[St. Paul, Minn.] – Yesterday, at a virtual event co-hosted by the National Governors Association and Results for America, Minnesota was recognized for its use of evidence and data to improve results for Minnesotans.

Results for America, a national nonprofit focused on helping government leaders improve results by investing in what works, released the 2020 Invest in What Works State Standard of Excellence , which showcases 169 examples of data-driven and evidence-based practices, policies, programs, and systems in 35 states across the country. Minnesota was recognized as a Leading State .

“ As we face a global pandemic, it has never been more important to ground our public policies in evidence and invest in proven public programs ,” said Governor Walz. “ We are pleased to see our commitment to data-driven policies reflected in our recognition as a leading state in Results for America’s 2020 State Standard of Excellence .”

Minnesota has become a national leader when it comes to using data to improve services, programs, and outcomes for its residents. In 2020, the state’s data-driven culture allowed the state to swiftly respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. Minnesota employed its data infrastructure to create a comprehensive COVID-19 data dashboard to track health and economic data. This dashboard contained information about the state’s response capacity as well as a race/ethnicity data dashboard to identify communities that are disproportionately impacted, in particular communities of color. Prior to the state’s COVID-19 response, Minnesota leveraged evidence to inform funding decisions resulting in $87 million in new or expanded evidence-based programming in the FY 2020–2021 budget.

“ The COVID-19 crisis underscores the critical importance of using evidence and data to drive decision-making at every level of government ,” said Michele Jolin, CEO and Co-Founder of Results for America. “ The 2020 State Standard of Excellence illustrates how many governors and state agency leaders around the country and across the political spectrum are rising to the occasion and investing in what works to meet the urgent needs of their residents .”

The 2020 State Standard of Excellence highlights how state governments can respond more effectively to crises when they incorporate evidence into their decision-making. States with strong existing capacity to leverage data are better positioned to respond rapidly to COVID-19 and focus their efforts on addressing the pandemic’s disproportionate effects on communities of color. Further, the 2020 State Standard of Excellence features a growing number of states that have invested in evidence-based budgeting, a key lever for funding what works in the face of a recession.

“ America’s governors are committed to making a measurable, positive difference in the states and territories they serve ,” said Timothy Blute, Director of the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices. “ They are using data to inform their responses to COVID-19 to promote the physical and economic health of their residents, and the 2020 State Standard of Excellence recognizes the critical role of data and evidence in state policymaking in this most challenging time .”

For more information about how states are building data and evidence capacity, state leaders can refer to Results for America’s Blueprint for Delivering Results in State Government , which serves as an implementation guide for the State Standard of Excellence.