NASCIO: States explore innovative IT funding

A report from the National Association of State Chief Information Officers details how states are using new and innovative ways to stretch their information technology dollars in tight budget times, reports .NASCIO announced Sept. 17 the release of the report, The report's findings are based on a national survey of state CIOs that examines states' use of innovative or alternative funding models for information technology projects."With the current fiscal crisis impacting most states, CIOs are faced with the ever-increasing challenge of identifying funding streams to implement and update statewide enterprise systems that deliver essential services to its citizens on a daily basis," said Richard Thompson, CIO of Maine and Working Group co-chair. "NASCIO is pleased to offer this report as a resource to assist CIOs as they seek to identify new funding streams for their states' IT enterprises."Rico Singleton, deputy CIO of New York and working group co-chair, added that "states are utilizing new and innovative ways of stretching their state IT dollars to continue to provide their constituents with valuable services in an environment where state agencies increasingly have to compete for scarce revenue dollars. It is our hope that this report will serve as a useful tool for state CIOs as they face the demand of growing business needs with fewer financial resources to provide them."