14 DAY TRIAL // Another free iPhone app, this time a bit more serious, comes from eGovernment firm NIC, which has just launched “Transparent Gov,” a program dedicated to deciphering where and how the money from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act is to be spent. Apple has accepted the software into the App Store, meaning you may download it straight away. NIC has also launched a one-stop online source for access to stimulus and transparency information from governments nationwide. More information is available at transparent-gov.com.
According to the official NIC report, The Transparent Gov application includes features such as: clear and concise spending information depicted graphically for ease in understanding lists of key recipients of the funds; ability to drill down into relevant text from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.
The iTunes App Store describes the flagship feature of the app a bit more thoroughly than in the official press release – “Easy to understand graphics that allows you to see how the money is going to be spent.” The rest of the description goes as follows (excerpt):
Transparent Gov – Creating Transparency
Transparent Gov bring transparency to the recently passed Stimulus bill. With the goal of getting the US economy back on track Congress has just passed one of the most massive spending bills of all time. Transparent Gov permits you to see how this money is going to be spent. At over 1,000 pages long, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 is a huge document. Transparent Gov provides you with the ability to easily see how your taxpayer dollars are going to be spent.
“NIC has launched a number of online budget tracking, budget input, and stimulus sites on behalf of our government partners,” said Harry Herington, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of NIC. “Providing a national, easy-to-use application to help citizens understand this extremely complex and large spending initiative is a natural extension of our leadership in this space.”