ASPA Center for Accountability & Performance

Growing Data Divide

Government Executive

A recent report from the Center for Data Innovation says a lack of collection and use of data across demographics is leading to disparities in access to critical services.

Making Participatory Budgeting Work: Experiences from the Front Lines

Brennan Center for Justice

Giving Americans a louder voice in political processes is central to restoring trust in government. Pioneered in 1989 in Brazil, participatory budgeting is finding a foothold in U.S. cities.

N. Carolina Funds Data Analysts, Program Evaluation to Strengthen Use of Evidence

Results First/Pew Charitable Trusts

Leaders in North Carolina’s executive and legislative branches are investing in more tools and personnel to study the impact of publicly funded programs and determine how to deliver them with greater efficiency to the state’s residents.

Developing Actionable Insights: A Context for Future Research

IBM Center for The Business of Government

To achieve the goal of a government that uses data to extract insights for better decisions, researchers can help public leaders and stakeholders better understand and adopt promising practices. Such studies can drive data and analyses that help support policy or program decisions that measurably improve government operations and results. Proposals for such studies are due September 6^th!

Resource of the Week:  Teacher Shortage by State

National Conference of State Legislatures

Great example of the value of disaggregated data to analyze national and state level trends, by subject areas, grade levels, geographic regions.

It’s Complex, Not Complicated

UK.Gov Blog on Public Policy Design

Most of the insufficiencies of government can be traced back to a fundamental misunderstanding about how to ‘solve’ the problems society faces.

Updated Federal Performance Guidance

U.S. Office of Management and Budget

OMB released its annual update to its Circular A-11, which contains guidance to agencies on their preparation of their budget proposals for fiscal year 2024. Part 6 of the circular details the Federal Performance Framework which includes new details on measuring social equity, customer experience, and learning agendas.

Don’t Ignore Government Performance Metrics (Podcast)

Government Executive

Shelley Metzenbaum discusses her GovExec post headlined “A Missed Opportunity: The Problem with Ignoring Government Performance Information,” with host Ross Gianfortune. (27 minutes)

Blog on State Recovery Fund Plans as of July 31, 2022

National Association for State Budget Officers

As of August 18, NASBO had compiled links to 2022 Recovery Plan Performance Reports for 44 states and territories. Based on a preliminary review of the information in these reports, states have appropriated or otherwise allocated approximately 80 percent of their State-Local Fiscal Recovery Funds towards specific allowable uses.

Recap of White House Evidence Forum (3 min. video)

Results for America

The White House has dubbed 2022 the “Year of Evidence for Action” and is hosting a series of federal, state, and local forums to highlight how evidence-based policy can support localities to deliver better results for citizens.

New National Strategy for Measuring Climate Change

National Public Radio

The Biden Administration has unveiled efforts to give a more holistic accounting of the effects of environmental damage. According to Chris Mihm, this strategy document appears to make it easier for the US federal government’s budget process to consider the benefits of climate adaptation and resilience investment in budget and regulatory development processes.

Resource of the Week:  Honor Roll of States That Prioritize Evidence of Effectiveness

Results for America

This honor roll recognizes state grant programs in selected program areas (education and youth development, health and well-being, workforce development, justice and safety, housing, community development, financial security) that clearly define effectiveness when they invite grant applications, and prioritize such evidence when selecting grantees.

Massachusetts Needs a Performance Framework

Pioneer Institute (Joe Staruski)

Many states have made tremendous progress toward government efficiency and effectiveness by setting goals and tracking their progress. Massachusetts tried making a performance structure, but in 2014 it was discontinued. Today, the state lacks a comprehensive structure to track progress.

Commerce, NASA Leaning on Evidence Act to Put Common Priorities

Federal News Network

Only in the last year has the 2019 Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act started to demonstrate a real impact on agency missions. As agencies updated their strategic plans for 2022, many used the law to drive better cross-agency conversations.

OMB Releases Guidance to Agencies for FY 2024

Federal News Network

One of the biggest pushes for 2024 is around evidence-based decision making. OMB is telling agencies to do more to build up their skillsets and capabilities to build “credible, relevant evidence that is critical for decision-making on agency priorities that are built into their budget submission to OMB.”

Four Ways Government Budgeting Can Improve Community Outcomes

EY-Parthenon (Andrew Kleine)

States and cities, using outcome-based budgeting and performance data, can turn around communities in economic distress and support equity.

Small Business and the Federal Government: Working Together

Performance.gov Blog Post

This is the fifth post in a series highlighting different aspects of strategic planning in the Federal Government. Today, we will meet the U.S. Small Business Administration and learn how they leverage their strategic planning initiatives to hit Government-wide objectives, including partnering with and growing disadvantaged small businesses.

Bloomberg Expands Its What Works Cities Certification

Bloomberg Philanthropies

Bloomberg Philanthropies and Results for America today announced the next phase for What Works Cities Certification, the first-of-its-kind standard of excellence for data-driven, well-managed local government. What Works Cities Certification will expand to include cities in Canada, Central America, and South America while maintaining its commitment to U.S. cities. 

Made to Measure: How Measurement Can Improve Social Interventions

Center for Public Impact (Toby Lowe)

“Measurable” change is not the same as “real” change. In social change work, real change is experienced in someone’s life. Real change is how someone’s life is different.

Resource of the Week:  Understanding Statistics and Experimental Design

Springer Publishers (Michael Herzog, Gregory Francis, and Aaron Clarke)

This open access textbook provides the background needed to correctly use, interpret and understand statistics and statistical data in diverse settings. 

A Missed Opportunity

Government Executive (Shelley Metzenbaum)

Federal agencies’ quarterly performance updates, short- and long-term strategic plans, and annual performance reports deserve more attention.

Six-Month Update on Federal Customer Experience Executive Order

OMB Federal CX Team; Performance.gov 

Over the past six months, we’ve gotten off to a fast start translating the President’s historic Executive Order on customer experience into action. Today, at the half-year mark, we have more key updates to share.

Open GAO Performance-Related Recommendations for OMB

Government Accountability Office

GAO sent a letter to the director of the Office of Management and Budget highlighting 44 priority recommendations that have not yet been acted upon. Implementing 16 of these priority recommendations would help improve government performance and help OMB better meet the information needs of various decision makers.

Meeting Agency Priority Goals

FedScoop Daily Scoop Radio (podcast starts at 1:30 min.; ends at 13:00 min.)

On this episode of The Daily Scoop Podcast, Chris Mihm, adjunct professor of public administration at the Maxwell School at Syracuse University and former managing director for strategic issues at the Government Accountability Office, discusses agencies’ recent updates to performance.gov.

Special Issue on GPRA at 30

International Journal of Public Administration

At the 30th anniversary of the passage of GPRA, it is a perfect time to assess the implications of GPRA and, more broadly, the performance movement. What do we have to show for the work? And where is it going in the future. Abstract deadline: September 15, 2022; Manuscript deadline: May 8, 2023.

When’s the Best Time to Adopt Evidence-Based Budgeting?

Governing 

It’s just as important when revenues are robust as it is in tough fiscal times to base spending decisions on what works. Here’s how to get started.

Budgeting for Climate

City of Pittsburgh

The budget is a potent tool to leverage for change. It is logical to begin there when implementing a major initiative like Climate Action. A shared language between finance and sustainability departments is needed to connect strategy and budget. Priority Based Budgeting builds that language.

State and Local Learning Agenda: A Blueprint

J-PAL North America

Drawing on conversations with 20 state and local governments and 25 J-PAL affiliated researchers as well as 137 research proposals submitted over the past five years, this report lays out key areas where new or additional research is best positioned to address barriers to mobility from poverty.

Resource of the Week:  State of Maryland American Rescue Plan: 2022 Annual Performance Report

In 2021, the State of Maryland was allocated $3.7 billion by the Federal Government for American Rescue Plan, State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF). This SLFRF Annual Performance Report describes project performance, . . . This report details expenditures from March 3, 2021 through June 30, 2022, and includes planned allocations for state fiscal year 2023 (July 1, 2022 through June 30, 2023). 

Does Strategic Planning Improve Organizational Performance?

Public Administration Review (Bert George, Richard Walker, Joost Monster)

This article undertakes a meta-analysis of 87 correlations from 31 empirical studies and asks, Does strategic planning improve organizational performance? A random-effects meta-analysis reveals that strategic planning has a positive, moderate, and significant impact on organizational performance.

Congress Authorizes Creation of a National Secure Data Service to Improve Data Analytics

Data Coalition

 Congress passed the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022 (CHIPS+), which will establish a National Secure Data Service (NSDS). The CHIPS+ Act includes a provision to establish the NSDS demonstration project at the National Science Foundation. The NSDS has been a long-standing legislative priority of the Data Coalition Initiative, an organization that advocates for responsible policies to make government data high-quality, accessible, and usable. 

How Small Cities Can Make Big Leaps with Data

Bloomberg Cities Network

You don’t have to be a big city to do big things with data. That’s an unmistakable takeaway from some of the latest cities to achieve What Works Cities Certification, a designation that means they are among the best in the U.S. at using data to deliver better results for their residents.

JOB OPENINGS: Baltimore Office of Performance & Innovation

Hiring for City Performance Team, CitiStat Analyst, Data Led, Program Manager, and more. . . . . 

Resource of the Week:  Seattle Rescue Plan Transparency Portal

The City of Seattle has published the Seattle Rescue Plan (SRP) Transparency Portal for residents to track progress as the city spends nearly $300 million in federal pandemic assistance, as reflected in its latest (July 31, 2022) performance report.