NGA Center for Best Practices

The NGA Center for Best Practices teams and divisions develop innovative solutions to today’s most pressing public policy challenges. The center is the only research and development firm that directly serves the nation’s Governors.

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Navigating Benefit Cliffs: States and Territories Supporting Economic Mobility

Navigating Benefit Cliffs: States and Territories Supporting Economic Mobility

In June 2024, the National Governors Association Children and Families team hosted the monthly Human Services Policy Advisors Institute Call on mitigating benefit cliffs and supporting upward economic mobility. Background ...
Disagree Better: Looking Forward

Disagree Better: Looking Forward

“In our country today, we’ve gotten really, really good at tearing things down. Building institutions is hard work; tearing them down is easy. We need some architects. We need more ...
First Spouses Convene at Summer Meeting, Join Governor Youngkin in Conversation on Efforts to Raise Awareness about Fentanyl Prevention

First Spouses Convene at Summer Meeting, Join Governor Youngkin in Conversation on Efforts to Raise Awareness about Fentanyl Prevention

During the 2024 NGA Summer Meeting, held in Salt Lake City, Utah First Lady Abby Cox held a meeting with the nation’s First Spouses to focus on efforts Virginia First ...

Let’s Get Ready

All Americans should have access to education that prepares them for success in life. As the world changes and technology evolves, ensuring all students graduate with the skills and knowledge necessary for success is increasingly critical for our nation’s economic competitiveness.

As Governors, we lead states facing economic opportunities but also challenges, shortages in workforce, skills mismatch, and widening opportunity gaps that limit true economic mobility for Americans. We must take these indicators as a call to action.

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Center for Best Practices Library

Governors Support Mental Health Awareness Month

Governors Support Mental Health Awareness Month

Governors are taking actions to acknowledge May as Mental Health Awareness Month. Founded in 1949, Mental Health Awareness Month aims ...
Governors Talking the Talk and Walking the Walk on Housing

Governors Talking the Talk and Walking the Walk on Housing

Governor Greg Gianforte joined the National Association of Realtors this week to discuss Montana’s progress in improving housing availability and ...
2023-2024 Academic Supports and Student and School Staff Well-Being Project

2023-2024 Academic Supports and Student and School Staff Well-Being Project

The National Governors Association’s K-12 Education Team is supporting Alabama, Maine, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, ...
Governors Implement: On the Road to Infrastructure in Kansas (Part II)

Governors Implement: On the Road to Infrastructure in Kansas (Part II)

Recently, the Kansas Infrastructure Hub hosted its second convening for state, local and private sector partners (details from the first ...
Recognizing Fentanyl Awareness Day

Recognizing Fentanyl Awareness Day

May 7, 2024, is National Fentanyl Awareness Day, which aims to raise awareness of the ongoing overdose crisis along with ...
Spotlighting Maine’s Efforts to Strengthen Education for Students, Families and Schools Across the State

Spotlighting Maine’s Efforts to Strengthen Education for Students, Families and Schools Across the State

This webinar brings together Joe Marro, Senior Policy Advisor for Governor Janet Mills of Maine, and the Commissioner of the ...
State Considerations for the 42 CFR Part 8 Rule

State Considerations for the 42 CFR Part 8 Rule

On Thursday, April 18, 2024, the National Governors Association (NGA) health team hosted individuals representing 20 states at a virtual ...
Healing Divides Through Volunteerism and Service

Healing Divides Through Volunteerism and Service

This week Utah Governor Spencer Cox and Maryland Governor Wes Moore published an op/ed in the Deseret News on volunteering ...
Governors Continue Exploring Innovative Methods to Scale Youth Apprenticeship

Governors Continue Exploring Innovative Methods to Scale Youth Apprenticeship

With employers in virtually every economic sector in desperate need of talent, Governors are looking to youth apprenticeship programs to ...
The Emerging Field of Behavioral Health Paraprofessionals

The Emerging Field of Behavioral Health Paraprofessionals

State Regulatory Approaches for Peer Specialists, Community Health Workers and Behavioral Health Technicians/Aides (Download) Historically, the workforce supporting behavioral health ...
Governors Innovate to Spur Skills-Based Hiring

Governors Innovate to Spur Skills-Based Hiring

Bipartisan laws like the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the CHIPS and Science Act are designed to support thousands ...
State and Local Electric Vehicle Workforce Collaborative Kickoff Convening

State and Local Electric Vehicle Workforce Collaborative Kickoff Convening

April 2024 - National Taskforce Meeting & Collaborative Kickoff Convening Historic federal investments in infrastructure spell major economic opportunity for ...

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