This document provides background information on the EfficientGovNow grant program, including results from our successful first round held in the summer of 2009, and information to participate in round 2, held in the spring of 2010. The EfficientGovNow program is a competitive grant awards program that encourages and accelerates government collaboration, cooperation and efficiency by providing rounds of funding to government collaboration projects as selected by the residents of Northeast Ohio. Round 2 of the program will provide as much as $330,000 total in funding to as many as four collaborative government projects from throughout Northeast Ohio.

1. Efficient
GovNow
ANEO Choice Award www.EfficientGovNow.org
Presented by the Fund for Our Economic Future
EfficientGovNow
EfficientGovNow is a competitive awards program that encourages greater government
collaboration, cooperation and efficiency to strengthen the economic competitiveness of
Northeast Ohio, and engages the public to advance and direct change. Launched by the
Fund for Our Economic Future in 2009, EfficientGovNow aims to secure strong government
collaboration proposals from throughout the region and empower the public to spur greater
action for regional collaboration and efficiency by selecting those projects to receive funding.
In round 1, the Fund offered a total of as much as $300,000 for up to three collaboration
programs, with the public selecting the recipients. Highlights from the first round of
EfficientGovNow include:
• 65 project abstracts submitted by more than 255 unique government partners
• 14 of 16 counties represented
• 39 proposals met full EfficientGovNow criteria
• 13,498 Northeast Ohioans cast qualified votes
• Communities came together to rally support for individual programs
The winning projects of the first round of the EfficientGovNow competition were:
• Rollin’ on the River: Mahoning River Corridor Redevelopment Project ($57,451)
• Westshore Regional First District Project, covering Cuyahoga and Lorain Counties ($100,000)
• Mahoning-Youngstown Regional Information System ($120,000)
To learn more about round 1 of EfficientGovNow, visit www.efficientgovnow.org
The public is eager for more.
The message from round 1 was clear: Opportunity is everywhere – the payoff is big – and
the public wants action. That’s why the Fund approved a second round of EfficientGovNow,
offering up to $330,000 in total for up to four collaboration projects. As with round 1, the
public will vote for the three best collaboration projects, with the Fund reserving the option
to award a fourth grant to a meritorious collaboration involving smaller communities.
EfficientGovNow Project Criteria
• Each project must include a minimum of two governmental partners
• Funding request must not exceed 80% of the total project cost
• Funding is for implementation, not planning
• Must be implemented within two years
• A financial commitment to the project is required from each governmental partner
• Project must result in lower government costs and/or stronger economic competitiveness
• Demonstrate how “savings” will be used to strengthen economic competitiveness
• Demonstrate the potential to be replicated throughout the region
Go to EfficientGovNow.org today and download a copy of the Abstract and RFP forms.

2. Efficient
GovNow
ANEO Choice Award www.EfficientGovNow.org
Presented by the Fund for Our Economic Future
EfficientGovNow implementation and timing
January 6 RFP issued
February 26 Project abstracts due
April 19 Proposals due
April 30 Finalists named
May 1 Voting begins
May 31 Voting ends
June Winners announced
Government entities interested in applying for an EfficientGovNow award are required to
submit a 250-word abstract as a “pre-screen” phase to ensure that the final proposal
will meet all program criteria. All abstracts will be reviewed by a committee to determine
whether proposed projects will meet the minimum criteria. Abstracts will then be posted
online for public review and comment at www.efficientgovnow.org.
Final proposals will be submitted online at www.efficientgovnow.org and will be posted
for public review and comment. A selection committee comprised of Fund members and
invited experts will select the final proposals to be voted on by the public.
To reach the broadest audience possible, voting will be conducted online, throughout an
800 telephone number and paper ballots. Voters will choose and rank their three preferred
proposals, with rankings weighted on a point scale. The three proposals with the largest
point totals will receive funding. The Fund will determine the fourth project recipient.
Community Resources
The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and Kent State University are partners and
sponsors of EfficientGovNow and its related activities. The Fund has engaged partners at
colleges and universities across the region to provide guidance and assistance to those
governments submitting proposals. Working with the Fund on EfficientGovNow are
representatives from Kent State University’s Center for Public Administration & Public Policy,
Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland State University’s Center Maxine Goodman
Levine College of Urban Affairs, Lorain County Community College Public Service Institute
and Oberlin College.
Advance Norheast Ohio
The Fund collaborates with partners in the private and public sector to implement the
region’s economic action plan, Advance Northeast Ohio, which has four focus areas –
business growth and attraction, talent development, growth through racial and
economic inclusion and government collaboration and efficiency. To learn more, visit
www.advancenortheastohio.org.
Go to EfficientGovNow.org today and download a copy of the Abstract and RFP forms.