The inventory attempts to categorize each initiative into one of five types, as defined on the first tab of the file:
- Data Analytics
- Evidence-Based Policymaking
- Performance Budgeting
- Performance Management
- Process Improvement
The scope of this inventory is mainly intended to cover statewide initiatives (that involve all or most executive branch agencies). However, the inventory may also include initiatives that are specific to certain program areas or agencies if they are primarily overseen by the state budget office or another statewide entity (such as the governor’s office, legislature or another central agency).
For those interested in learning more about exciting efforts to apply data- and evidence-informed decision-making, including those led by a particular state agency (such as a department of corrections or human services), the following resources provide examples across a variety of areas of state government:
- Invest in What Works State Standard of Excellence (Results for America, 2018)
- How States Use Data to Inform Decisions (Pew Charitable Trusts, 2018)
- How States Engage in Evidence-Based Policymaking (Pew Charitable Trusts, 2017)