Streamline your grants management tasks

With the Microsoft Dynamics CRM Grants Management solution, you can simplify your grants management tasks to stay on time and within budget while allocating more of your time to what's most important: evaluating solicitations and distributing funds to the most deserving applicants.

More ways to improve interactions with citizens and partners

Easily manage constituent relationships, outreach, and correspondence
USFederal360, a solution based on Microsoft Dynamics CRM, provides organizations with a framework to manage congressional, governmental, and constituent relationships easily and effectively.

Streamline FOIA workflow with this low-cost, cloud-based solution  
Public Records Tracker from Eskel Porter Consulting is the first cloud-based solution specifically designed to help federal, state, and local agencies manage citizen requests for public records online—from request to delivery.

Get a complimentary CRM solution assessment
Find out if your federal agency qualifies for a complimentary, onsite Microsoft Dynamics CRM solution assessment! Offer expires December 30, 2010.

News and highlights

Celebrate veterans this week
Learn about the Elevate America Veterans Initiative, which will help prepare our country's veterans and their spouses with the skills and resources they need to be successful in today's workplace.

U.S. Air Force and VA begin transition to Windows 7
The U.S. Air Force and the Veterans Affairs Department have begun a major transition from Windows XP and Vista to Windows 7. – NextGov

Running applications in the cloud can reduce carbon emissions by 30 percent
A new study found that organizations running applications in the cloud can reduce their carbon emissions by 30 percent or more compared with running those same applications in their own infrastructure.  Download the study.

Build your own social media network
There’s a social media conversation taking shape in government.  Download the Social Media Survival Guide for US Public Sector Professionals and get clear guidance on how to leverage, engage with and measure social media—and tips on how to build your own network.

Federal agencies to pursue email access in the cloud
Email is one of the first cloud-based services to gain early traction in the government sector.  Learn how your agency can combine the power of rich client applications with the flexibility of a hosted environment. – Information Management

For developers

Windows Phone, IE 9 dominate developers' conference
Microsoft kicked off its 2010 Professional Developers Conference by offering developers an update on its emerging cloud computing, Windows Phone and Internet Explorer 9 development platforms. – Government Computer News

Developers give thumbs-up to Windows Azure
Developers who are already building applications on Windows Azure are giving the platform-as-a-service offering good reviews for its developer services and scalability. – Network World

Enter the Windows Phone 7 Federal application contest
We are looking for 10 amazing applications to be made available to federal government customers on Windows Marketplace for the new Windows Phone 7.  See the contest rules.

Why develop on Windows Phone 7?
In an age of economic uncertainty, making the most of what you have is smart, using standards is ideal, leveraging what you already know is productive, getting free tools is economical, and having the choice for full end-to-end experience is empowering. Learn how Windows Phone 7 fits the bill.
 

Technology update

Mac meets PC with new Office release
Office 2011 for Mac is now available, bringing Mac users the latest versions of the popular Microsoft productivity software.

Open source cloud initiative embraces Microsoft virtualization platform
Microsoft has partnered with Cloud.com to provide integration and support of Windows Server 2008 R2 Hyper-V to the OpenStack project, an open source cloud computing platform.

Productivity in the cloud with Microsoft Office 365
Bring together your familiar Office software with SharePoint, Exchange, and Lync in the cloud. Available worldwide next year, Office 365 will replace the Business Productivity Online Suite (BPOS), Office Live Small Business, and Live@edu services.  Get the beta.

Download Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 1 Release Candidate
This update helps keep agency PCs and servers on the latest support level, provides ongoing improvements to the Windows Operating System, includes previous updates delivered over Windows Update, and more.

Discover Bing for Mobile
Try the audio service that gives you directions, traffic conditions, and weather reports — on any phone.

Events

Attend the "Race to the Cloud" identity and access (IDA) summit
December 8 ¦ Washington, DC
Learn first-hand from the Microsoft teams directly responsible for the future direction and development of Microsoft Identity and Access and Cloud products.

Microsoft is providing this information for your convenience only.  Microsoft makes no representations or warranties, either expressed, implied, or statutory, regarding any company presented herein or its products or services.  The inclusion of a company does not imply endorsement by Microsoft of the company or its products or services.  The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.