October 14, 2026
State receives multiple digital awards for putting user experience at the center of design work
LANSING Mich. – On Sept. 25, the State of Michigan was awarded an A rating as part of the Digital States Survey from the Center for Digital Government. The survey evaluated how state governments use technology to improve constituent engagement, increase efficiency, streamline operations, enhance service delivery, and achieve other digital state priorities.
Michigan remained at the top of U.S. states by maintaining its grade A rating, a recognition it has held since 2010.
The Michigan Department of Technology, Management & Budget (DTMB) embraces a centralized state IT service governance model for the executive branch of state government. DTMB and its agency partners are committed to a human-centered approach to technology modernization and delivery.
“The State of Michigan continues to be a national leader in delivering centralized IT services,” said Eric Swanson, acting chief information officer for the State of Michigan and director of the Center for Shared Solutions within DTMB. “Through collaboration and coordination, we are translating state and agency priorities into IT strategies and solutions that are making a real impact with our users. We are honored to be recognized with another grade A rating.”
The State of Michigan noted its commitment to modernization and its achievements in service delivery, cybersecurity, ensuring digital accessibility, strengthening its unified digital experience, application of artificial intelligence technology, and expansion of identity and access management in the survey submission.
The 2026 finalist Digital States Survey award was presented Sept. 27 during the National Association of State Chief Information Officers (NASCIO) annual conference in San Diego.
DTMB was awarded an A rating on the 2026 Digital States Survey by the Center for Digital Government. Pictured left to right with the award during an event held Sept. 27 in San Diego are Acting DTMB Director Kyle Guerrant, Agency Services Director Heather Frick, and State Chief Information Officer and Director of the Center for Shared Solutions Eric Swanson.
Learn more about this year’s Digital States Survey results on the Center for Digital Government’s website.
Michigan recognized with Overall Government Experience Award
On Oct. 14, the Center for Digital Government recognized the State of Michigan with a 2026 Government Experience Award for Overall Outstanding Achievement. The award honors Michigan for being a leader in the government experience movement and maintaining a distinguished level of service and innovation.
Michigan’s 2026 Overall Outstanding Achievement follows several years of recognition among U.S. state’s by the Center for Digital Government.
The state was not eligible to submit in 2022 due to its first-place finish in 2021.
The Overall Outstanding Achievement Award will be presented to the State of Michigan in a Government Experience Virtual Awards ceremony on Oct. 15. Highlighting the top U.S. states, the ceremony will recognized how technology and the latest IT trends and innovations are shaping government experience.
State of Michigan recognized for cybersecurity training program
The State of Michigan was also recently recognized as a finalist during the NASCIO 2026 State IT Recognition Awards. Michigan was recognized in the cybersecurity award category, which included nearly 140 submissions from NASCIO member states and territories.
Pictured left to right with the award during an event in San Diego are NASCIO Awards Committee co-chair and CIO of the State of Nevada Timothy Galluzi, NASCIO Awards Committee co-chair and CIO of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Bry Pardoe, CIO of the State of Michigan and Director of the Center for Shared Solutions Eric Swanson, Agency Services Director Heather Frick, NASCIO Executive Committee Past President and CIO for the State of Arizona J.R. Sloan, and NASCIO Executive Director Doug Robinson.
Michigan’s Securing Michiganders via MiLogin: Free cybersecurity awareness and training program entry highlighted the state’s new free cybersecurity trainings. Designed for Michiganders of all ages, including tweens, teens, college students, those in the workforce, and senior citizens, the training covers nine cybersecurity topics, including popular threats, best practices, and what to do if you are hacked.
“Cyber threats are all around us,” stated Rex Menold, chief security officer for the State of Michigan. “Through our Cybersecurity Resource Hub, MiLogin cybersecurity trainings, and the Michigan Secure app, we are sharing cybersecurity information and resources to keep both residents and businesses safe.”
Michigan submitted eight NASCIO State IT award entries across categories. View all the 2026 submissions in the NASCIO Awards Library. Learn more about the State of Michigan's cybersecurity services and resources at Michigan.gov/Cybersecurity.
Michigan doubles down on commitment to enhancing cybersecurity with industry summits
As part of its ongoing commitment to enhancing Michigan’s cybersecurity position, DTMB is hosting the 15th annual Michigan Cyber Summit Thursday, Oct. 15, at the Vibe Collection Showplace in Novi. Over 600 cybersecurity leaders and innovators from across the public and private sectors will convene to explore strategies, technologies, and partnerships that are keeping Michigan at the forefront of cyber defense.
DTMB hosted the fourth annual Michigan High School Cyber Summit at the Vibe Credit Union Showplace in Novi on Wednesday, Oct. 14. The event brought together hundreds of high school students from across the state to take part in a half-day agenda created to educate them on cybersecurity trends and best practices and showcase a variety of career opportunities available in cybersecurity.
“From leveraging federal resources to navigating emerging threats, attendees gained practical insights to strengthen preparedness, accelerate response, and protect what matters most,” Menold added. “The Michigan Cyber Summit and the Michigan High School Cyber Summit are preparing the leaders of today and tomorrow with tools and resources to keep Michigan safe and secure.”
Learn more about the Michigan Cyber Summit and the Michigan High School Cyber Summit in a recent DTMB new release.
Join DTMB’s award winning IT workforce
“This year’s achievements and our work to better serve Michiganders can be attributed to our incredibly talented workforce,” said Swanson. “Our teams are working around the clock to connect those we serve with the information, resources, and the services they need, when they need them most.”
Interested in learning more about DTMB? Visit our website and join our award-winning team. The State of Michigan was recently named a 2026 America's Best Employers for Tech Workers, an America's Best Large Employer, and a Best Employers for New Graduates from Forbes.
