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
High-Quality Youth Development and Out-of-School-Time (OST) Opportunities
In this webinar, Jodi Grant from the Afterschool Alliance and Dr. Deborah Moroney from American Institutes for Research discuss how governors and states can best support students, families, and communities ...
State Snapshots For Strengthening The Educator Workforce
A series of conversations with nationally recognized experts in the education field on strategies and promising practices for strengthening educator recruitment and retention, including for advancing school leadership policies and ...
NGA Welcomes Three States and Territories into Policy Academy to Strengthen Benefits Systems Through Innovative Technology
The National Governors Association Center for Best Practices us pleased to welcome American Samoa, Hawai’i, and Louisiana to the Policy Academy to Strengthen Benefits Systems Through Innovative Technology. The 12-month ...
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
High-Quality Youth Development and Out-of-School-Time (OST) Opportunities
In this webinar, Jodi Grant from the Afterschool Alliance and Dr. Deborah Moroney from American Institutes for Research discuss how ...
State Snapshots For Strengthening The Educator Workforce
A series of conversations with nationally recognized experts in the education field on strategies and promising practices for strengthening educator ...
Building the Infrastructure America Needs
Infrastructure works best when no one notices it. Clean water flows from the tap, goods move efficiently across highways and ...
A Look at the Alabama Principal Leadership Development System
In a webinar for state education leaders, Dr. Anna Shepherd-Jones presented the Alabama Principal Leadership Development System (APLDS), explaining its ...
Oregon Policy Academy Retreat on Energy Transmission
On May 20-21, the Oregon Department of Energy, in partnership with the National Governors Association (NGA) and the office of ...
Opportunity Zones 2.0: What States Need to Know Now
The National Governors Association (NGA) and AmericaFWD recently convened state economic development officials, researchers and investment experts to take stock ...
Putting State Dollars to Work: How Governors’ Signature Investments Drive Workforce Transformation
As Governors seek to grow their state economies, expand access to quality jobs, and build workforce ecosystems aligned with labor ...
2026 Governors’ Health and Human Services Policy Advisors Institute
Health and human services policy advisors from states and territories across the country gathered in New Orleans for NGA’s annual ...
2026 Governors’ Education Policy Advisors Institute
The National Governors Association convened its annual Governors' Education Policy Advisors Institute (GEPA) in New Orleans from May 27-29, 2026, ...
NGA’s Spring 2026 Infrastructure Coordinator Workshop
A Focus on What Comes Next for States and Territories After the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act On May 19-20, ...
Building a Skills-First Future: NGA Skills in the States Convening
From May 19-21, 2026, the National Governors Association (NGA) Center for Best Practices convened the Skills in the States Annual ...
Governors’ Policy Actions on Behavioral Health Access
(Download) Behavioral health workforce shortages remain a significant barrier to accessing care in rural areas across the United States. According ...
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…