Special Initiatives

Big Ideas

The Academy’s Board of Directors has identified 10 key issues—“Big Ideas”—that it felt were important to public governance in the years ahead and deserved Academy attention. 

Approximately 100 Fellows were involved in the initial development of the 10 Big Ideas.  Some projects were developed, implemented and completed.  Others matured to the point of becoming part of the Academy’s ongoing work.  More detailed archived material on the projects and those who participated in them can be accessed by clicking Big Ideas.   

Below is a synopsis of some of the projects and their accomplishments.

Emerging Issues:  Given the centrality of emerging issues to the Academy and its mission, the Board determined to make the identification of Emerging Issues an ongoing part of the Academy’s work. 

Fiscal Future:   The Fiscal Future Committee, chaired by Fellow Ed DeSeve, addressed the pressing fiscal issues that federal, state and local governments confront.  It sponsored a June 2005 forum on “The Role of Budget Processes and Concepts” at which Congressman John Spratt, former CBO Directors Rudolph Penner and Robert Reischauer and former Congressman William Frenzel presented.  In December 2005, the committee issued a final report and recommendations on the nation’s fiscal situation, Ensuring the Future Prosperity of America: Addressing the Fiscal Future.   The report was released at a public event featuring Fellows Alice Rivlin and Paul A. Volcker.    

Health Care:  Building on the work of the Fellows on the Health Care Committee, the Academy entered into a partnership with the National Academy of Social Insurance and successfully applied for a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.  The grant was awarded for an examination of the management aspects of health care, aimed at improving the system by reducing costs and increasing efficiency and access.  A project panel from the two Academies was formed, with Fellow Bill Morrill as Chair.  This work is ongoing.

Intergovernmental:  The result of this committee’s work was the establishment of an Intergovernmental Center at the Academy.  The Center has developed a research and data program and an education program panel.  It plays a key convening role and is holding an ongoing series of forums.  The Federal Systems Standing Panel has worked closely with the Center on its development and programs. The Center also has a strong working relationship with the “Big 7” organizations representing intergovernmental interests in Washington, DC; those organizations have provided support for the Center’s programs.  Additional information about the Center and its work is at The Intergovernmental Center.

International:  The International Committee has partnered with Princeton University’s Woodrow Wilson School and Bobst Center on a “Fragile States” project.  The partnership is focusing on engaging and providing assistance to those working to build or rebuild the capacity for governance in fragile or post-conflict states.  The Academy side of this partnership is being led by Fellows Ralph Widner and Enid Beaumont, Chair of the International Standing Panel.  The Public Service Panel was recently asked to contribute to a draft paper on lessons learned from efforts to reform civil services around the world. 

Prisons:   The Prison Committee examined several pressing issues related to prisons.  The committee then developed a project related to the connectivity of health care delivery between prisoners in prison, and provided once they have returned to the community following incarceration.  Fellow Mike Quinlan, formerly Federal Bureau of Prisons Director, is chairing the committee.  The committee has developed a funding proposal and is looking for support for several case studies to examine the public administration aspects of this problem.

Public Service:  This committee focused on two projects.  The first was the development and creation of a governmentwide framework for public service reform.  This framework was subsequently discussed at a U.S. Government Accountability Office forum on this topic.  GAO’s report on the forum and the framework developed by the Fellows committee were sent to all members of Congress with a cover letter from Comptroller General David Walker and former Academy President C. Morgan Kinghorn.
The second project was to tackle the management issues surrounding the multisector workforce.   A task force of Fellows from the original Public Service Committee has helped guide this project, as has the Standing Panel on the Public Service under the Chairmanship of Roz Kleeman and Bob Tobias.  The task force produced a concept paper identifying and outlining six key public administration issues associated with the multisector workforce.  The Academy has hosted two forums to help develop its research and is currently overseeing case studies at three federal agencies, designed to examine the key issues and develop answers to the management challenges they present. Case studies are being planned at other federal agencies through the Academy’s Human Resources Management Consortium.  The Academy regularly presents its work on this issue at conferences and other public forums.  For more information on the Multisector Workforce project: 

Social Equity:   The Social Equity Committee developed papers on three topics of current interest and concern to public administrators:  “What does the Educational Experience of Young Men of Color Tell us About Social Equity?,” by Dr. Philbert Aaron; “Measuring Social Equity Performance in the Criminal Justice System,” by Dr. Jim Brunet and “Social Equity: Health and Health Care Indicators,” by Richard W. Hug.  Findings from these papers were presented at the Academy Standing Panel on Social Equity in Governance Conferences in 2006 and 2007.  It is anticipated that these papers and others will be published as part of a book now being developed by the Social Equity Standing Panel under the leadership of Fellows Costis Toregas and Norman Johnson.

Africa Working Group

The Africa Working Group was established to explore opportunities for the Academy to engage public administration and management issues in Africa. One of its first accomplishments was the establishment of a memorandum of understanding with between the Academy and Ghana Institute of Local Government Studies.

Learn more about the Africa Working Group.

National Commission on the Public Service

The National Commission on the Public Service, chaired by former Federal Reserve Board Chairman Paul A. Volcker, took up residence at the Academy in July 2003. The Commission was initiated in 2001 by the Brookings Institution's Center for Public Service, which was directed by Academy Fellow Paul Light. The Commission's January 2003 report made sweeping recommendations for enhancing public service, improving government management and fostering trust in government. Many of the Academy's recommendations have been implemented.

The Commission and the Academy remain independent entities, but have partnered on endeavors such as joint forums and reports.

Browse Commission and Comission/Academy documents.

Read more about the agreement to pursue joint endeavors.

Homeland Security

The Department of Homeland Security faces important challenges as it undertakes the largest government reorganization since World War II. These cover a broad spectrum of public management and administration issues.

The Academy's congressional charter gives it the responsibility to provide "trusted advice" on issues of governance, and its Fellows have significant experience in departmental organization. Additionally, the Academy has a strong track record in homeland security-related areas, such as our recent work on FBI reorganization and airport security.

Click here for more on the Academy's work on homeland security.