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Innovations in American Government finalists named
The award, given by the Ash Center, honors creative problem solving
The Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation at Harvard Kennedy School on Nov. 9 announced the finalists for the Innovations in American Government Award. Boston Public Schools’ Teacher Residency; Littleton, Colorado’s Economic Gardening; New York City’s Center for Economic Opportunity; NYC Service in New York City; Oregon’s Statewide Land Use Program; and San Francisco’s Healthy San Francisco were selected as finalists by public policy experts and practitioners from Harvard and other institutions around the country. These six government initiatives demonstrate creative problem solving to some of the nation’s most pressing issues — education, economic development, poverty, civic services, and health care — and will compete for the Innovations in American Government Award to be announced in early 2012.
On Nov. 16, representatives from these programs will present their initiatives before the National Selection Committee, chaired by former Washington, D.C., Mayor Anthony Williams. The event will be held at the JFK Jr. Forum at Harvard Kennedy School and is free and open to the public.
“Some of our nation’s most notable products, services, and programs have been conceived during times of great economic challenge,” said Anthony Saich, director of the Ash Center. “These Innovations in American Government Award finalists demonstrate that many of our nation’s biggest obstacles can be solved through the creation of smart, innovative programs even when budgets are tight and resources are scarce.”
