Center for Government Excellence at Johns Hopkins University

Johns Hopkins University’s new Center for Government Excellence helps governments build capacity for decision making that is rooted in evidence, transparent accountability, and citizen engagement. The interdisciplinary center is part of the university’s 21st Century Cities Initiative, a cross-disciplinary research effort for urban study and change, as well as a partner with What Works Cities, a new Bloomberg Philanthropies government innovation initiative. 

As a partner with What Works Cities, the Center will execute a multi-year, multi-million dollar program to work directly with 100 cities to implement open data and performance management programs. 

GovEx educates governments about best practices for the collection, measurement, and analysis of data, helping them to better assess job functions, improve service delivery, decrease waste, and engender public trust. The Center provides thought-leadership, tools, and guidance, so cities can sustain open data and performance management programs on their own. To accomplish these ends, the Center works collaboratively with recognized leaders in open data and performance management to build a national movement advancing the use of data in local government.