The Argument for Modern Public Funding

Technology and science will continue to advance exponentially in the labs and research institutions of the world. This constant drive for advancement is in our nature, even in the face of a pandemic, science and research surges forward.

Unfortunately, the infrastructure that holds up our society was not designed to keep up with today’s pace of change. Our education systems, economic models, and cultural norms are buckling under the pressure of a world that looks completely different than it did just 20 years ago. A global pandemic has exposed the cracks that have been spreading for decades. 

Nowhere are these cracks deeper than in our government, where hardworking bureaucrats try their best to distribute billions of dollars in taxpayer money—money that’s earmarked to improve our condition—using PDFs, Excel, and other antiquated software.

The core issues include outdated technology, lack of data, and poor communication. Because of these issues, public funding has never been more inefficient, ineffective, and inequitable than it is today. As entrepreneurs and technologists, we cannot in good conscience sit back and let it continue.

Fortunately, the scenario is primed for action. Never before has technology been more available, affordable, secure, and scalable. Never before has the government been so hungry for—and open to—new solutions. And never before has society so blatantly witnessed systemic issues be exacerbated by outdated infrastructure.

The future of prosperity depends on our ability to bring an intelligent external solution into government. We must build deep partnerships across the public sector, leverage enterprise-class technology to build software and data management tools that fit the needs and pace of modern day society, and effectively integrate these two disparate worlds. 

All of this must happen quickly if we hope to give the next generation any shot at tackling their own challenges. This is our massive transformative purpose at OpenGrants. This is why we’re here.

Food scarcity, income inequality, climate change and a global pandemic are just a few of the unique challenges of our time. Innovation holds the keys to solving these problems and is directly linked to economic growth and development. Unfortunately, the economic impact of federally funded R&D is declining, which is resulting in “stagnant productivity growth and reduced innovation.” The government is aware of this grave problem, but has no ability to implement solutions from within.

-words by Sedale Turbovsky & Cody Hanson

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