This bill will put data and evidence at the center of federal programs and agencies that together spend billions of taxpayer dollars
Media Contact: Adam Peck, email: [email protected] or text/call: (914) 874-7887
WASHINGTON, D.C. — This week, U.S. Reps. Rudy Yakym (R-IN), Brittany Pettersen (D-CO), Don Bacon (R-NE), Deborah Ross (D-NC), William Timmons (R-SC) and Blake Moore (R-UT) — all co-chairs or members of the Congressional What Works Caucus — introduced the Evidence-Based Grantmaking Act, one of the strongest pieces of evidence-based policymaking legislation since the 2018 Evidence Act.
The bill would improve how billions of dollars in federal grants are invested by ensuring that federal agencies:
- Build and use evidence to guide funding decisions;
- Set clear, measurable outcomes for programs;
- Evaluate what’s delivering results — and what’s not; and
- Direct resources toward proven strategies, and away from consistently ineffective ones.
Read the full bill text and a brief summary of the bill.
“Congress has an obligation to the American people to spend taxpayer dollars smartly. Using impartial data and evidence to guide federal investments will allow Congress to make more informed decisions that actually deliver results,” said Rep. Rudy Yakym (R-IN). “There is broad, bipartisan consensus that federal programs should be more accountable and results-driven, and this bill is a vital step in that direction.”
“Our federal dollars go towards so many programs that support families, enhance innovation, and strengthen our economy,” said Rep. Brittany Pettersen (D-CO). “I’m proud to support the Evidence-Based Grantmaking Act, which helps communities draw down federal funding while ensuring dollars are being spent on evidence-proven programming that puts value right back in Americans’ pockets. This bipartisan bill is a commonsense measure to make our government more efficient.”
“Americans expect accountability when they entrust their tax dollars to the federal government,” said Rep. Blake Moore (R-UT). “This bill is a step toward ensuring federal grantmaking agencies only award funds to outcomes-based programs, providing measurable results and prioritizing government efficiency.”
“Improving government efficiency isn’t as simple as eliminating entire programs or downsizing federal agencies to save a quick buck,” said Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE). “It requires careful, impartial consideration of what’s actually performing, and leaning on data and evidence. We should be looking at what’s delivering results for taxpayers, and this bill helps Congress and the federal government take an important step in that direction.”
The bill will set new requirements on federal programs and agencies to ensure taxpayer dollars are directed toward projects with a strong track record of success, and away from ones that consistently fail to deliver on their promise. It will ensure new and existing programs create and maintain clearly-identified outcomes and goals that are consistently and impartially evaluated to make sure they are delivering results important to local communities.
“When government makes better decisions using data and evidence, progress is possible” said Michele Jolin, CEO and Co-Founder of Results for America. “Student test scores skyrocket. Distressed neighborhoods rebuild better than before. Childhood poverty rates plummet. These are the kinds of results that the American people deserve, and what Congress can help deliver with this bill.”
This legislation builds upon the framework laid by the 2018 Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act — known as the Evidence Act — which strengthened federal agencies’ capacity to collect and use data. This bipartisan bill will help embed that evidence into the programs and policies that Americans rely on, and deliver greater government efficiency in a way that is actually measurable and methodical. It will foster a greater culture of innovation by allowing programs to actually learn from failures and missteps transparently, and as a result it will help restore public trust in the federal government’s ability to put real solutions before political ideology.
“Federal incentives that tie dollars to clear, measurable outcomes are essential to ensuring public investments truly put kids on a path to economic mobility — from kindergarten readiness through securing a living-wage job,” said Jennifer Blatz, president and CEO of StriveTogether. “The Evidence-Based Grantmaking Act reflects what StriveTogether communities know works: aligning resources around cradle-to-career outcomes, tracking progress, and investing in proven strategies to create meaningful change for children and families.”
“The Evidence-Based Grantmaking Act builds on the Evidence Act of 2018 by helping agencies focus dollars and efforts on evidence-based programs proven to improve the lives of those experiencing poverty,” said Jim Sullivan, co-Founder of The Wilson Sheehan Lab for Economic Opportunities (LEO) at the University of Notre Dame. “When funding follows evidence, more communities can benefit and more lives can change.”
“DQC believes it is critical that federal leaders use data to establish and understand outcomes for students, workers, and families,” said Jennifer Bell-Ellwanger, President and CEO of the Data Quality Campaign. “This bill takes a strong step forward in ensuring data is used to drive positive outcomes.”
“We commend Representatives Yakym and Pettersen for this vital legislation to drive public dollars to evidence-based strategies,“ said Deborah Smolover, Executive Director of America Forward. “Every day, America Forward Coalition organizations work to build and advance evidence-based approaches in areas ranging from early learning to workforce development. However, too often federal funding provides limited support and incentives to invest in and develop programs that work. This bill promises to drive stronger outcomes while shifting the ecosystem towards improvement and transparency.”
About Results for America:
Results for America is helping decision-makers at all levels of government harness the power of evidence and data to solve the world’s greatest challenges. Our mission is to make investing in what works the “new normal,” so that when policymakers make decisions, they start by seeking the best evidence and data available, then use what they find to get better results.
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