Economic Sanctions
Do Economic Sanctions Work?
When do sanctions succeed, and when do they backfire? This analysis examines how the U.S. sanctions system operates, who controls it, and what happens when economic…
Evidence-based Policymaking
Evidence-based policymaking is the idea that governments should choose and adjust policies using research, data, and evaluation instead of guesswork or habit. It covers how problems become priorities, how ideas spread between governments, and how pilots and studies show what works. Agencies, legislatures, researchers, and statistical offices all contribute.
People usually ask how government decides what to do, when evidence should outweigh values, and how policies are tested, compared, and scaled up. They also ask who shapes policy in practice and how statistics from agencies inform choices.
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September 16last updated
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Referenced by Brookings, CNN, Forbes, Fox News, Pew Research, Snopes, The Hill and USA Today.
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Referenced by Brookings, CNN, Forbes, Fox News, Pew Research, Snopes, The Hill and USA Today.
The Webby-recognized AI behind our articles »
Latest in Evidence-based Policymaking
Department of Commerce
How the BEA’s Data is Used by Policymakers
The United States government makes decisions worth trillions of dollars every year. Interest rates that affect your mortgage. Healthcare funding for millions of Americans. Disaster relief…
Census Bureau
How Census Bureau Data Is Used to Guide Government Decisions
Most Americans think of the U.S. Census Bureau as the agency that knocks on doors every ten years asking how many people live in your house.…
Food and Drug Administration
Vaccine Safety and VAERS: A Guide
Vaccine safety in the United States doesn't rely on a single checkpoint - it's protected by a comprehensive, multi-layered system that begins years before a vaccine…
All Articles on Evidence-based Policymaking
U.S. Health Statistics: CDC WONDER and NCHS
Finding trustworthy health information shouldn't feel like searching for a needle in a haystack. Yet with misinformation spreading faster than wildfire, knowing where to…
How Governments Learn From Each Other: Policy Transfer vs. Policy Learning
When Massachusetts launched its groundbreaking health insurance reform in 2006, few predicted it would become the blueprint for national healthcare policy. Yet four years…
Understanding Government Program Evaluation: Your Guide to Formative and Summative Assessments
Every year, the federal government spends trillions of taxpayer dollars on programs designed to improve education, healthcare, infrastructure, and countless other public services. But…
How Problems Become Priorities: Understanding Problem Definition and Agenda Setting
Many Americans observe the workings of their government and wonder how certain issues come to dominate public discussion and legislative action, while others, seemingly…
How Government Pilots and Scales Programs
The government faces a crucial choice every time it wants to launch a new program, try innovative technology, or tackle a major public challenge:…
From Ideas to Reality: How Government Policies Actually Happen
Every law you see in action started as an idea in someone's head. But the journey from that initial spark to real-world impact involves…
When Change Happens: Policy Windows and the Weight of History
Making sense of how the United States government decides which issues to tackle, and why some policies seem to stick around forever while others…
The Three Pillars of Good Government: How to Judge If Policies Actually Work
When politicians promise to fix problems or make life better, how do you know if they're actually delivering? The answer lies in understanding three…
How Government Policies Can Deliver Broad Public Benefits
Every time the government passes a new law, launches a program, or changes a regulation, it creates winners and losers. Understanding who wins and…
How Policy Changes in America: Big Leaps vs. Small Steps
Is policy change typically gradual adjustments, or are there periods of rapid, large‑scale change? The way laws and government programs come into being and…