I Came to New Mexico for a PhD and Stayed to Make Government Work Better
Substack (Sarah Dinces)
Most state legislatures keep their budgeting and evaluation teams separate. But in New Mexico, they exist together, sending a clear message that understanding results is integral to deciding how public dollars should be spent. This gives agency leaders a real incentive to work with the legislature and allows fiscal analysts to quickly turn recommendations into action.
Substack (Scott Kupor)
Director of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, Scott Kupor: “Employee engagement surveys should . . . be designed, administered, and acted upon by the agencies that understand their own missions, structures, workforces, and management challenges—not administered by OPM as a government-wide ritual.”
Promise and Performance of Social Impact Bonds
Public Management Review
The authors evaluate SIB performance against promises and found that while SIBs sometimes foster intersectoral collaboration, they can also surface power imbalances, institutionalize gaming, and inadvertently reduce public accountability.
ASPA Center for Accountability & Performance 