Sharing information in the public sector.

As municipalities nationwide continue to face challenges, from fiscal and infrastructure, to service delivery and education, they also have the capacity to engage and affect wide sectors of the public through innovative policies, technologies, and programs. Knowledge sharing in local governments can be an effective way to promote innovation and problem solving. The New America Foundation's California Civic Innovation Project recently released recommendations on how leaders in local government, professional associations, and foundations can support the development and strengthening of networks to encourage the adoption of new approaches to address existing community needs.

The report, "Creating Networked Cities," follows up on an April 2013 report, "The Case for Strengthening Personal Networks in California Local Governments," which examined how and why city and county administrators in California adopt new approaches, and the processes through which they learn about potential solutions for problems in their communities. The new report offers 12 practical tips for how local leaders can improve knowledge sharing and includes case studies highlighting models of collaboration that can...