GovernmentWise is a program of the Hatfield School of Government at Portland State University, rooted in a city and state known for civic engagement and innovative practices.

GovernmentWise was created to promote the promise of electronic government to policy-level decision makers facing several significant market conditions:

• A faltering economy unable to fuel government programs
• A weary citizenry unwilling to raise taxes
• A connected population - The New Wired Majority - with routine access to the Internet from home, work, and other community venues that is quite accustomed to conducting its commercial, educational, entertainment, and personal business online … a gold nugget opportunity for government.
• A physical business model of over-the-counter, nine-to-five, Monday-Friday, paper-based services that carries high structural costs that simply can’t be sustained in the 21st Century … the service strategy and business model must change.

GovernmentWise is focused on the business of helping governments work smart and serve well.

It's about applying equal doses of leadership, strategy, innovation, technology, and performance management to help public enterprises improve the way they work with their citizens, partners, suppliers, and employees.