California couldn’t be in much more budget trouble, and we’ve already helped the City of Santa Cruz use citizen engagement to make difficult budget decisions, so we’re really happy to announce our partnership with Common Sense California for the first-of-its-kind “Online Public Engagement Grant Program,” offering free implementation and training of the UserVoice online platform for public participation efforts around the state.

Through the Online Public Engagement Grant Program, at least five (5) grantees will be awarded free use of the UserVoice platform plus implementation training – an up to $10,000.00 value. Applications will be received on a “rolling basis” with “Phase I” of the grant period concluding on March 8, 2010. New grant phases may be opened as availability permits.

We have been about engagement since the day we first designed this product, and we’re happy to have a partner like Common Sense California to help put the product in the hands of public sector leaders who can really use it to engage their residents in making important local decisions.

To learn how to apply check out the CSC UserVoice application.

- Daniel