Investing in What Works through Grantmaking
State Government Virtual Workshop Series
📢 Update: Enrollment Closed for Workshop Series — 1:1 Coaching on Evidence-Based Grantmaking Now Available
Thank you for your interest in the State Investing in What Works through Grantmaking Workshop Series. While we’ve closed enrollment for the virtual workshop series, we’re still able to offer a limited number of free, personalized one-on-one coaching sessions to better support state teams in achieving their evidence-based grantmaking goals.
During your tailored coaching session, we’ll work with you to:
- Explore opportunities to apply evidence-based practices to your specific grant program(s),
- Troubleshoot challenges or barriers you may be facing, and
- Share tools, strategies, and examples from other states that may be helpful in your context.
These sessions are designed to complement the State Evidence-Based Grantmaking Guide — a practical tool for state grant and policy staff to use when defining evidence,incorporating it into grant program design, and institutionalizing evidence use over time. Coaching sessions can help you work through each of the guide’s action steps and provide tailored training and implementation support for your specific needs.
Whether your program is in the early design stage, navigating shifting funding landscapes, or responding to new priorities, we’re here to help. Uncertainty around funding or changing priorities shouldn’t be a barrier to building the skills and strategies that lead to more effective, evidence-based grantmaking that improves outcomes for your residents.
If you’re interested in this opportunity, please reach out to us at [email protected] — we’d love to connect and explore how we can best support your work.
Results For America invites all state government staff responsible for one or more state grant programs to apply for this two-part virtual opportunity to learn how to increase the impact of their grants and accelerate impact for residents.
If chosen to participate in the virtual workshop series, individuals will:
- Receive free expert guidance on increasing the proportion of public resources invested in  interventions with evidence of effectiveness in order to produce better, faster results for residents; and
- Learn practical strategies such as defining and prioritizing evidence in state government grant materials that will help invest grant dollars in what works.
Key Dates
- Applications due: Friday, April 11, 2025
- Applicants notified: Friday, April 18, 2025
- Virtual Workshop Session 1: Thursday, May 22, 2025, 3:00-5:00 p.m. ET
- Virtual Workshop Session 2: Thursday, June 12, 2025, 3:00-5:00 p.m. ET
APPLY NOW â–¶
Watch Our Short Informational Session to Learn More â–¶
Workshop Series Goals & Objectives
Participants will attend two virtual workshop sessions with a cohort of peers from state governments across the nation. By the end of the workshop series, participants will:
- Understand how investing in what works through state government grantmaking can lead to better results for residents faster;
- Understand how to identify interventions that have been proven to work;
- Understand and be able to incorporate evidence-based language into their state government grant programs; and
- Learn how to define and prioritize evidence in a RFP/NOFO for state government grant programs.
Who Should Apply
This opportunity is for any state government staff member who oversees one or more state government grant programs related to economic mobility outcomes (including but not limited to: Education, Workforce, Labor, Health, and Human Services). We welcome participation from both policy staff and grant administrators, and encourage individuals in either or both roles to apply.
Workshop Series Participant Requirements:
Participants must:
- Have authority and support to modify the policies, practices and content of one or more state government grant programs (e.g., program leads overseeing a grant program, procurement directors/leads, policy managers, grant managers, etc.)
- Priority will be given to applicants who are committed to defining and prioritizing evidence in at least one state government grant program with a grant announcement published by May 2026.
APPLY NOW â–¶
Preview the Application Questions Here â–¶
Why Define and Prioritize evidence in state government grant applications?
State grant leaders have a unique opportunity to enhance economic mobility, quality of life, and outcomes for residents by shifting dollars to solutions that deliver real, measurable improvements in people’s lives.
Why Now: Every year, state governments invest over $1 trillion in programs that don’t always lead to the desired outcomes.
With state governments facing increased fiscal pressures and a growing emphasis from federal and state policymakers on measurable impact, state grant leaders have a unique opportunity to ensure that public dollars are invested in programs that work. By prioritizing evidence-based grantmaking, states can maximize the efficiency of taxpayer dollars, improve accountability, and drive better economic mobility, health, education, and workforce outcomes for residents.
Leading evidence-based state government grant programs: Since 2020, RFA has identified more than 160 state grant programs across more than 60 agencies in over 30 states that are prioritizing evidence-based investments. See these leading examples of evidence-based spending in the Honor Roll of State Grant Programs that Define and Prioritize Evidence of Effectiveness. Participating in this virtual workshop series offers valuable resources that can be applied to enhance your state’s standing in the 2025 Invest in What Works State Standard of Excellence.
Ready to make state government grantmaking more effective and efficient?
Apply for our virtual workshop series today!
About Results for America
This virtual workshop  is designed and led by Results for America (RFA),  a non-profit organization with a mission to make investing in what works the “new normal” so that government decision makers use evidence and data to increase the impact of the over $2 trillion that governments spend each year to open opportunities and advance economic mobility. We do this work confidentiality, objectively, and independently. RFA has never applied for any government funds – we also have never requested or received any funds from government grantees.
Over the last several years, RFA has successfully run various local, state, and federal government capacity building programs, supporting over 100 jurisdictions in implementing evidence-based solutions and benchmarking their progress towards better outcomes for their communities.
For questions: Email [email protected] and/or watch our Information Session.