A Field Guide for Financing Integrated Data Systems And Evaluation in the Public Sector

Background

Sustaining high performance and evidence-based policymaking in state and local governments requires access to timely and reliable data. But financing the development, operation, and maintenance of the integrated data systems (IDS) that support these efforts requires resources that seem out of reach for program managers and data and finance leaders. An initiative of the National Academy of Public Administration (the Academy) will empower policy, data, and finance leaders at all levels of government with a shared understanding of how to leverage and combine funding for robust, efficient IDS and evaluation capacity. While the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) recently updated government-wide guidance to clarify that federal grant funding may be used to invest in IDS and evaluation, some state and local governments have already shown how to do it in practice. This initiative will pave the way for many others.

Project Description

Produce a plain-language field guide that is widely accepted and understood by agencies across all levels of government, providing an easy-to-use roadmap for financing integrated data systems and evaluation projects that can sustain an audit.

Study Fellow(s) Chair