DOVER – Teams of coders from across the state will seek to harness the power of public data and develop innovative solutions to real-world problems at a weekend-long hackathon organized by Open Data Delaware.

The 2017 Open Data Challenge is the final event in a series of sessions focused on creating, designing and developing technical applications with open data in Delaware. This year’s challenge is based around the theme “Access to Hope through Innovation.” Two nonprofit partners, the Food Bank of Delaware and Network Delaware, will present challenge prompts that teams will work to solve with prototype solutions built over the course of two days of civic hacking.

Two teams will be selected as winners and awarded grants ($12,500 for first place, $5,000 for second place) to help them bring their ideas to fruition and produce useable technology for the public. The grants, offered by the Delaware Department of State, will be awarded in two stages to incentivize building, testing and launching the technical applications.

Coders, designers, civic advocates and those interested in making a difference in their communities may view more information about the event and sign up at www.OpenDataChallenge.com.

What: Delaware Open Data Challenge Hackathon Weekend

Who: Open Data Delaware partners including Technology Forum of Delaware, Tech Impact and the Delaware Department of State; Food Bank of Delaware; Network Delaware; Hackathon team members

When: Kickoff at 6:30 p.m. Friday, June 2;
Challenge competition takes place Saturday, June 3 through Sunday June 4, concluding with final presentations and awards
(Contact Dana Rohrbough for detailed schedule of events.)

Where: 1313 Innovation, 1313 North Market Street, Wilmington

Contact: Dana Rohrbough
Government Information Center
Delaware Department of State
(302) 547-3763
dana.rohrbough@delaware.gov

New interactive website reflects administration’s commitment to transparency, streamlines access to public information

Wilmington, DE – Joined by technology entrepreneurs, open data advocates, members of his cabinet, and others, Governor Markell visited Wilmington co-working space 1313 Innovation Wednesday evening for the unveiling of a new statewide open data portal that streamlines access to public information and enhances government transparency. The Open Data Portal (data.delaware.gov) is a centralized website that connects the public with non-identifiable public data across state agencies and provides interactive features that allow users to browse and sort information and engage with data through maps, charts, and graphs to visualize it in new and innovative ways. The site also features an enhanced online State Checkbook (checkbook.delaware.gov) which provides financial data on state spending and revenue in a format that is easy to access, interact with, and understand.

“The Open Data Portal reflects our commitment to creating higher levels of openness and transparency in state government,” said Governor Markell. “It provides new access to public information that impacts the lives of Delawareans and their families and we hope that this interactive resource will not only deepen civic engagement, but also empower members of the public, researchers, and others to use this information to recommend solutions to the challenges we face and create new applications that will benefit the government and our communities.”

The Open Data Portal was established through Executive Order 57, signed by Governor Markell earlier this year. That Order also created the Open Data Council, whose members from ten state agencies and offices are charged with making data available to the public, establishing a statewide data strategy, and recommending standards and policies governing the posting of pubic data and data sharing among state agencies. The Council worked to identify the initial datasets that were included in the Open Data Portal and will continue to prioritize datasets for future publication.

“The launch of the Delaware Open Data Portal represents a major milestone in the State’s journey to leverage data as a strategic asset. The ability to have public data readily available for consumption by citizens, businesses and innovative technology developers will ultimately make Delaware an even better place to live, work, and play”, said Delaware Chief Information Officer James Collins.

The Delaware Open Data Portal contains more than 30 datasets and over 35 maps, including:
• Health data on restaurant inspections;
• Vital statistics for state births and deaths, Medicaid enrollment information, and even popular baby names;
• Data on student preparation and performance and library usage;
• Geo-coded maps featuring parks, natural areas, and traffic counts. Datasets with locations are able to be mapped in the portal, such as licensed child care providers and schools;
• Information about state contract data, bids and proposals received, and supplier diversity figures; and
• Delaware’s Newly Revamped Checkbook, a record of spending information, credit card transactions and revenue figures

Members of the public are invited to recommend additional datasets for inclusion in the Open Data Portal by visiting data.delaware.gov/nominate.

The Open Data Portal builds on the Markell Administration’s work to improve openness and transparency across state government, beginning in 2009 with the launch of the online state checkbook, which provided unprecedented access to state spending. It includes Executive Order 31, signed in 2011, which established uniform Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) policies across executive branch agencies to reduce the time and expense of making a FOIA request and to ensure that agencies collaborate to produce public records, and legislation signed into law in 2014 that expanded and strengthened Delaware’s FOIA law. In addition, the Governor signed a package of legislation in 2012 that expanded disclosure of campaign donations and improved lobbying laws. Details on the Administration’s efforts to build a more transparent, efficient, and accountable government are available here.

“Open Data Delaware is thrilled to see the state launch the new Open Data Portal. We are building a civic tech community of technologists, developers, designers, entrepreneurs, and community advocates all looking to help diagnose and solve community issues using open data”, said Ryan Harrington of Open Data Delaware.

“The Technology Forum of Delaware supports, promotes, and connects technology businesses and entrepreneurs. We are excited about the potential that open data brings for businesses and entrepreneurs,” said George Rotsch, board member of the Technology Forum of Delaware.

“Zip Code Wilmington and our students are looking forward to the opportunities presented by the new Open Data portal. We plan to use open data in class projects, allowing students to explore areas of interest while analyzing actual data and applying it to real world problems that impact our community.” said David Ginzberg of Zip Code Wilmington.

Kjell Hegstad, a Wilmington-based entrepreneur and his team, recently won a Code for Philly competition in Philadelphia for a technology platform named Dealspace. “Dealspace is for property investors who are searching for properties of interest in their local community. With $2 million in transactions already using open data, blockchain smart contracts, and crowdfunding, we look forward to finalize our funding round and start using more Delaware-based data in Dealspace, and other projects,” said Hegstad.

The Delaware Business First Steps website (firststeps.delaware.gov) has won a prestigious national award from the Center for Digital Government. The site is a portal to information about business licensing, permits, and filings required for certain business by state, city, and county agencies in Delaware. It was awarded a 2015 Digital Government Achievement Award in the government-to-business category.

“When we launched this site in February, our hope was to provide entrepreneurs with the best opportunity to start and expand their companies here in the First State. Receiving this award is further validation that we are making progress to improve the customer experience with government,” said Governor Jack Markell.

The Business First Steps site was built in response to Governor Jack Markell’s challenge to state agencies to improve access to information about business licensing requirements. The website features a general checklist that most new businesses will need to follow, a list of over 200 different state agency registrations or licenses, and links to business resources. All entrepreneurs need to first decide on their business structure and their business name before starting down the path of applying for a business license or other registrations with various government offices.

“It’s a top priority of the governor to make it as easy as possible for businesses to grow in Delaware. This website helps achieve that goal. A great team spent countless hours making sure the site is responsive to the real needs of entrepreneurs. And we aren’t done yet. This is a dynamic process and we want to see more improvements as the site continues to develop,” said Secretary of State Jeff Bullock.

The Digital Government Achievement Awards highlight outstanding agency and department websites and applications.

“These winners are recognized for responsive and mobile-first design, open government, open data, improved transparency and integration with social media,” said Todd Sander, executive director of the Center for Digital Government. “Congratulations to the awardees for their impressive work to make government more accessible and responsive to citizens.”

FirstSteps.Delaware.Gov was launched in February of 2015. The website was built by the Delaware Government Information Center in concert with state agencies, local government, and advice from the business community. Feedback, suggestions, and comments about the website may be directed to firststeps@delaware.gov.

2015 DIGITAL GOVERNMENT ACHIEVEMENT AWARD WINNERS
Government-to-business category winners:
– Bexar County, Texas – Criminal District Attorney’s eDiscovery System
– Helping Delawareans Make Their Business First Steps
– Kentucky Business One Stop Portal
– New Zealand – Business.govt.nz’s Compliance Matters Tool for Small Businesses
– Locate.utah.gov Utah’s Economic Development Map

(DOVER, Del.) The Delaware Veterans Home (DVH) has a new online application that makes it easier than ever to make donations in support of amenities for the heroes residing there.  Individuals, businesses and organizations can make tax deductible donations to the Veterans Home Fund, the Memorial Brick Program and the Friends of the Delaware Veterans Home (501(c)3).  The online application can be accessed from the DVH web site or directly at de.gov/donatevetshome.

“It is through the generous donations of supporters that the Home continues to improve the quality of life for our veterans by enhancing recreational programs and maintaining the overall homelike environment in which they live,” said DVH Administrator Bill Peterson. “Making online donations through the Memorial Brick Program is also a great way commemorate loved ones in honor of specific causes.”

The Friends of the Delaware Veterans Home, a non-profit organization, raises funds primarily for larger projects such as the DVH outdoor pavilion and fishing pier.

“New eGovernment tools like this donation application help us meet Governor Markell’s challenge to make the state more efficient, effective and open,” noted Government Information Center director Greg Hughes.

For a material contribution to the DVH select an item from the Approved Donations List or contact the Home directly at 302-424-6000.

The iOS and Android Mobile App Honored as a Finalist at the 2013 NASCIO Awards

Dover – The National Association of State CIOs (NASCIO) has selected Delaware’s State Police (DSP) Mobile Crime Tip Line Application as a finalist in the Fast Track Solutions category at the 25th annual NASCIO Recognition Awards for Outstanding Achievement in the Field of Information Technology in State Government.

“The Delaware State Police continues to utilize technology as a force multiplier to combat and solve crime,” said Sergeant Paul G. Shavack, director of public information for the Delaware State Police. “By the use of smart phone technology, we want to make it as easy and convenient as possible to provide anonymous tips on crimes and criminal activity. When the public becomes involved and provides crime tips, it helps keep their communities safe.”

The DSP free Crime Tip Line application was launched in March of 2013 and already has over 830 downloads on both iPhones and Android phones. The application provides a mobile solution for accepting crime tips, allowing users to report information such as location, activity description, subject description, vehicle description, and even photographs to the police. Tips can be submitted anonymously. All crime tips are passed directly to the DSP via email. The mobile app complements other reporting crime-reporting channels and meets the citizen expectation of “mobile access anytime, anywhere.” This is particularly relevant in the context of public safety. The application is available for download on either iOS or Android at apps.delaware.gov.

NASCIO represents state chief information officers and seeks to recognize technology achievements in state government in order to highlight, promote, and share innovation as well as to engage citizens. Details about the 2013 Awards are posted at www.nascio.org/awards/2013awards. Recognition from the nation’s CIOs highlights Governor Markell’s initiative to promote and develop eGovernment services in the state of Delaware.

The DSP Crime Tip application was developed by Delaware Interactive, LLC in partnership with the Government Information Center (GIC).