The Role of Federal Agencies in Creating and Administering Evidence

The success of federal agencies in creating and using evidence-based policies hinges on (1) their commitment to include routine use of evidence—including research and program evaluations—in program design and funding decisions and (2) their capacity to adapt their operating practices accordingly. The recent push toward using evidence more deliberately in government meant that federal agencies needed to quickly improve the accessibility of existing evidence. They also had to foster internal capacity to fairly judge its quality and applicability; build capacity and support for routinely using evidence within program and policy offices to support policy development and monitoring; and create a consensus within agencies around sensible ways to categorize, rate, and apply evidence. Common evidence standards, open access to evidence review platforms, and mandates for embedding rigorous evaluations into funded programs are among the most influential tools agencies have used in this new era of evidence-based policymaking