services while maintaining current spending levels.
  • Labor continues to be one of the largest expenditures in Local Government.
  • Learn how to overcome these challenges with technology enablers and set the course for service modernization.
Diagnostic Program - Application Portfolio Assessment: End User Feedback

Application Portfolio Assessment: End User Feedback

Application portfolio management is nearly impossible to perform without an honest and thorough understanding of end user sentiment toward IT software. Develop data driven insights to help you decide which applications to retire, upgrade, re-train on or maintain, to meet the demands of the business.
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08

Attract and retain IT talent

The Challenge

Address public sector IT talent hurdles.

Traditional incentives like pensions and job security are losing appeal as candidate and employee expectations evolve. The highly structured and often unionized nature of the public sector workforce favors seniority, slowing down upward mobility for skilled new talent.

Why It Matters

Meet modern workforce expectations.

Offering flexible hiring and work models, agile governance structures, and cross-agency talent pools allows the public sector to remain competitive in the job market. These changes create a more attractive work environment and provide opportunities for skill growth and career advancement.

The Solution

Understand workforce trends and impacts

Learn about IT workforce trends and their effects on the organization. Gauge the impact of these trends on specific capabilities to stay ahead of challenges and opportunities.

Provide training and meaningful projects

Offer ongoing training and professional development, especially leadership programs. Assign IT professionals to challenging and meaningful projects that align with their interests to keep them engaged and motivated.

Addressing the Cybersecurity Talent Shortage in Government

Addressing the Cybersecurity Talent Shortage in Government

IT Talent Trends 2024

IT Talent Trends 2024

State/Provincial Government IT Staffing Benchmarking Report

State/Provincial Government IT Staffing Benchmarking Report

  • Many IT departments are already running lean, struggling to keep pace with never-ending demands from the business.
  • State/Provincial Government IT reports staffing level strain across all key IT functions. While available skill sets are good, IT’s inability to meet demand is undermining its effectiveness overall.
  • By taking the IT Staffing Diagnostic and participating in our unique IT Spend Benchmarking, you will gain critical information to position your team to be seen as strategic.
Industry Reference Architecture for Provincial Government

Industry Reference Architecture for Provincial Government

Local Government Service Modernization Report

Featured

Local Government Service Modernization Report

  • Local government organizations continue to be pressured to provide more services while maintaining current spending levels.
  • Labor continues to be one of the largest expenditures in Local Government.
  • Learn how to overcome these challenges with technology enablers and set the course for service modernization.
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09

Manage valuable data assets

The Challenge

Bolster data management.

Strategically and effectively manage valuable data assets is challenging for local governments. Ineffective data management can lead to poor decisions, missed opportunities for engagement, and critical cybersecurity risks.

Why It Matters

Empower data-driven decisions.

Proper data management ensures that local government can leverage data assets to enhance operational efficiency and service delivery. Effective data governance and management are crucial for making informed decisions, improving experiences, and mitigating cybersecurity risks.

The Solution

Align data management with strategic plans

Ensure data initiatives support the broader objectives of the organization by aligning data management plans with agency requirements and strategic goals.

Create a collaborative plan

Unite IT and the organization in managing data assets by developing a collaborative plan. This plan should be scalable and adaptable to evolving needs.

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10

Improve public safety

The Challenge

Navigate technology barriers.

Ineffective technology development and implementation can negatively impact the frontline experience and the relationship between public safety professionals and the communities they serve. Traditional approaches to innovation and technology delivery often fail to meet the needs of front-line staff and the community, facing intense scrutiny regarding their technology choices.

Why It Matters

Build trust through frontline efficiency.

Effective technology in public safety is essential for enhancing the efficiency and safety of front-line staff, improving community relations, and ensuring public trust. High levels of maturity in governance, deployment, community engagement, and management of technology are necessary to meet these goals.

The Solution

Focus on capabilities and value

Prioritize capabilities and value over technology type. This strategic shift-left approach ensures that strategic priorities are addressed at the front end of technology initiatives.

Balance governance and urgency

Tackle systemic funding model challenges that delay the acquisition of technologies by balancing the need for robust governance with an organizational sense of urgency.

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