The Iowa Office of the Chief Information Officer’s Department of Management announced Thursday that the Center for Digital Government, a national research and advisory institute focused on technology policy and best practices in state and local government, has awarded the state of Iowa first place in data-driven government. The award recognizes the systematic use of the state’s data resources to support the strategic plans of agencies and departments. The award is part of the biennial Digital State Survey. Iowa’s overall grade in the Digital State Survey increased from B to B+ from the 2020 Digital State Survey. The Center for Digital Government noted that Iowa made “significant strides toward solid governance around how the state uses and upgrades its technology.” “This award shows that the investments the state of Iowa made in information technology are yielding real results for Iowans,” said Iowa Chief Information Officer Matt Behrens. “We feel this demonstrates the comprehensive way we are innovating and improving information technology in Iowa.” More information on the Digital States Survey and the Center for Digital Government is available at https://www.govtech.com/cdg.