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Innovations

The Innovations in American Government Awards Program is a significant force in recognizing and promoting excellence and creativity in the public sector. Through its annual awards competition, the Program provides concrete evidence that government can work to improve the quality of life for citizens and that it deserves greater public trust. By highlighting exemplary models of governments’ innovative performance, the Program serves as a catalyst for continued progress in addressing the nation’s most pressing public concerns.

Innovations News
Recent Press Coverage
Press Releases
Press Coverage
2009 Innovations Competition

In September, the Ash Center announced the 2009 winners of the Innovations in American Government (IAG) Awards. Honored at a reception in Washington, D.C., this year’s award winners demonstrate unique solutions to some of our nation’s most pressing issues including economic development, education, mental health, health insurance, government transparency, and water scarcity.

At the awards event, Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, 2009 acting chair of the Innovations Awards National Selection Committee, offered opening remarks about the importance of government innovation, recalling her late uncle Senator Ted Kennedy’s strong belief in politics as a noble profession designed to make government work for the people. “Today we have great challenges in making government effective, but what we do together makes our lives better,” said Kennedy. “Government is a place where we make our most solemn decisions.” Read more»


Innovations Awards Application
Award Cycle

The 2009 call for applications is now closed; the application process for the 2010 Innovations in American Government Awards will open in January 2010. More information on the Innovations in American Government Awards program>>


National Selection Committee

Each year, the members of the Innovations National Selection Committee meet to select the winners of the Innovations Awards. Learn more about the Committee's current members.

 
 

National Selection Committee

David Gergen, Chairman National Selection Committee


Social Innovation

The Ash Center’s Social Innovation Project builds on its existing capacity to generate, gather, and share knowledge on how communities are transforming their approaches to social issues.


Celebrating 20 Years of Innovation

In 2007, the Ash Center celebrated the 20th anniversary of the Innovations in American Government Awards Program. This milestone was an opportune time to revisit the impact of and lessons learned from government innovations worldwide, as well as to identify areas for new research in the field of government innovation. The Ash Center executed a constellation of activities surrounding the 20th award year, commenced at the awarding of the 20th year of Innovations Award winners in the fall of 2007, and culminating in an international conference which convened finalists and winners of the Innovations in American Government Awards from the past 20 years and their counterparts from across the world.


Innovations Publications

The Innovations in American Government Awards Program, throughout its history, has generated a great deal of research based on winning and finalist programs and on the study of innovation. Below are the different types of research related to Innovations which others will find useful in their own work. The links below offer more information on Harvard Kennedy School case studies, books on government innovation, Ash Center publications, as well as outside resources, some of which are produced by winners of the Innovations Award.


The Power of Social Innovation
The Power of Social Innovation
The Power of Social Innovation: How Civic Entrepreneurs Ignite Community Networks for Good

Stephen Goldsmith, author, Jossey-Bass/Wiley, March 2010

with Gigi Georges and Tim Glynn Burke

Purchasing Information

This seminal book provides tools for civic entrepreneurs to create healthier communities and promote innovative solutions to public and social problems. It features illustrative case studies of civic leaders and entrepreneurs and the catalyzing role each plays in transforming a community’s social service delivery systems. Based on the authors’ experience, extensive ongoing research, and interviews with more than 100 top leaders from a variety of sectors, The Power of Social Innovation offers public officials, social entrepreneurs, philanthropists, and everyday citizens the insights and skills to produce extraordinary social change.


Innovations Database

Since 1986, the Innovations in American Government Awards Program has recognized over 400 innovative programs and awarded a total of nearly $20 million in grants. Of these programs, 187 have been named winners and received $100,000 grants.

These programs represent the finest initiatives undertaken by American government during the last 20 years. Visit the Government Innovators Network to learn more about these creative government initiatives.


Networked Governance

The generous support of the Smith Richardson Foundation is underwriting this effort to develop the concepts and materials required to train the next generation of public officials in the practice of networked or collaborative governance.