Good governance is one of the most important public good, governments can offer to its citizens. It is one of the fundamental reason why we have governments and we agree to abide by roles and responsibilites which comes under different forms of governance. Good governance ensures that we can enjoy our fundamental rights to live with dignity, freedom and security, and can take advantage of various opportunities and services available to lead good quality lives.

Examined from a global perspective, governance services such as rule of law, primary education, primary health care and immunization, preserving equality and human rights, targeted government programmes and subsidies, can enhance welfare of people in any country.  large numbers of people, especially in developing countries, reamain poor, exploited and marginalised, and are not able to improve their lives as they are deprived of even the most fundamental benefits of good governance.  The mission of Progress And Main  is somewhat different in that it's focus  is hyperlocal.

Around the world good governance and its associated services simply do not reach many people, and where they do, the services offered are so corrupted, inefficient and disorganised that they fail to make any positive impact. Their exists a vicious loop: the impact of poor governance is felt disproporionately by those who are poor, unorganised and do not have the means to access services from alternative channels, such as the private sector and middlemen. In turn, this further diminishes opportunities available to them to break from this cycle of poverty, exploitation and marginalization.  Progress And Main attempts to offer remedies these issues in by recording,  monitoring and preserving the institutional memory of our local governments, while simultaneously providing easy to use tools that enable the constituencies to organize  around and communicate about issues relevant to the customers of local government and with government itself in a manner where those conversations become a part of the searchable global digital archive.

Against this backdrop and belief, Progress and Main was created to understand how information and communications technology (ICT) can be used to make a difference in lives of people living in the communities around the New River Valley of Virginia and to intentionally to expreiment with those methods as new information sharing technologies evolve. We are already living through the profound impact these technologies have made in our private lives, in how we work, conduct our business, entertain ourselves, and engage with others. How much more can we push these technologies so that they can produce and shape public goods which benefit everyone?

The site aims to inspire and serve as an example to youths, citizens, local policymakers, technocrats, researchers, NGOs and UN and other development agencies worldwide to think innovatively and set up low-cost models which can promote good governance  .

The focus of this experimental Initiative shall remain hyperlocal and dedicated to the advancement of our local communities with an emphasis on the undeserved, marginalized, disenfranchised, and low income. What is required is strategic application of knowledge and innovative use of available technologies to provide governance services within our society.

Be innovative, experiment and stay Inspired!

This document and the mission of this site draw heavily from the mission of the Digital Governance Project

Click on Networks to find how you can participate in and contribute to the Digital Governance Initiative.