iowa charter agencies

State government program a finalist for innovation award

The Iowa state government's Charter Agency program is up for the "Oscars" of government prizes.

The pilot program, which was launched in July 2003, was named today as a semifinalist in the Innovations in American Government award competition, which honors the 50 most creative, forward-thinking, results-driven government programs at the federal, state, county and city levels. Iowa's program provided certain state agencies, on a voluntary basis, with more flexibility and autonomy in exchange for innovative thinking.

Iowa's program was chosen from a pool of more than 1,000 applicants. Eighteen finalists will be chosen from the 50 and announced in April. The Innovations in American Government National Selection Committee, chaired by David R. Gergen of the Center for Public Leadership at Harvard University, will choose six winning programs, which will be announced on July 27. The winners each will receive a $100,000 grant.

The Innovations in American Government awards program, now in its 18th year, is administered by the Ash Institute for Democratic Governance and Innovation at Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government, in partnership with the Council for Excellence in Government.

-Des Moines Business Record Daily Newsletter, March 16, 2005