Overview

The Ford Foundation launched the Innovations in American Government Program in 1985. Over the past sixteen years, the Program has become a significant force in identifying and promoting excellence and creativity in the public sector. Through its annual awards competition, the Program has recognized 280 innovative programs, which have received $17.2 million in Ford Foundation grants. By offering the recognition and grants, 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 government's innovative performance, the Program serves as a catalyst for continued progress in addressing the nation's most pressing public concerns.

Now, the Ford Foundation has presented a $50 million grant to Harvard University to serve as a permanent endowment for the Institute for Government Innovation, which will build on the success of the Innovations in American Government Program. The Institute will house the Innovations in American Government Program and will serve as the hub for a global network of individuals dedicated to excellence in government: innovators, students, policy analysts, and journalists. The Institute will host conferences and training sessions for practitioners, release relevant publications, establish research fellowships, and help forge institutional alliances to foster innovation in governments around the world.

The Ford Foundation has also created five other awards programs designed to spark innovation in government and encourage the use of good government practices around the globe: