Author Archives: Patrick Lester

SIF Pay-for-Success Intermediaries Announce First Cohort of Projects

The Social Innovation Fund (SIF) today announced that five of its eight pay-for-success intermediary grantees have selected a first round of 27 subgrantees to receive technical assistance funding for pay-for-success transactions. Today’s announcement covers only a fraction of the projects … Continue reading

Posted in Social Impact Bonds / Pay for Success, Social Innovation Fund

Social Impact Investing: Still Small, But Growing

Social impact investing is continuing to grow, according to a report in yesterday’s New York Times. This growth in socially-minded investment may increase the working capital available for social impact bonds. According to the story: Certain areas are growing rapidly, … Continue reading

Posted in Social Impact Investing

Social Impact Bond Legislation Introduced in the House

Reps. Todd Young (R-IN) and John Delaney (D-MD) yesterday introduced legislation in the House (H.R. 1336) that would establish a $300 million federal fund for state and local initiatives that base their payments on results. “Too often, Washington focuses on … Continue reading

Posted in Social Impact Bonds / Pay for Success

Personnel Changes on the Obama Social Innovation Team

Comings and goings: Dave Wilkinson: Dave Wilkinson has been named the new head of the White House Office of Social Innovation and Civic Participation. He is replacing Jonathan Greenblatt, who left the position to lead the Anti-Defamation League. Wilkinson previously … Continue reading

Posted in Evidence

House Passes Pay-for-Success Amendment to K-12 Education Bill

By voice vote, the House tonight passed an amendment authorizing the use of pay-for-success models for teacher and principal training programs. The amendment was approved as part of a larger bill (H.R. 5) that would reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary … Continue reading

Posted in Education, Social Impact Bonds / Pay for Success

i3’s Fate Tied to NCLB Reauthorization

With legislation reauthorizing the principal federal K-12 education law, No Child Left Behind (NCLB), now moving in the House and expected to move soon in the Senate, what will be the fate of the Obama administration’s signature evidence-based education initiative, … Continue reading

Posted in Education

Pay-for-Success in Child Welfare: A Case Study

On December 3, 2014, Cuyahoga County announced the nation’s first pay-for-success initiative that will address the interrelated issues of homelessness and foster care.   The initiative will provide $4 million in privately-funded housing and other supportive services to 135 homeless parents … Continue reading

Posted in Children and Families, Social Impact Bonds / Pay for Success

President Bolsters Evidence and Innovation Agenda in FY 2016 Budget

The Obama evidence and innovation agenda took several steps forward in the president’s proposed FY 2016 federal fiscal budget, released earlier today. Highlights include the following: Pay for Success (PFS) The budget proposes $364 million for new pay-for-success projects, the … Continue reading

Posted in Evidence, Government Performance, Social Impact Bonds / Pay for Success

Peter Orszag and John Bridgeland Discuss Evidence-based Policy Developments

Peter Orszag, former director of the Office of Management and Budget under President Obama, and John Bridgeland, former director of the White House Domestic Policy Council under President Bush, discuss recent developments on evidence-based policy at the Aspen Institute on … Continue reading

Posted in Evidence