Better Government Lab

ABOUT

We make government work better for people by

Generating rigorous evidence

We conduct rigorous evaluations to improve government effectiveness and make public services and programs more accessible.

Improving government operations

We leverage data analytics and computational methods to enhance government services and programs - from reducing administrative burdens to optimizing program design and implementation.

Building strategic partnerships

We collaborate with federal, state, and local agencies, civic tech organizations and researchers and policy organizations to test and implement evidence-based solutions.

Our Values

Evidence-based

We draw on high-quality research and data to inform policy implementation.

Rigourous

We employ gold-standard evaluation methods, including randomized controlled trials, to study what works in government operations and service delivery.

Impactful

We translate research into action by partnering with organizations to solve pressing challenges and improve social welfare.

A partnership between two universities

The Better Government Lab is a joint research center of Georgetown University’s McCourt School of Public Policy and the University of Michigan’s Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy. By bridging the nation’s capital with America’s heartland, we transform credible evidence into real-world solutions through rigorous research with the federal, state, and local governments.