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
Good Jobs, Strong States: How Governors Are Building Opportunity in 2026
Workforce and economic development are at the top of Governors’ agendas in 2026. Governors are making investments to attract and expand businesses in key sectors, increasing education and training opportunities ...
Local, State Coalition Presses Congress for Urgent SNAP Fix
Officials on the frontlines of SNAP benefits administration across the nation are warning Congress about a little-known legislative provision with a huge impact on state budgets – an impact supercharged ...
State Leadership: Governors Work to Sustain Food Assistance
Governors and their teams stepped up to provide crucial support and safeguard the well-being of their communities during the 43 days of the 2025 federal shutdown. The shutdown demonstrated Governors’ ...
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
2025 Health and Human Services Policy Advisors Institute
October 28-29, the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices (NGA Center) brought together Governors’ health and human services policy ...
Family, Friends, Gratitude and Pie
Thanksgiving often ranks among the most popular national and religious events for Americans, with gratitude for family and friends a ...
EV Workforce Collaborative Resource Hub
The National Governors Association and the National League of Cities partnered to launch the State and Local Collaborative to Support an ...
Fall 2025 Governors’ Infrastructure Coordinators Workshop
The National Governors Association (NGA) held its Fall 2025 Governors’ Infrastructure Coordinators Workshop November 4-6, in Washington, D.C. This meeting ...
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 ...
2025 Cybersecurity Policy Advisors Network Institute
The 2025 Cybersecurity Policy Advisors Network Institute was held on November 6-7 at the Microsoft Innovation and Policy Center in ...
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 ...
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…