What trends will impact how local government operates in the next generation? This is the question that the Alliance for Innovation set out to answer with its new report: The Next Big Things: The Next 20 Years in Local Government.. The report’s primary author Rebecca Ryan, the Alliance’s resident futurist, highlights 44 trends in four categories – Resources, Technology, Demographics, and Governance – which they believe will have a deep impact on the way local governments do business in the future.

With mounting political polarization and stagnation at the federal and state levels, local governments are increasingly looked to as leaders in priority setting and innovation. The Next Big Things helps local government leaders focus on the right things and gives them the tools they need to take action.

The 44 trends highlighted in the report were gathered from a national and international panel of experts, as well as an exhaustive literature scan, looking beyond just what we see now and seeking to imagine our communities one generation in the future.

In addition to detailed information on the "Four Forces" and "44 Trends," the report also includes a summary of four plausible scenarios for communities; basic, intermediate, and transformative solutions you can consider; and tools to put The Next Big Things to work in your community. 

Download the report now to put your community on the path to becoming future ready.