Quick Hit News
Richmond, VA, is streamlining the process for obtaining vital records. Parents can now fill out a digital form, pay by credit card, and receive a birth certificate in about two days (versus weeks previously), while the state has also digitized decades of records and upgraded its record system to improve efficiency. Read →
Greeley, CO, is testing the deployment of drones on certain service calls to improve response times, enhance situational awareness, and better coordinate first responders based on call priority and distance. Read →
Kansas, KS, is deploying an AI-powered digital platform called ConnectKS to help small businesses by aggregating and recommending resources, funding opportunities, and ecosystem connections, and planning to roll out a loan-readiness AI tool. Read →
UNESCO is warning that without strong safeguards, AI in K-12 education risks deepening inequality, emphasizing the need for ethical frameworks, data
protection, teacher training, and inclusive access policies. Read →
Community Spotlight
Estes Hughes, VP of Innovation at EDPA: Retaining Students through FuelAL
Estes Hughes of the Economic Development Partnership of Alabama is spearheading FuelAL, a statewide initiative designed to keep college graduates in Alabama by connecting them with communities, employers, and lifestyle opportunities. The program tackles a long-standing challenge: while Alabama universities attract a majority of out-of-state students, many leave after graduation. FuelALʼs mission is to shift that trend by showing students that Alabama can be a place to start careers, build families, and thrive.
FuelAL operates through three core tracks. First, community programs, where local chambers receive grants to design tailored summer initiatives blending service, professional development, and social activities. These efforts give students' hands-on exposure to Alabama cities beyond their campuses. Second, the Innovation Internship, which matches highly technical talent from Alabamaʼs many HBCUs with fast-growing startups and accelerators, offering pathways into the stateʼs innovation economy. Finally, FuelAL hosts summits, curated statewide events where students meet young entrepreneurs, visit industries, and build ties with peers and mentors, with all expenses covered.
The program is already generating outsized demand. In Huntsvilleʼs first summit, 250 applicants competed for just 30 spots, selected through a draft process balancing career interests, community representation, and employer engagement. Students who land these opportunities often return semester after semester, while employers use the program as a hiring pipeline. Though still new, these leading indicators suggest FuelAL could evolve into a critical talent-retention engine for the state.
Hughes frames FuelAL as part of a larger regional strategy: the Southeast is the nationʼs fastest-growing region, and Alabama must compete with cities like Nashville and Atlanta by offering its own unique value proposition. By weaving students into local networks through mentors, service projects, and cultural experiences, Fuel AL aims to create the “tethers and tiesˮ that make graduates want to stay.
Resources & Events
📅 Dallas / Fort Worth Regional Digital Government Summit 2025 (Dallas, TX October 21, 2025)
A regional gathering of public sector and tech leaders focused on cybersecurity, digital transformation, AI adoption, data governance, and cross-agency collaboration to advance local government digital services. Details →
📅 Government Efficiency Summit 2025 (San Jose, CA October 30, 2025)
An invitation-only, public-sector gathering that brings together state and local leaders, policymakers, and financial experts to tackle fiscal resilience, service delivery optimization, waste reduction, and smarter funding mechanisms for government operations. Details →
📊 Report Spotlight: Federal Spending Transparency (GAO, 2025)
This report examines how well federal agencies are meeting OMB and FAR standards for procurement data reporting, finding major gaps in timeliness, accuracy, and oversight. GAO reviewed 70 agencies and found that fewer than half submitted complete reports, while many CFO Act agencies missed deadlines or failed to certify accuracy. The report also highlights GSAʼs ongoing system modernization and offers 12 recommendations to strengthen transparency and accountability. Read →
Insight of the Week
The 2025 Community Perspectives Survey finds that many lower and moderate-income communities continue to face persistent challenges around affordable housing, access to healthcare, digital connectivity, and financial stability. While conditions have improved in some areas since the pandemic, barriers to economic resilience remain widespread, highlighting the need for targeted policy interventions and stronger community partnerships.
For the Commute
Scaling AI in Government: Infrastructure & Energy Priorities (GovTech Viewpoints)
State & local IT leaders Teri Takai (Chief Programs Officer for Center for Digital Government) & Dan Gohl (Head of U.S. Education Strategy for HP) unpack the infrastructure and energy challenges of scaling AI in state and local government. They also outline practical steps and strategic priorities for building secure, efficient, future-ready AI infrastructure in the public sector.
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