(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 new Delaware Veterans Services Directory (VSD) has won recognition from a national eGovernment research institute for its innovative approach to providing services to an important segment of Delaware’s population.  The directory, which serves the more than 79,000 Delaware veterans and their families, was named a winner of a 2013 Digital Government Achievement Award in the Government-to-Business category by the Center for Digital Government.

Accessible at www.delaware.gov/vsd, the VSD is a state-wide online listing of public and private organizations offering services to Delaware veterans and their families.  It brings together a community of partners in a single, online portal that features links to employment services, housing services, medical services, and education services, among others. The VSD currently includes 48 organizations, with information ranging from general knowledge and social media links to informational videos.

“Veterans have served to protect us and we are obligated to do everything in our power to ensure they get the benefits and assistance they deserve,” said Delaware Governor Jack Markell. “The VSD is an innovative way to connect those in need of housing, healthcare, jobs and many other benefits with those organizations that have a passion to serve veterans. I want to personally encourage organizations to continue registering for free today and help us get the word out about the Veterans Services Directory.”

VSD users can search by geographic location and by types of services offered. The directory also offers quick links to important state and federal veterans’ agencies.  It provides an array of essential services for Delaware’s vast military community and simplifies the process of obtaining needed services for military veterans and their families.

“Military members, veterans and their families are entitled to numerous benefits. There are equally as many organizations working hard day in and day out to help those who committed to protect our way of life,” said Paul Lardizzone, Veterans Affairs Commission Chairman. “Our hope is that the Veterans Services Directory helps address a longstanding problem of connecting veterans in need to the organizations that can provide assistance.”

The VSD website was developed by the Delaware Government Information Center for the Delaware Commission of Veterans Affairs as part of Governor Markell’s push for a more efficient and effective government. The Government Information Center (GIC) helps meet this goal by developing applications and websites that are innovative, cost-effective, and easy to use. To contact the GIC, send an email to: gic@delaware.gov.

Contact: Tammy Stock at 302-857-3038 or tamara.stock@delaware.gov

Dover – The state of Delaware received the 2013 Web 2.0 Award in the “Harnessing the Power of Civic Media” category from the Public Technology Institute (PTI) for its new Public Integrity Reporting System (http://egov.delaware.gov/lobs).

The Public Integrity Reporting System (PIRS) is a result of the passage of Senate Bill 185, proposed by Governor Jack Markell and approved by the General Assembly, which requires lobbyists to disclose their reports online to the public.

“The recognition by the Public Technology Institute is encouraging for our eGovernment initiatives,” said Governor Markell.  “This award also highlights the continuing and successful efforts of the General Assembly and my Administration at making State government more transparent, open and accessible to all Delawareans.”

Users of the new PIRS can see which lobbyists are engaged on specific legislation, and view lobbyists’ client lists and financial disclosures. The new system also makes it easier for lobbyists and public officials to maintain a profile, and to submit required lobbying and gift-related reports online. The PIRS online interface is also mobile-friendly, allowing lobbyists to report, and citizens to search using smartphones, tablets and other mobile devices.

The PIRS is part of a growing collection of online applications developed by Delaware Interactive, LLC as part of the Delaware’s eGovernment initiative. The Delaware eGovernment team is a partnership of Delaware Government Information Center (GIC), state agencies and private companies that work together to develop innovative resources for computers and mobile devices to improve access to government services and information in Delaware.

Other recent eGovernment initiatives include a Hunting and Trapping Registration System, a directory of services for veterans, applications to report suspicious activities and crimes, a system to distribute temporary automobile license tags, an upgraded statewide public meeting calendar, a search tool for professional licenses, and a variety of agency-specific applications for mobile devices.

“This is wonderful news,” said Deborah J. Weaver, Counsel to the Public Integrity Commission. “Delaware Interactive has responded well to our needs and we are excited to continue our relationship with them to promote greater transparency in government for the general public.”

The Web 2.0 Awards were created by the Public Technology Institute (PTI) to recognize city, county and state government leaders in the application of Web 2.0 technologies and civic/social media tools.  PTI is a not-for-profit entity created by and for cities and counties to promote innovation and collaboration for thought-leaders in government.

“Under the leadership of Governor Markell, Delaware state agencies are implementing innovative and exciting ways to better reach and serve citizens online,” said GIC Director Greg Hughes.  “It’s gratifying to receive independent recognition of the Public Integrity Reporting System project and we welcome ideas from citizens and businesses on ways we can continue to improve our e-government services.”   The Government Information Center may be reached via email at gic@delaware.gov.”

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(Dover) – As the last days of the General Assembly’s 2013 session wind down, Delawareans can follow the groups engaged on various bills with the Delaware Public Integrity Commission’s online Public Integrity Reporting System.

Legislation in 2012 (Senate Bill 185) mandated creation of a new online Public Integrity Reporting System and required additional functionality, including the ability to report lobbying activity tied to specific legislation and state initiatives. The new website, created by Delaware Interactive, LLC as part of the state’s eGovernment initiative, is available at depic.delaware.gov. It features a public search and explore feature that helps meet Governor Jack Markell’s goal of providing greater transparency and accessible data to the public. Anyone can see which lobbyists are engaged on each piece of legislation, as well as being able to view lobbyist client lists and financial disclosures.

“Citizens deserve to know who is lobbying and what they are lobbying for. This puts information in the public domain for online consumption,” said Governor Markell. “The new system is providing access to information that ensures ongoing transparency and accountability.”

“We’re committed to creating new and convenient eGovernment tools for Delaware,” said Greg Hughes, Director of the Delaware Government Information Center (GIC), which leads eGovernment efforts in the First State. “Governor Markell has directed us to look for ways to make government more efficient, effective and open; mobile apps and eGovernment tools like this one will help us meet that goal.”

The system includes tools to allow lobbyists and public officials to log-in and maintain their own reports and profiles. Public Integrity Staff oversee those reports using an administrative back-end management system. The application was developed with a ‘mobile-first’ approach in order to optimize viewing on cell phones and tablet devices.

About Delaware Interactive
Delaware Interactive is part of the eGovernment firm NIC’s (NASDAQ: EGOV) family of companies. Its focus is on accelerating the number of online services available to Delaware citizens and businesses through the state’s official portal, Delaware.gov. Additional information is available at www.egov.com/Partners/Pages/Delaware.aspx.

About NIC
NIC Inc. (NASDAQ: EGOV) is the nation’s leading provider of official government portals, online services, and secure payment processing solutions. The company’s innovative eGovernment services help reduce costs and increase efficiencies for government agencies, citizens, and businesses across the country. NIC provides eGovernment solutions for more than 3,500 federal, state, and local agencies in the United States. Additional information is available at http://www.egov.com.

DOVER – Delaware’s eGovernment initiative, which complements Governor Jack Markell’s goal of efficient and effective government, has recently received two awards from national groups. The eGovernment initiative, in particular Delaware’s new online Public Meeting Calendar, has been awarded an Outstanding Achievement Award from the Interactive Media Council, Inc. (IMC). The new Calendar system was a key component in Delaware receiving a 2012 Public Technology Institute (PTI) Award.

“Keeping the public informed is vital to government transparency,” said Governor Markell. “We are striving to improve how we provide information so we make it easier for Delawareans to access it and have the option to participate in the public processes.”

The Outstanding Achievement Award given to Delaware’s Public Meeting Calendar is the second highest honor bestowed as part of the IMC’s Interactive Media Awards. Entries are judged on five different criteria: design; content; functionality; usability; and standards compliance and cross-browser compatibility. Since 2006, the IMC has recognized the highest standards of excellence in website design and development throughout the world. The IMC is a nonprofit organization dedicated to elevating the standards of excellence on the Internet.

Delaware’s overall eGovernment effort was recognized as a 2012 Public Technology Institute (PTI) Award winner. According to its website, PTI “identifies best practices and excellence in the field of Web 2.0 and civic/social networking and citizen engagement in local and state government.” The selection criteria for the award focus on a specific application or tool and analyze participation rates, interoperability, system integration, data access and performance metrics. The Government Information Center (GIC), which manages the eGovernment initiative, showcased the newly-revamped Public Meeting Calendar in its award application.

The Public Meeting Calendar update was developed by the GIC in partnership with Delaware Interactive (DI), a subsidiary of NIC USA. It features a streamlined, high usability interface consistent with the look and feel of the state’s new delaware.gov web portal. Each meeting listing features detailed information about the meeting, a meeting change history to alert users to any updates, a map to the meeting location, and the ability to scan a meeting-specific QR code to download meeting information directly to their personal calendars.

The Delaware eGovernment initiative is led by the Government Information Center, in the Department of State, and includes partners in various state and local government agencies, as well as Delaware Interactive, a private sector partner that brings years of experience in building eGovernment applications to Delaware. The eGovernment team is continuously looking for opportunities to improve the connection between citizens and their government using online tools ranging from web sites to mobile apps.