NGA Center for Best Practices
NGA Center for Best Practices teams develop innovative solutions to today’s most pressing public policy challenges. The NGA Center is the only research and development firm that directly serves the nation’s Governors.
Latest
Human Services Pain Points During the Federal Government Shutdown: Lessons Learned
States and Territories faced significant challenges during the 43-day federal government shutdown, especially in continuing to operate and deliver in the human services space. Delayed benefit delivery to the Low-Income ...
Membership Monthly – November 2025
Updates from the NGA Membership Team for November 2025. For more about the programs below and a list of upcoming events please email NGA at: membership@nga.org. Above (L to R): ...
NGA Convenes State Leaders in Utah to Advance Service-to-Career Pathways
The National Governors Association Center for Best Practices (NGA Center), in partnership with the Schultz Family Foundation and Annie E. Casey Foundation, recently brought together leaders from 24 states to ...
Reigniting the American Dream
Every American should have the opportunity to build a life of purpose, to strengthen their community, and to help shape a nation defined not only by prosperity, but by potential realized. Yet across our very diverse states, too many people have lost faith in this opportunity. They’ve faced too many obstacles, encountered too many closed doors, and given up the hope of a brighter future. We can do better.
Reigniting the American Dream is more than an initiative. It’s an invitation for every U.S. governor to take action.
Program Areas
Center for Best Practices Library
NGA Convenes State Leaders in Utah to Advance Service-to-Career Pathways
The National Governors Association Center for Best Practices (NGA Center), in partnership with the Schultz Family Foundation and Annie E ...
Supporting Workforce Pell Implementation: A Readiness Academy Open to All States and Territories
The recent expansion of federal Pell Grant eligibility to include high-quality, short-term workforce programs represents a significant opportunity for states ...
Governors Prioritize & Recognize America’s Veterans
As the country celebrates Veterans Day, the nation’s Governors mark the occasion by issuing proclamations and holding ceremonies to recognize ...
NGA HHS Institute 2025: Making Innovative Tech Work for Health & Human Services
Governors are looking to drive cost- and time-efficient solutions that mitigate workforce strain and improve seamless service delivery but navigating ...
NGA HHS Institute 2025: Navigating SNAP Implementation Post-Reconciliation
On July 4, 2025, President Trump signed H.R. 1, which contained several programmatic changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program ...
Strengthening Rural Maternal Mental Health
By the Policy Center for Maternal Mental Health and NGA H.R. 1 created the Rural Health Transformation Program, offering states ...
Empowering every learner: What the US can learn from the Swiss about apprenticeships
The Swiss apprenticeship model is considered the world’s gold standard – credited with generating job opportunities for workers and ensuring ...
2025 Governors’ Advisors Energy Policy Institute
The National Governors Association (NGA) held the 2025 Governors’ Advisors Energy Policy Institute in Boston, Massachusetts, October 7-8. The annual ...
Transmission Summit Readout
On October 9, 2025, the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices (NGA Center) hosted a States Transmission Summit coinciding ...
Policy Academy to Advance Data Dashboards Measuring Student & System Success
This project will support 6–8 states and/or territories in advancing their Governor’s vision for education through a dashboard of metrics ...
Safeguarding States: Governors Mark Cybersecurity Awareness Month
Cybersecurity Awareness Month is observed each October as a national effort to promote cybersecurity awareness and encourage individual Americans as ...
Key Takeaways: SNAP Quality Control Continuum Briefing
On October 10, NGA hosted a call on the SNAP Quality Control Continuum as part of its SNAP 101 series to ...
PAST NGA CHAIRS INITIATIVES
- 2024-2025
Gov. Jared Polis’s Initiative
Let’s Get Ready! - 2023-2024
Gov. Spencer Cox’s Initiative
Disagree Better - 2022-2023
Gov. Phil Murphy’s Initiative
Strengthening Youth Mental Health - View all…