Results for America

What Results for America does

Results for America is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2012 and headquartered in Washington, DC, that helps federal, state, and local government leaders identify, fund, and implement evidence-based solutions to accelerate upward economic mobility. Its core offerings are not a technology product but a portfolio of programs, tools, and resources: the Economic Mobility Catalog (a free online repository of 250+ evidence-based program briefs and case studies), the What Works Cities certification program (operated with Bloomberg Philanthropies, with 104 cities certified), Shifting Dollars Technical Assistance (free coaching for government leaders on evidence-based budgeting), Solutions Sprints (6-12 week virtual learning cohorts), Standards of Excellence (benchmarking frameworks recognized 11 federal agencies in 2024 and 44 states in 2025), and a Federal Grant Opportunities Hub. The organization is funded entirely through philanthropic contributions from foundations, corporate partners, and individual donors, with all technical assistance, training, and resources provided at no cost to government policymakers.

The organization is governed by CEO and Co-Founder Michele Jolin and COO and Co-Founder David Medina, supported by a leadership team organized into dedicated federal, state, and local practice leads plus practice-area VPs covering Communications, Development, People and Culture, Measurement/Evaluation/Learning, Finance and Operations, and Technology and Impact Systems. Its distribution model is direct engagement with government decision-makers rather than commercial sales, supplemented by a 650+ bipartisan champion network (Moneyball for Government) and a 220+ organization Invest in What Works Coalition. Operating segments span federal agencies, state governments, and local municipalities across the United States, with no disclosed international operations.

Reported outcomes since founding include $50 billion in government dollars shifted to evidence-based solutions, ~200 solutions replicated across governments, a 30-fold increase in federal grant dollars directed to what works since 2013, and 462+ policies and executive actions supported. The organization has no disclosed revenue, no private equity or venture backing, and operates as an independent nonpartisan entity (EIN 81-2709681).

Name

Results for America

Legal name

Results for America

Website

https://results4america.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Results for America is a Washington, DC-based nonprofit that helps federal, state, and local government leaders find, fund, and implement evidence-based solutions through free technical assistance, certification programs, and curated policy resources supported by philanthropic funding.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Government Policy Consulting & Public Sector Evidence-Based Advisory

NAICS

Administration of Economic Programs (926), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Educational Services (611)

akta.pro primary industry

Donor Coordination, Monitoring & Evaluation (MEL) Programs (BPADABAN)

akta.pro secondary industries

Donor Coordination & Aid Effectiveness (BPADAOAA), Results-Based Financing (RBF) & Performance-Based Grants (BPADAOAF), Research, Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning (MEL) Partnerships (EDADALAK)

Keywords

• Evidence-based policymaking
• Government technical assistance
• Public sector consulting
• Data-driven governance
• Evidence definitions and standards

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Charitable Donations: As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, Results for America generates revenue through tax-deductible charitable donations from foundations, corporations, and individuals who support their mission of helping government invest in what works.
2. Foundation and Corporate Support: The organization receives support from various foundations and corporate partners who fund their programs and technical assistance initiatives.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Results for America is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that helps federal, state, and local government leaders find, fund, and implement evidence-based solutions that accelerate upward economic mobility. It delivers this through a portfolio of free programs, including direct technical assistance (Shifting Dollars Technical Assistance, Solutions Sprints), certification and benchmarking programs (Standards of Excellence, What Works Cities), evidence-based resource libraries (Economic Mobility Catalog, Evidence-Based Spending Guides, Evaluation Policy Guide), and a bipartisan coalition of leaders (Moneyball for Government).

Product overview

Results for America is a nonprofit organization offering a portfolio of interconnected programs, tools, and resources designed to help government leaders at the federal, state, and local levels find, fund, and implement evidence-based solutions that accelerate economic mobility. The core offerings include the Economic Mobility Catalog (a database of evidence-based practices), What Works Cities (city certification and support), Shifting Dollars Technical Assistance (hands-on support for evidence-based budgeting), Standards of Excellence (benchmarking programs with Federal, State, and What Works Cities certifications), Solutions Sprints (accelerated learning programs), and Moneyball for Government (a bipartisan coalition of data-driven leaders). Supporting tools include the Federal Grant Opportunities Hub, Evidence-Based Spending Guides (covering Education, Workforce, State/County Budgeting, and Grantmaking), Evaluation Policy Guide, Evidence Definitions, American Rescue Plan Dashboard, and specialized programs like the Evidence in Education Lab, Place Matters Federal Policy Collaborative, LEVER, and Local Infrastructure Hub. The organization does not offer a technology product platform but rather provides consulting, training, resources, and peer networks.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• What Works Cities: A certification program celebrating local governments for excellence in data-driven decision making
• Moneyball for Government
• Economic Mobility Catalog
• Invest in What Works Coalition
• Solutions Accelerator
• Federal Grant Opportunities Hub
• Shifting Dollars Technical Assistance
• The Department of What Works

Products and services

• What Works Cities A Bloomberg Philanthropies-funded certification and support program helping cities improve residents' lives by using data and evidence to tackle urgent local challenges. The program certifies cities for excellence in data-driven decision-making.
• Economic Mobility Catalog A free online resource featuring 250+ evidence-based program briefs, implementation case studies, and strategy guides spanning early childhood, K-12 education, workforce development, health, justice, housing, and financial security.
• Shifting Dollars Technical Assistance A technical assistance program helping governments at all levels drive public funds to solutions that deliver measurable improvements in people's lives through coaching, resources, and training on evidence-based budgeting.
• Moneyball for Government A movement of data-driven leaders helping transform government to deliver better results through increased use of data and evidence in policymaking.
• Solutions Sprints Six to twelve-week virtual learning opportunities providing government leaders with intensive, content-specific workshops to learn from experts and peers to accelerate implementation of evidence-based solutions.
• Standards of Excellence A benchmarking framework helping governments at federal, state, and local levels measure and improve their data and evidence capacity, with recognition programs including What Works Cities Certification, State Standard of Excellence, and Federal Standard of Excellence.
• Federal Grant Opportunities Hub A centralized, curated database and newsletter service providing searchable federal grant opportunities aligned with economic mobility goals, including a dashboard, archived newsletters, and grant application guides.
• Evidence-Based Spending Guides A suite of guides for federal, state, and county government leaders to build and use evidence in grantmaking, purchasing, procurement, and budgeting processes. Includes guides for Education, Workforce, State Budgeting, State Grantmaking, and County Budgeting.
• Evaluation Policy Guide A first-of-its-kind guide equipping state and local leaders with best practices for developing evaluation policies that drive budgeting decisions and program management.
• American Rescue Plan Dashboard An analysis tool tracking 200 Recovery Plan Performance Reports covering investments and financial expenditures, highlighting evidence-based models and impact evaluations.
• Evidence in Education Lab A specialized program helping states, school districts, and schools build and use evidence to improve student outcomes through tools, technical assistance, and learning opportunities.
• Place Matters Federal Policy Collaborative A resource for place-based partnerships to leverage federal funding and policy to achieve economic mobility goals, serving the 19 Blue Meridian Place-Based Partnerships.
• LEVER A program building local and state governments' capacity to evaluate federal investments through partnerships with academic institutions.
• Local Infrastructure Hub A program empowering city leaders to access federal infrastructure dollars and drive local progress through resources and training.
• Opioid Settlement Resources Resources helping policymakers invest opioid settlement dollars in proven, evidence-based solutions to address the opioid epidemic.

Quantifiable outcome

• 30-fold increase in federal grant dollars directed to what works since 2013
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.

• Bloomberg PhilanthropiesflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerBloomberg Philanthropies partners with Results for America on the What Works Cities program, helping cities improve residents' lives by using data and evidence to tackle urgent local challenges. The program certifies cities for excellence in data-driven decision making.
• Blue MeridiancoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResults for America partners with Blue Meridian's Place Matters portfolio to support 19 place-based partnerships in understanding, accessing, and influencing federal policy and funding for economic mobility.
• Annenberg Institute at Brown UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership on EdResearch for Action initiative, creating briefs, case studies and toolkits to provide education leaders with practical guidance for implementing evidence-based programs.
• Invest in What Works CoalitionflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerOver 220 organizations partner with Results for America as part of the Invest in What Works Coalition, a bipartisan group working to make investing in what works the new normal. Partners include Achievement Network, America Forward, City Year, KIPP, Teach For America, and many others.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Urban Institute: Urban Institute is a nonprofit research organization that provides evidence-based insights on economic mobility, health, housing, and governance. Closely aligned with R4A's mission of using data and evidence to inform government policy and improve social outcomes.
• RAND Corporation: RAND is a research institution that provides policy analysis and evidence-based recommendations to governments worldwide. Comparable to R4A in producing rigorous research that informs evidence-based public sector decision-making.
• Brookings Institution: Brookings is a public policy think tank producing research and recommendations across economic, governance, and social policy. Directly comparable to R4A in shaping evidence-based policymaking with a focus on government effectiveness and economic mobility.
• Mathematica: Mathematica is a policy research and evaluation firm that conducts rigorous evidence-based program evaluations for government agencies, foundations, and nonprofits. Highly comparable to Results for America in providing technical assistance and rigorous evaluation services that help governments assess what works.
• MDRC: MDRC is a nonprofit social policy research organization dedicated to improving the lives of low-income people through rigorous evidence-based program evaluations. Directly comparable to R4A in its focus on evidence-building, program evaluation, and advising policymakers on what works.
• J-PAL (Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab): J-PAL conducts randomized evaluations to assess the effectiveness of social programs aimed at reducing poverty. R4A partners with J-PAL through the LEVER initiative to build government evaluation capacity, making J-PAL a directly comparable peer in evidence-based policy evaluation.

Broad incumbents

• Arnold Ventures: Arnold Ventures is a philanthropy focused on evidence-based policy change across criminal justice, education, and health. Operates in adjacent space as a larger, well-funded evidence-based policy funder that pursues similar evidence-driven outcomes across more verticals than R4A.
• Pew Charitable Trusts: Pew Charitable Trusts is a major research-based nonprofit that conducts rigorous data analysis to inform policy across multiple issue areas. Comparable to R4A as a large, established evidence-producing organization, though with a broader issue portfolio.

Others

• National Governors Association: The NGA is a bipartisan organization representing US governors that provides policy resources and best practices to state leaders. While not a direct competitor, NGA serves the same state policymaker audience as R4A and engages on similar evidence-based policy topics.

Emerging players

• Center for American Progress: CAP is a public policy research and advocacy organization that develops evidence-based policy proposals. Comparable to R4A in shaping government policy through research, though more ideologically aligned and less focused on bipartisan coalition building.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/resultsforamerica
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/results4america
• Xx.com/results4america

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Results for America