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
Governors’ Policy Actions in Rural Health Workforce
Rural Health Transformation Program Insights (Download) Governors play a critical role in shaping the health workforce, using levers such as budget proposals, executive authority, and cross-agency coordination to recruit, train, ...
New Research Confirms What Governors Know: Academic Supports Are a Priority
A new national report from researchers at Harvard and Stanford offers a timely and sobering assessment of where American students stand and what is beginning to work. The 2026 Education ...
Charting a Course for Workforce Pell
From May 5 through May 7, the National Governors Association (NGA) Center for Best Practices convened the NGA Workforce Pell Implementation Lab at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, D.C ...
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
Governors’ Policy Actions in Rural Health Workforce
Rural Health Transformation Program Insights (Download) Governors play a critical role in shaping the health workforce, using levers such as ...
New Research Confirms What Governors Know: Academic Supports Are a Priority
A new national report from researchers at Harvard and Stanford offers a timely and sobering assessment of where American students ...
Charting a Course for Workforce Pell
From May 5 through May 7, the National Governors Association (NGA) Center for Best Practices convened the NGA Workforce Pell ...
2026 SNAP E&T Policy Academy Convening
The National Governors Association (NGA) recently convened states for the final meeting of its SNAP Employment and Training Policy Academy, ...
NGA and NMVC Support State Efforts to Improve Mass Violence Emergency Management Plans
In 2025, state teams from Colorado, Missouri and Nevada participated in the Learning Collaborative on Victim Services in Mass Violence State Emergency Plans. This Learning Collaborative ...
Governors at Work During National Apprenticeship Week
This week, governors across the country are joining employers, educators and workers to celebrate National Apprenticeship Week, running April 26 ...
Governor’s Energy Priorities in 2026
State of the state addresses are important annual traditions for many governors, providing an opportunity for governors to communicate directly ...
2026 Broadband Leaders Workshop
On April 21–22, the National Governors Association convened public and private sector leaders in Alexandria, Virginia for its fifth annual ...
NGA Holds 2026 Convening for Governors’ Schedulers, Executive Assistants, Residence Managers and First Spouses’ Staff
First Lady Moore Hosts Third Annual First Spouses Retreat NGA’s Governor Office Engagement team holds multiple meetings and events each ...
Strategic Financing For Early Care And Education Systems
State and territory early care and education (ECE) systems operate across a complex landscape of programs, agencies, and funding streams ...
States’ Role in Addressing Foreign Threats in U.S. Critical Energy Infrastructure Sectors
This issue brief examines the vulnerabilities of critical energy infrastructure sectors and assets to foreign threats and identify possible actions ...
Energizing the American Dream in Philadelphia
The National Governors Association brought together five Governors, energy leaders, and private-sector voices to Philadelphia on April 16, for a ...
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…