Future State Initiative
Coming Soon
The Challenge
Americans deserve a better deal from their government. There are problems only the Federal government can solve, and opportunities only the Federal government can organize: both have been limited by archaic “plumbing,” a mindset of scarcity, burdensome risk aversion, and a disconnect between people’s needs and state delivery. Democratic institutions persist and thrive only when they are trusted and capable of delivering on what citizens expect. As a nation, we should be able to trust that government is designed for citizens’ benefit, can deliver when it matters most, can address risks only government can manage, and will spend national resources responsibly and effectively. For Americans, that trust has never been weaker.
About
The Future State Initiative is committed to reimagining a government by and with the American people. We envision a future state that is modern, flexible, responsive, deeply connected to the communities it serves, and representative of their vision of government. Our work over the next four years will collaboratively:
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co-create visions of a future state and foster dialogue on what Americans want from their government;
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galvanize a broad coalition committed to reimagining a government that delivers;
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design and upgrade the institutional building blocks necessary to make that vision real, whether talent, community engagement, service delivery, technology, risk management, or organizations.
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develop the platforms and policies to implement those government building blocks, from legislation and messaging to change management toolkits to structural design.
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How We Work:
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Inclusively: Our future state is a design everyone should have a voice in.
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Collaboratively: Our process, insights, and resources are public, intended to inform all partners engaged in reimagining governing institutions. Templates, toolkits, research insights and more are shared.
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Practically: Our work is meant to be implementable and implemented.
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Creatively: Our approaches recognize past failures and is open to tough and imaginative questions on the role of government--and how to get there.
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Our Strategy
Bridge the gap between:
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Americans' vision of the role of government and the institutional reality.
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The innovators, community organizers, scientists, teachers and advocates whose work and dreams rely on healthy governing institutions and the state capacity building blocks that provide their foundation.
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State capacity functions needed in a health democracy and the legal and policy frameworks and toolkits that make them possible.
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Leaders who are reimagining the future state and the platforms, proposals, and pitches to build their agenda.
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State institutions, processes, and people and the missions and communities they serve.
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Phase One:
Define Visions, Designing Building Blocks
Phase Two:
Building Policies, Platforms and Playbooks
Phase Three: Implementing Campaigns, Engaged Coalitions