Microsoft Helping Governments Track Stimulus Money

The newly unveiled Microsoft Stimulus 360 solution, available as on-premise software or as a Microsoft-hosted service, combines an intranet portal with dashboards and project tracking and reporting functionality.

Microsoft enlisted the government expertise of Infostrat, a Microsoft Gold Partner in Washington, D.C., to come up with a solution that helps agencies take advantage of ARRA while also meeting their obligations under the legislation.

The idea is to equip agencies with a comprehensive view from which to track federal funding sources, requirements and grant-submission processes, said Stuart McKee, Microsoft State & Local Government National Technology Officer, in a recent blog post.

To take advantage of ARRA, state and local governments must find ways to keep track of billions of dollars of funding, and they'll also be required to file reports with various agencies and the public that document how they're using the money. Microsoft Stimulus 360 is designed to help governments meet these obligations, according to McKee.

"With Stimulus 360, government officials can manage incoming resources, facilitate downstream funding requests, track allocated resources, compile results and satisfy reporting requirements," McKee wrote.