ClearGov Projects, which the company will include for no extra cost with its Insights platform, is designed to help local governments bring forward the kind of information citizens and businesses tend to call about — when construction will begin and end, details about what’s being built, how much it costs, etc. Officials can upload documents, photos, timelines, budget visualizations and other information.
It also offers a “subscribe” button so anybody interested in a project can receive updates any time the government adds new information about it.
“Using ClearGov Projects, I was able to quickly publish a page that housed everything related to the new facility, including detailed blueprints and current and projected expenditures,” said Village of Rye Brook, N.Y., Administrator Chris Bradbury, who used the tool for a construction project, in a press release. “We expect that our ClearGov Project Page will not only help keep our community better informed and engaged, but will also save my team countless hours of effort that would otherwise be required to respond to questions from our constituents.”
There’s also an optional comment feature where people can post feedback and ask questions.
“It’s … a great way to get a heads up on any public misconceptions so you’re not blindsided at your next public hearing,” ClearGov CEO Chris Bullock said in the statement.
ClearGov’s core business approach is setting up budget and data portals for local governments and schools that emphasize context — that is, rather than telling citizens how much their city spends on police, it hopes to also tell them how much similar cities spend on police.
The company has raised $3.5 million in investment, according to CrunchBase, and its board of directors includes former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley.