Author Archives: Patrick Lester

New Brookings Book Provides Insights on Obama Evidence and Innovation Agenda

The Brookings Institution today released a new book detailing the development of six major Obama administration innovation initiatives — the Social Innovation Fund, Investing in Innovation (i3) program, Workforce Innovation Fund, Teen Pregnancy Prevention program, home visiting (MIECHV), and Trade … Continue reading

Posted in Evidence

Performance Partnership Pilot (P3) Grant Opportunity Opens

On November 24, the Obama administration released information about its Performance Partnership Pilot (P3) initiative, an innovative demonstration program focused on disconnected youth. The announcement from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) is below: Today, five Federal agencies are … Continue reading

Posted in Children and Families, Government Performance

Congress May Enact Evidence Commission Bill in Lame Duck Session

The chairs of the House and Senate Budget Committees, Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) and Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA), introduced bipartisan legislation November 20 that would create a new Commission on Evidenced-based Policymaking. If enacted, the commission would submit a report … Continue reading

Posted in Evidence, Government Performance

Is There a Bipartisan Evidence Agenda?

With control of Congress and the White House split between Republicans and Democrats, there may be little reason to think much will be accomplished in Washington between now and the 2016 elections. But a new book from Results for America … Continue reading

Posted in Evidence, Politics

White House Releases Report on Women and Girls of Color

Responding to criticisms of an Obama administration initiative focused on men and boys of color, called ‘My Brother’s Keeper,’ the White House on November 12 released a new report entitled “Women and Girls of Color: Addressing Challenges and Expanding Opportunity.” … Continue reading

Posted in Children and Families

Chicago Approves Early Childhood Pay-for-Success Plan

By a vote of 42-5, the Chicago City Council on November 5 approved a proposal backed by Mayor Rahm Emanuel to use a pay-for-success agreement to finance an expansion of early education programs for an estimated 2,600 children in the … Continue reading

Posted in Social Impact Bonds / Pay for Success

Report: Winning SIF Applications Suggest Substantial Growth for Pay-for-Success

A review of the Social Innovation Fund’s eight winning pay-for-success grant applications, now publicly available for the first time, reveals that the field is experiencing strong growth and seems likely to continue this growth over the next few years. The … Continue reading

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

The Evidence Debate

As the Obama administration’s evidence agenda rolls forward it is beginning to stir countervailing views on the appropriate use of evidence. What counts as evidence in the field of social policy? How should it be used? How will the challenges … Continue reading

Posted in Evidence

Social Innovation Fund Director to Lead ‘My Brother’s Keeper’ Initiative

Michael Smith, director of the Social Innovation Fund (SIF), will be changing jobs to head up President Obama’s initiative for minority boys and young men, called My Brother’s Keeper, according to a report in The Chronicle of Philanthropy. Smith will … Continue reading

Posted in Children and Families, Social Innovation Fund