Giving Compass' Take:

• In this Governing magazine piece, representatives from the Albuquerque, NM, explain how they developed the city's digital infrastructure through sustainable methods.

• What can those involved in urban planning initiatives learn from Albuquerque's strategies? True transformation requires deep pockets, but also innovative ideas.

• Here are the nonprofits and foundations making a big impact on smart cities.

In our global economy, every city is competing for jobs and talent. A smart-city strategy is essential to support the next-century workforce and drive economic opportunity for everyone. That's why cities across the country are striving to become digitally advanced. It's not just a trend, it's a race.

But what does it mean, and how do you get there?

From 2010 through 2017, Albuquerque climbed the Center for Digital Government's Digital Cities Survey rankings until it hit the No. 2 spot for cities with a population of 500,000 or more — just behind Los Angeles and ahead of many recognized tech hubs. Albuquerque made the top 10 list for five years running.

Every city is different, and there is no one-size-fits-all formula for digital transformation, but there are strategies that can lead cities in the right direction. Here is how we did it in Albuquerque:

Commitment: We committed to being smart in using technology and creating conditions for innovation. Internally, we were clear about improving obsolete business systems that were creating a drag on service delivery, and we bolstered a culture centered on improving connections between residents and City Hall.

Talent: So much of what we call "good government" is about the day-to-day work that leads to a return on taxpayer dollars. To achieve that level of service delivery, we invested in our hard-working employees.

Data infrastructure: Sustainable digital advancement is built on a foundation of data-informed decisions and a long-term commitment to resourcing the effort. Data makes the biggest impact when it is shared, so we migrated away from paper-based systems and enabled departments to transform into open-data-producing systems.

Read the full article about Albuquerque's digital transformation by Richard Berry and Peter Ambs at Governing magazine.