8. Investing in What Works through Budgeting

The Governor’s Budget explicitly labels proposals by evidence basis (e.g., $200M for evidence-based educator training), and EO N-16-22, reinforced by DF-46’s equity-consideration field, requires proposals to address underserved communities.

The Colorado Governor’s Office of State Planning & Budgeting (OSPB) has required evidence-related information in budget proposals since FY 2017-18. These requirements have changed over time to reflect improved practices and statutory requirements in S.B. 21-284 and the recently passed H.B. 24-1428. OSPB and legislative staff collaborated for more than a year to refine new statutory requirements embodied in H.B. 24-1428, with the help of experts from the University of Denver’s Colorado Evaluation and Action Lab.

The new statutory requirements include a revised process for state agencies to characterize the evidence related to budget proposals and encourage agencies to continually build evidence to better inform the decision making process. In addition to considering evidence in budget-related decisions, state agencies are instructed to evaluate requests through a lens of equity, diversity, and inclusion. Departments must identify all stakeholder groups who may be impacted and explain how, identify groups who may be disproportionately impacted and determine whether the request will have negative, positive, or mixed equity impacts.

A 2025 Connecticut law defines “evidence-based”. The OPM Secretary and Executive Budget Officer include requirements to measure program accomplishments and outcomes as part of the annual process for agencies to request budget changes. The guidance includes the definition for program outcomes rather than input or process measures, and encourages the use measures supported by peer-reviewed research.

CT General Statute 4-74a requires the Governor’s annual budget submission to include the impact of proposed spending and revenue on the economy and how the budget will ensure equity in the state.

The Illinois Budgeting for Results (BFR) Commission is the state’s performance-based budgeting initiative. The commission’s annual report summarizes the state’s performance improvement efforts across seven statewide results areas (p. 9): education, economic development, public safety, human services, healthcare, environment and culture, and government services. BFR, in partnership with the state legislature, effectively repealed Blighted Areas Redevelopment Act of 1947, an outdated, discriminatory mandate housing policy. According to BFR, “the repeal of this act seeks to redress historical injustices in the use of state eminent domain authorities to remove affordable housing in predominantly Black neighborhoods without commensurate affordable housing to replace the demolished dwellings.” The Commission also recommended updating program evaluation methods, integrating diversity, equity, and inclusion analysis into the unit’s work in 2022 among other evidence-building activities supported by the Commission.

The State of Maryland’s Office of Budget Analysis (OBA), organized under the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), worked with the Governor’s Office and Results for America to include definitions of “evidence-based” and “evidence-building” as part of the budget development cycle, beginning in FY 2026, and provides resources agency and fiscal staff on this part of the budget process.

DBM built on this process as part of the FY 2027 budget cycle by requesting entities submit evidence information for over the target enhancement requests, and provide a justification for submissions without evidence. OBA has specified a field in the state’s enterprise budgeting system to capture this information, and submitted evidence will be incorporated into this year’s budget deliberations.

The Governor’s FY 2027 Budget Highlights also included indicators that detailed the evidence base for specific state investments, and OBA released a report that summarizes items signed into law that support evidence-based interventions.

Lastly, OBA has updated its FY28 budget instructions, targeting that all enhancement request submissions statewide be considered an evidence-based or evidence-building program.

A 2017 Minnesota law requires state agencies to include performance data in their biennial budget documents. Budget instructions for both the base budget and new funding requests direct agencies to include a Results section that identifies performance indicators and the evidence base (as defined by MMB) for their budget proposals. For Fiscal Years 2024 and 2025, the form for new funding requests added sections for Tribal Consultation and Public Engagement, complementing existing questions about Impact on Children and Families and Equity and Inclusion, improving how the state’s funding decisions consider community voice and impact. The Results Team then reviews budget proposals for evidence to inform negotiations between the Governor and legislature. Starting in 2023, MMB began publishing an Evidence Based Polices tab on the Current Enacted Biennial Budget dashboard to summarize new evidence-based funding: $2.68 billion for 168 new practices/programs, representing 27.9% of new proposals approved that year..

Nebraska passed Statute 81-1113 requiring every agency to include whether or not their programs are evidence-based programs during the budget process effective September 3, 2025.

North Carolina’s FY26-27 budget instructions require agencies to justify requests for new and expanded programs and services. In their justifications, agencies include a statement of need that defines the problem. This is the place to describe how the need may vary across communities or subpopulations. They then map out the theory of change – how the proposed intervention and inputs will address the need and lead to the intended outcome changes.

Agencies indicate the level of existing evidence supporting the expected outcomes of the proposal using OSBM’s evidence scale, and outline their plans for evaluating its implementation and effectiveness. 

OSBM’s evidence scale provides a common language for communicating the effectiveness of a program or policy and the degree of confidence in those conclusions

OSBM provides training to agency staff to develop strong budget proposals supported by evidence, and offers assistance for evaluation planning. 

The justifications agencies provide include the evidence scale rating, and this information is available to both decision-makers in the Executive and Legislative branches.

Ohio Revised Code 126.13 provides the statutory basis for Ohio’s Results-Focused Budgeting framework.

Ohio’s Fiscal Year 2026-2027 budget guidance required agencies to provide detailed information on program effectiveness as part of our Results-Focused Budgeting efforts. Agencies submitted a Results-Focused Budgeting Report package, which included logic models, output and outcome measures, and evidence for new or expanding programs. This information is collected similarly for Fiscal Year 2028-2029. Results-focused information provided in the agency budget requests informed discussions that build the Governor’s executive budget and the Office of Budget and Management (OBM) Director’s testimony before the legislature in support of the budget.

OBM is currently working to incorporate a summary of evidence-based programs signed into law into the “Evidence Based Programs Across Ohio” website and future operating budget summary publications.

Operating Budget Guidance to state agencies, directs agencies to provide information on evidence-based programs and how these programs impact underserved communities. There are required “Agency Level Questions” and “Appropriation Line Item Questions” that gather this information.

A 2003 Oregon law provides a definition of evidence-based program as a program that “incorporates significant and relevant practices based on scientifically based research; and is cost effective” and states that the Oregon Department of Corrections, the Oregon Youth Authority, the Oregon Youth Development Division, and “the part of the Oregon Health Authority that deals with mental health and addiction issues” shall (1) spend at least 75% of state moneys that the agency receives for programs on evidence-based programs; (2) perform cost-benefit analyses; and (3) compile a biennial program inventory with results from funded programs.

Budget and Legislative Concepts Instructions for the 2025-27 budget incorporated racial equity components.

Since 1997, Rhode Island state law requires agencies to submit performance measure data and targets as part of the annual budget request process. The Performance Management Unit within the Office of Management and Budget collects this performance data and works with agencies to achieve performance goals.

Agencies are required to report on program evidence and performance when submitting budget requests, utilizing a tiered evidence scale (proven effective, promising, and theory-based).

Beginning in FY20-21, the Tennessee budget instructions aligned the governor’s priorities with agency strategic plans. The instructions also encourage agencies to invest in programs that are supported by research and evidence. The cost increase and base reduction support forms invite agencies to, within their budget requests, highlight their programs’ level of evidence based on the five evidence steps defined by the state’s Office of Evidence and Impact (OEI), as well as the most recent performance data.

OEI reviews each submission and provides the Budget Office and Governor’s Office with a summary report for use in the budget process. The summary report objectively presents the evidentiary information and any available data for each programmatic budget request to inform the governor’s decisions regarding those requests. Departments may choose to leverage this information in presentations to the legislature.

Since 2023, Tennessee has also implemented targets for the percentage of cost increase requests dedicated to evidence-based programs. These targets aim to strategically allocate funding towards initiatives that have been proven to improve outcomes for residents, thereby ensuring that public resources are invested in programs with a demonstrated impact.

Since 2024, OEI has provided state and agency leaders with internal dashboards summarizing evidence-based requests signed into law and program funding increases year-over-year.

GOPB’s budget request form asks for evidence and analysis for budget requests. Agencies show supporting evidence where applicable for the proposed solution they would implement with the money. The evidence framework document is used by the program evaluation team at GOPB to assess the evidence of effectiveness.

Utah statute (UCA 63J-1-903) requires agencies to set at least one performance measure for passed budget requests >$500,000. Annually, GOPB collects agency performance measures after the end of each legislative session. Agencies report their progress to GOPB and the Office of the Legislative Fiscal Analyst (LFA) to prepare for the next budget cycle. Performance measure data is found at performance.utah.gov and cobi.utah.gov. Performance measures and targets are identified in appropriations bills.

GOPB completes efficiency evaluations and tracks results through performance measures to ensure wise budget utilization.