grants

In mid-November, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) released an assessment of how well agencies use performance information in decision making, with a particular focus on program evaluations.  Around the same time, a study on evidence-based policymaking in the states was released by the Pew Charitable Trusts and the MacArthur Foundation; and a new book, Moneyball for Government, by Peter Orzag and Jim Nussle, was announced by the non-profit Results for America.  Finally, a bill was introduced in the House by Congressman Paul Ryan (R), with the support of Senator Patty Murra

The Department of Educaton (ED) maintains many risk management tools, two of which are new: the State Score Cards and the Entity Risk Review. This report explains how these two tools are being used and provides examples of how risk management tools have been used to track the progress of two high risk grantees: Detroit Public Schools and Puerto Rico. Based on their examination of the ED experience, the authors present a series of lessons learned and recommendations for other agencies.

Improving Grants Management. Shelley Metzenbaum, in an article in Government Executive, writes: “. . . the way federal grants are managed gets woefully little attention. To achieve higher returns on the taxpayer’s dollar, that needs to change.

The Center for The Business of Government continues to support reports by leading thinkers on key issues affecting government today.  We are pleased to announce our latest round of awards for new reports on key public sector challenges, which respond to priorities identified in the Center's research agenda. Our content is intended to stimulate and accelerate the production of practical research that benefits public sector leaders and managers.

It recently released a nine-point agenda recommending actions that Congress can take to ground funding decisions on this basis.  One of its recommended actions is to expand the use of “tiered evidence” grants.

But do they work?