The Data Foundation, National Academy of Public Administration, Bipartisan Policy Center, and our community of partners hosted a virtual event to mark the fifth anniversary of the landmark Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act (Evidence Act) in the United States. The Evidence Act – a model framework around the world for integrating data and evaluation under a single comprehensive law – is historic legislation that aimed to revolutionize how the federal government uses data to inform policy decisions. In this special virtual event, we previewed a forthcoming white paper from the Data Foundation examining the Evidence Act's tangible impact in the United States on policymaking, evidence-building capacity, data infrastructure, privacy protections, and more.

Experts provided insights about:

• The Evidence Act's tangible wins: How has the Evidence Act improved data access, analysis, and use across federal agencies? Have we seen concrete examples of data-driven policy successes?
• Challenges and roadblocks: Despite its progress, the Evidence Act continues to face obstacles. We'll explore lingering hurdles and areas requiring further attention, including inter-agency collaboration, privacy concerns, and data quality inconsistencies.
• Charting the future: Looking ahead, what steps can we take to maximize the Evidence Act's potential? This discussion will delve into policy recommendations, promising data initiatives, and emerging technologies shaping the future of evidence-informed policymaking.

The virtual event will be accessible for policymakers, researchers, practitioners, contractors, and grantees interested in implementing and supporting the Evidence Act.