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
Reimagining Rural Maternal and Child Health
Rural Health Transformation Program Insights (Download) Maternal and child health (MCH) outcomes continue to raise national concern despite ongoing targeted initiatives, community-based interventions, and executive measures aimed at improving population ...
Building Degree Apprenticeships in Louisiana: A State-Led Approach to Strengthening the Teacher Pipeline
Louisiana’s experience, which has been built on strong pilots that are maturing into a statewide model, offer a few clear takeaways for governors looking to launch similar efforts. (Download) Why ...
Building Degree Apprenticeships in North Carolina: A State-Led Approach to Expanding Earn-and-Learn Pathways
Structurally aligning apprenticeship offices and higher education agencies can significantly reduce friction in program development and help ensure that competencies, curriculum and employer needs are built together cohesively from the ...
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
Governor’s Compact on Entrepreneurship
At the NGA 2026 Winter Meeting, Governor Kevin Stitt invited governors to join him in signing on to a compact, ...
Workforce Pell: An Overview for Governors
Workforce Pell provides Governors a chance to partner closely with their workforce boards, to set clear goals and shape regional ...
How States are Protecting Critical Energy Infrastructure Information
Protecting the electric grid is becoming more complex as the size of the grid continues to grow, and cybersecurity threats ...
First Spouses Meet with Second Lady, Convene at 2026 NGA Winter Meeting
First Spouses routinely convene at the annual NGA Winter Meeting to meet with philanthropic and government leaders and to elevate ...
Civility, Federalism, and the Future of American Politics
In a week that could easily have been defined by division, the penultimate session of the 2026 NGA Winter Meeting ...
Policy Brief: Outdoor Recreation and Public Health
States are increasingly exploring the intersection of health policy and outdoor recreation to better understand how these policy areas could ...
The Power of Service: Governors Lead Efforts to Support Military Families and to Promote Volunteer Service Opportunities
In a segment titled “The Power of Service,” NGA Vice Chair Maryland Governor Wes Moore led a panel discussion to ...
Supporting States’ Shift to Skills
NGA and C-BEN Partner to Strengthen Public Talent Infrastructure States and territories across the country are accelerating their transition to ...
Investing in the American Dream
At the 2026 NGA Winter Meeting, Ruth Porat, President and Chief Investment Officer of Alphabet and Google, joined Oklahoma Governor ...
Governors Take the Lead on Affordability
Cost of living has been a major focus in governors’ State of the State addresses this year, with chief executives ...
The State of Infrastructure: Governors 2026 Priorities
Infrastructure forms the invisible backbone of modern civilization, enabling everything from the water that flows through our taps to the ...
Red Tape and Rising Demand: Governors Talk Energy
At the 2026 Winter Meeting, Politico reporter Josh Siegel moderated a discussion with Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy, North Dakota Governor ...
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…