Best and Brightest Programs Named Finalists for Government 'Oscar'; Fifteen Visionary Initiatives Recognized; Eligible for $100,000 Prize

4/28/2004

From: Sarah Howe, 202-530-3270 or showe@excelgov.org, or Dan Paepke, 202-530-3261 or dpaepke@excelgov.org, both of the Council for Excellence in Government

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., April 28 -- Fifteen trailblazing government initiatives at the federal, state and local levels have been named finalists for the esteemed Innovations in American Government Award, a program of the Ash Institute for Democratic Governance and Innovation at Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government. The award is administered in partnership with the Council for Excellence in Government. Each of the 15 finalists is now in the running for one of five $100,000 prizes, which are often called "the Oscars" of government award programs.

"From a co-op owned by home health-care providers to an innovative use of living plants to replicate traditional city water systems, to state-of-the-art websites that link people to government, these finalists represent the best and brightest public innovations," said Gowher Rizvi, Director of the Ash Institute for Democratic Governance and Innovation at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. "When it comes to vision, creativity and usefulness, these programs represent the very best in the nation."

The fifteen finalists are:

CitiStat of Baltimore, Maryland, which uses data from the "311 One Call to City Hall" professional center, twice monthly meetings between the mayor's office and agency heads, and agency data, to make regular and quick improvements to the city's responsiveness and efficiency.

ClinicalTrials.gov, administered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is a pioneering online health care resource serving patients and families facing life-threatening illnesses with vital information related to clinical trials.

Cooperative Care in Waushara County, Wisconsin, which is providing formerly-disenfranchised home care workers with fair pay and benefits through a business they democratically own and operate themselves.

Curtailing Abuse Related to the Elderly (CARE), a Riverside, California-based program that is empowering the senior community through presentations at retirement centers, elder care facilities, and other locations with high elderly populations, in an effort to educate elder citizens about consumer fraud.

Five-Star Rated License, created by the State of North Carolina, is boosting the quality of the state's childcare system, and providing parents with specific information that helps them make smart choices.

Homeless Court Program, in San Diego County, California, helps homeless defendants satisfy a full range of misdemeanor offenses and prevents them from being pushed further outside of society's boundaries.

Innovative Business Credit Pass-Through, created by the state of Oregon, saves energy by allowing business to receive a tax credit by offering financial support to non-profits and public entities involved in energy conservation projects.

Life Learning Academy, created by the San Francisco Unified School District, uses a creative combination of academic courses and hands-on projects to serve students who are part of the juvenile justice system or at risk of becoming involved.

Manufacturing Extension Partnership, administered by the U.S. Department of Commerce, uses public and private funds and service fees to help small manufacturers compete effectively with their larger counterparts.

Natural Drainage Systems Program, created by Seattle, Washington, uses plants, trees and soil to replicate traditional pipes and vaults to purify and transport the city's storm water runoff to Seattle's creeks and marine water bodies.

Neighborhood Knowledge Partnerships, two comprehensive websites created by UCLA, is helping to provide resources to the disability community and assisting neighborhoods with identifying deteriorating properties before they become a problem.

Performance Standards for Juvenile Corrections, administered by the U.S. Department of Justice, collects information from juvenile facilities, tracks injuries, suicidal behaviors, assaults, time in isolation, and youth academic performance and makes needed improvements.

Project Resolve for Special Education, created by the state of Iowa, provides reduced rate legal services to parents involved in disputes with the public school over special education services for their children.

Resolve to Stop the Violence Program (RSVP), in San Francisco, California, shuns traditional custody and puts offenders in a program designed to change attitudes, beliefs and behaviors.

Youth Civic Engagement, in Hampton Virginia, places youth on advisory boards throughout the city, making sure the city fills the needs of young people and prepares youth to assume the reins of government.

"These finalists prove valuable work is underway in America that uses innovation to create a country that not only serves its citizens, but truly improves their lives," said Stephen Goldsmith, a former winner of the Innovations Award and currently Professor of the Practice of Public Management at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. "The quality of these 15 programs makes winnowing our list difficult. But it also sends a strong message about the great benefits these programs provide to the American people."

These exemplary programs were selected from nearly 1,000 applicants for the 2004 Innovations in American Government Award. Each of the 15 finalists will deliver a public presentation before the National Selection Committee at Harvard University on May 12, 2004. For more information about the presentations and how to view them on the Internet, please visit http://www.ashinstitute.harvard.edu. After a full day of presentations the committee will select five winners, which will be announced on July 28, 2004, at the Excellence in Government 2004 Conference, in Washington, D.C. Each winning program will receive a $100,000 grant to encourage replication of its innovation in other jurisdictions.

About the Innovations Award

The Innovations in American Government Awards program, now in its 17th year, is a program of the Ash Institute for Democratic Governance and Innovation at Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government. The award is administered in partnership with the Council for Excellence in Government.

The Ash Institute for Democratic Governance and Innovation at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government fosters excellence in government around the world in order to generate and strengthen democracy. Through its awards program, research, publications, curriculum support, and global network, the Institute champions critical milestones in creative and effective governance and democratic practice.

The Council for Excellence in Government is a national, nonprofit, nonpartisan organization whose mission is to improve government performance by strengthening results-oriented management and creative leadership in the public sector, and to build understanding by focusing public discussion on government's role and responsibilities.

For more information on the Innovations in American Government program and this year's finalists, please visit www.ashinstitute.harvard.edu or http://www.excelgov.org.