2024 Invest in What Works Federal Standard of Excellence
A Benchmark for Data and Evidence at Federal Agencies
About the 2024 Federal Standard of Excellence
Results for America’s Federal Standard assesses how 11 federal agencies — which oversaw over $311 billion in discretionary federal funds in FY2024 — are building the infrastructure necessary to use evidence and data in their budget, policy and management decisions.
Platinum Certified
- U.S. Department of Education
- Millennium Challenge Corporation
Gold Certified
- AmeriCorps
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
- U.S. Department of Labor
- U.S. Department of Transportation
- U.S. Agency for International Development
Silver Certified
- U.S. Department of Commerce
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Community Living
- U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
The Invest in What Works Congressional Champions Award honors members of Congress who demonstrate exceptional leadership in advancing evidence-based, data-driven policy. This award recognizes their commitment to ensuring that federal taxpayer dollars are invested effectively to improve outcomes for children, families and communities across the nation.
Each of the four co-chairs of the bipartisan What Works Caucus will receive the Invest in What Works Congressional Champions Award:
U.S. Representative Blake Moore (R-UT), for his work on advancing evidence-based policymaking, by co-chairing the bipartisan What Works Caucus.
U.S. Representative Greg Landsman (D-OH), for his work on advancing evidence-based policymaking, by co-chairing the bipartisan What Works Caucus.
U.S. Representative Rudy Yakym (R-IN), for his work on advancing evidence-based policymaking, by co-chairing the bipartisan What Works Caucus.
U.S. Representative Brittany Pettersen (D-CO), for her work on advancing evidence-based policymaking, by co-chairing the bipartisan What Works Caucus.
Ranking Member Rep. Derek Kilmer of the Committee on House Administration will also receive the Invest in What Works Congressional Champions Award:
Results for America honors U.S. Representative Derek Kilmer (D-WA), for his cumulative work on advancing evidence in modernization in Congress, including as the chair of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress (ModCom), which developed 200 recommendations to improve the legislative process; and for his work on integrating evidence-based interventions in a wide arena of policies, from tackling the expansion of mental health services across the U.S. military, to bolstering public safety programs.
Shifting Dollars to What Works
Our Shifting Dollars Technical Assistance℠ helps government leaders identify what works and shift dollars to solutions with the greatest impact.
Our resources, trainings and coaching help policymakers improve results.
Improving Policy and Practice to Get Results
11
Agencies Certified:
2 Platinum, 6 Gold and 3 Silver; 2 new federal agencies — DOC and DOT — joined the Invest in What Works Federal Standard of Excellence this year.
4 Agencies
MCC, SAMHSA, AmeriCorps and USAID
invested at least 1% of their budget in evaluation, a key component of RFA’s recommendations for evidence and data best practices.
10%
Evidence Set-Aside:
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s Mental Health Block Grant program at HHS has required that 10% of funds be set aside for evidence-based programs for individuals with Early Serious Mental Illness since 2016.
$1 Trillion
Leveraged:
The White House Office of Management and Budget released new guidance — with input from RFA — encouraging agencies to prioritize federal awards to applicants who propose evidence-based practices. It also empowers state and local governments to build and use evidence and data to increase the impact of over $1 trillion in annual federal grants.
Investing in What Works to Get Results
23 Percentage Point Increase
in Reading Scores:
The U.S. Department of Education updated its Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) to help ensure that federal education dollars are invested in evidence-based solutions and focused on meeting identified outcomes. A Promise Neighborhood Grant helped Indianola, Mississippi, achieve a 23 percentage point increase in the state reading assessment pass rate for 400 struggling third graders.
$237-Per-Participant
Savings in Unemployment Insurance Costs:
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Reemployment Services and Eligibility Assessment (RESEA) program has required states to invest at least 25% of grant funds in strategies proven to improve employment and earnings outcomes since FY23. An impact evaluation of Wisconsin’s RESEA program found that it led to $237-per-participant savings by shortening unemployment spells and decreasing the rate of individuals reaching their benefits cap.
200,000
Students Provide Enhanced Reading Support:
AmeriCorps’ evidence-driven grantmaking led to more than 200,000 students being served by Reading Corps, which has been shown to increase reading fluency by up to nearly one full academic school year.
Kids 57%
The Administration for Children and Families‘ Kinship Navigator Program at HHS has significantly increased family-centered permanent placement rates for children placed with relatives rather than in foster care. In Colorado, children placed in their state’s Kinship Navigator-funded program were 57% more likely to be reunified with a parent compared to those receiving standard county services, and half as likely to require higher levels of care.
2024 Federal Standard Of Excellence Criteria
The 2024 Federal Standard of Excellence includes 12 criteria that are organized by thematic areas: Building Evidence and Learning in Order to Get Results (criteria 1-5), Using Learning to Change Practice, Policy and Funding (criteria 6-10), and Delivering Results for All (criteria 11-12).
