Six Public Sector Programs Win Government Awards
Six groundbreaking government initiatives–ranging from a program that ensures safe housing in Los Angeles to a rating system that assesses every federal program’s purpose and design–have won the Innovations in American Government Award.
Often called the “Oscars” of government, the Innovations in American Government Awards are a program of the Ash Institute for Democratic Governance and Innovation at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government, administered in partnership with the Council for Excellence in Government.
Each of the six winners will receive a $100,000 grant to support replication activities of their significant and creative efforts.
The six winning programs are:
–Charter Agencies in the State of Iowa — redirects energy from bureaucratic requirements into innovation. The agencies volunteer to be accountable for measurable customer benefits and contribute savings/revenues in return for exemption from many state requirements.
–Program Assessment Rating Tool at the U.S. Office of Management and Budget — assesses every federal program’s purpose, design, management and results to determine effectiveness. The uniform assessment is used to improve management and to make informed budget decisions.
–SEED School of the D.C. Public School District–the nation’s first urban public boarding school, provides integrated academic and boarding services to help students in grades seven through twelve achieve their academic and social potential.
–State Forensic Program of Allegheny County, PA — reintegrates individuals with behavioral health diagnoses upon release from state penitentiaries into the community and provides assistance with basic needs and mental health services to help participants become productive members of society.
–Youth Civic Engagement in Hampton, VA — a comprehensive youth engagement strategy that gives young people authority to be equal players in city decisions. Youth have a “place at the table” in city government and play an active role in directing city services, schools and neighborhoods.
–Systematic Code Enforcement Program of Los Angeles, CA (winner of the Fannie Mae Foundation Innovations in American Government Award in Affordable Housing) — proactively inspects more than 760,000 rental units in Los Angeles for habitability and enforces state health and safety codes.
The six winners were selected from among eighteen finalists and more than 1,000 applicants for the awards, which were presented in Washington, D.C. yesterday at the Excellence in Government Conference.
For 18 years, the Innovations in American Government Award has recognized quality and responsiveness at all levels of government, honored government efforts that are creative, effective and address significant problems, and has fostered the replication of innovative approaches to the challenges facing government.
The award is a program of the Ash Institute for Democratic Governance and Innovation at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government, and is administered in partnership with the Council for Excellence in Government.