Introduction: Who We Are
The Center for State Innovation (CSI) is founded on the belief that America’s current challenges demand bold, innovative, progressive leadership from states. Our commitment is to supply interested governors and other state executives the best policy solutions and technical and strategic expertise in providing that leadership.
CSI is committed to a "high road" of shared prosperity, environmental sustainability, and efficient democratic government. We believe that, despite current challenges, all states can get on this high road. We also believe their leadership in doing so should inform national policy.
Program Description
CSI offers to state executives and staff help in policy development and implementation. It also encourages collaboration among states, and promotes state leadership nationally.
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Policy and Message Development CSI provides state executives and staff options and strategies for policy and message development. CSI organizes high-quality policy briefings and materials on a wide range of policy innovations; provides specialized teleconferences with national experts on emerging state issues; and hosts CSI Strategy Academies, which bring state executives and staff together with colleagues from others states and national experts for intense 1-2 day sessions on strategy development in a major policy area.
Technical Assistance for Effective Policy Implementation In addition to policy experts on its own staff, CSI has organized a national network of leading technical assistance providers with proven track records in effectively implementing progressive policies at the state and national level. CSI connects state executives and staff to this network.
Collaboration & Promotion CSI supports collaboration among states by identifying promising opportunities for it and acting as a facilitating hub in realizing them. CSI is also committed to promoting the contribution that innovating states make to our national democracy, and identifying ways that national policy can better encourage and harness that contribution. We make the public interest argument for a progressive federalism that helps realize "a more perfect union" by welcoming, supporting, and learning from state innovation.
The Center for State Innovation, based at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, is a non-partisan 501(c) 3 organization. It is supported by foundation grants and individual donors.
