CityGrows

CityGrows, operating as ClearForms since its acquisition, is a GovTech firm focused on improving operational efficiency for local governments. The company was incorporated in 2015 by co-founders Catherine Geanuracos and Stephen Corwin, who brought together extensive backgrounds in technology and civic innovation. Geanuracos has a history of leveraging technology for civic engagement, having co-founded Hack for LA and served as a Commissioner of Innovation and Performance for the City of Los Angeles. Corwin is a technologist, designer, and strategist. Their shared mission was to make government technology as seamless and functional as consumer technology.

The company launched its digital permitting and licensing platform in 2016, with the City of Santa Monica, CA, as its first government partner. A significant milestone was winning Santa Monica's "Hack the Beach" event in 2016, which allowed for close collaboration and deep understanding of local government needs. Before being acquired by ClearGov in June 2022, CityGrows had expanded to serve counties and municipalities across 14 states, including major clients like the City of Los Angeles and smaller towns. The acquisition by ClearGov, a provider of budgeting software for local governments, was a strategic move to broaden ClearGov's service offerings into the permitting and licensing market.

CityGrows provides a cloud-based, no-code workflow automation platform designed for non-technical government employees. The software enables governments to digitize any paper or PDF-based process, such as permits, licenses, and service requests. Key features include digital form creation with conditional logic, automated routing for reviews and approvals, integrated online payment processing, status updates for applicants, and a central dashboard for management. A distinguishing characteristic of the platform is its use-case agnostic workflow editor, which allows governments to create and customize workflows in minutes without being limited to predetermined permit types. The business model, prior to acquisition, included a free-to-use core platform with revenue generated from a percentage of credit card transaction fees, with additional charges for private processes and custom projects. The overarching goal is to make these essential government services more accessible, transparent, and efficient for both government staff and the public.

Keywords: government technology, GovTech, permitting software, licensing software, workflow automation, local government, civic technology, digital forms, online payments, no-code platform, government efficiency, Catherine Geanuracos, Stephen Corwin, ClearForms, ClearGov, process automation, public sector, digital services, government procurement, civic innovation