Facts before funding: evidence-based policymaking can arm lawmakers with information about what works.

• Author: Hiltz, Allison
• Position: BUDGETING

Friedrich Nietzsche once said, "There are no facts, only interpretations." But decision makers around the country beg to disagree. Not only do they challenge the premise that there are no facts, but also that they are not open for debate. It is with this mindset that officials in all levels of government have begun embracing evidence-based policymaking.

More than a buzzword, evidence-based policymaking is becoming a movement unto itself. A recently released report from the Pew-MacArthur Results First Initiative shows that all 50 states use evidence-based policymaking in some way. Many incorporate the findings from their in-depth analyses into their budgeting decisions, boosting funding for programs that not only work, but also provide a positive return on the tax money invested.

Since 2011, leaders from 24 states and eight counties have adopted evidence-based policymaking procedures with help from the Results First Initiative, a project of The Pew Charitable Trusts and the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation.

According to project director Sara Dube, Results First works with states and localities to help them adopt an evidence-based policymaking approach so decision makers can identify and fund programs that yield high returns on investment. Under the initiative, state agencies inventory and analyze programs--from criminal justice to child welfare--to determine their effectiveness and their financial impact. The term "evidence-based policy" is fluid, and not all states, departments and agencies adhere to the same definition. Generally, the term refers to supporting policies based on careful, unbiased, scientific analyses of their effectiveness. Several states have statutes, administrative codes or executive orders defining how and when evidence-based policymaking is required.

Examples abound. Mississippi codified its definition of "evidence" and and created criteria to clarify what constitutes "evidence-based." Oregon requires certain human-services agencies to direct at least 75 percent of their funding to evidence-based practices. California now requires results to be reported along with expenditures for its drug and alcohol programs.

The Shift to Tighten Belts

There are various reasons why states began shifting toward this method of policymaking, but one shared event had an influence on all: The Great Recession.

As revenues began to decline in 2008, state lawmakers sought ways to tighten their belts without losing their shirts. Although strategic approaches to decision making were not a novel concept, they oftentimes focused solely on the budgeting process. Performance-based...