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
Reflecting on Thirty Years of TANF
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) is a flexible block grant for states and territories to help fund a wide range of benefits and services for low-income families. As TANF ...
2025-2026 U.S. Supreme Court Term: Summary of Key Decisions and Implications for States
The U.S. Supreme Court’s 2025-2026 term featured a number of significant decisions affecting state and territorial governments. The Court issued approximately 68 decisions, along with additional orders on its emergency ...
Behavioral Health Risks and State Strategies Related to Increasingly Potent and Accessible Psychoactive Products
On August 26, 2026, the NGA Health team convened state and territory health policy advisors to discuss how they are addressing the rapidly evolving market for psychoactive substances. The call ...
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
Information Sharing 101: Protecting Public Health Data
NGA is excited to announce the launch of a webinar series on Legal Preparedness for Public Health Emergencies. This four-part ...
New Mexico Grid Modernization Retreat
December 12, 2019 | Santa Fe, NM The New Mexico Grid Modernization Retreat explored strategies to implement New Mexico’s Energy ...
Outdoor Recreation Webinar on Economy Industry Data
The outdoor recreation industry contributes $427.2 billion to US GDP annually and its share is continuing to grow. Individually, for ...
NGA Selects 5 States to Address Managed Care as a Tool to Drive Health System Change
The National Governors Association (NGA) competitively selected five states — Maryland, Nevada, North Carolina, Puerto Rico and Wisconsin — to ...
Governors Taking Action by Leading by Example
Governors have the unique ability to reduce energy consumption in state-owned facilities through aggressive lead-by-example (LBE) targets. Energy use at ...
Eighteenth Annual Intergovernmental Meeting with the U.S. Department of Energy on Nuclear Weapons Waste Cleanup
Nashville, TN | November 19-21, 2019 The National Governors Association Center for Best Practices (NGA Center) hosted the 18th annual ...
New Advisor Bootcamp and Annual Water Policy Institute
The 2019 Water Policy Institute featured innovative policies and approaches along with cross-cutting issues such as health challenges with PFAs ...
Child Health, Wellbeing and Safety in Schools Requires All of Us
Originally published in FoxNews.com. By Chris Sununu and Laura Kelly As students streamed back into classrooms this fall, parents, educators, ...
Webinar: Ebola and Beyond: Legal Preparedness for Outbreaks
Download the webinar here. Description: NGA is excited to announce the launch of a webinar series on Legal Preparedness for ...
States are meeting the challenge of infrastructure. Is Washington listening?
Originally published in the Washington Times. By Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan - - Tuesday, November 19, 2019 ANALYSIS/OPINION: The United ...
Integrating and Advancing State Prenatal to 3 Policies
November 13-15, 2019 | Charleston, SC The NGA Early Care and Education and Human Services Teams hosted six states as ...
RURAL PROSPERITY THROUGH THE ARTS & CREATIVE SECTOR
Rural America has a robust cultural history that has enriched the nation and its people. Rural America is also beset ...
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…