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
Let’s Get Ready to Improve the Value of Education
How can we reshape the education system to promote economic mobility? How should we assess the value of a diploma? What role do life skills play in career success, and ...
Improving State and Territory Procurement Processes
Procurement can be one of the largest barriers to progress that a Governor could face in their tenure: contracting and procurement can be as large a contributor to initiative success ...
Fentanyl Awareness Day 2025
Tuesday, April 29th marks the 4th annual National Fentanyl Awareness Day. This is a day of reflection and remembrance of those loved ones lost to the drug overdose crisis, as ...
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.
Program Areas
Center for Best Practices Library
Let’s Get Ready to Improve the Value of Education
How can we reshape the education system to promote economic mobility? How should we assess the value of a diploma? ...
Policy Academy to Strengthen SNAP Employment & Training Delivery
In 2024 the NGA Center for Best Practices (NGA Center), in partnership with Third Sector Capital Partners (Third Sector), launched ...
Fentanyl Awareness Day 2025
Tuesday, April 29th marks the 4th annual National Fentanyl Awareness Day. This is a day of reflection and remembrance of ...
Governors Advancing Workforce Development – April 2025
From classrooms to careers, workforce development is a top priority for Governors who know that a strong economy starts with ...
Governors Prioritizing Postsecondary Strategies: Multiple Pathways Highlighted in 2025 State and Territory Addresses
Governors across the country made clear that postsecondary education remains central to their policy agendas in their 2025 State and ...
Workforce Investments for A Robust Health Ecosystem
To help commemorate National Public Health Week 2025, this publication is part of an NGA series that explores policies, programs ...
Governors Growing Entrepreneurship
This brief highlights four key opportunities for Governors to advance policy that supports entrepreneurship, along with four state examples that ...
Increasing Primary Care Access to Improve Population Health
To help commemorate National Public Health Week 2025, this publication is part of a series that explores policies, programs and ...
Community Resilience & Mental Health
To help commemorate National Public Health Week 2025, this publication is part of a NGA series that explores policies, programs ...
State and Territorial Workforce Development Successes
State and territory workforce development programs are crucial for addressing local labor market needs by providing training and education that ...
Food is Medicine: Making Nutritious Food Accessible to All
To help commemorate National Public Health Week 2025, this publication is part of a series that explores policies, programs and ...
Driving Public Sector Innovation Through Skills-Based Hiring
State governments across the nation are leading a transformation in talent management, shifting toward a more skills-focused approach, which prioritizes ...
PAST NGA CHAIRS INITIATIVES
- 2023-2024
Gov. Spencer Cox’s Initiative
Disagree Better - 2022-2023
Gov. Phil Murphy’s Initiative
Strengthening Youth Mental Health - 2021-2022
Gov. Asa Hutchinson’s Initiative
K-12 Computer Science Education - View all…