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MCC Ranks #1 on ‘Investing in What Works’ Index for Third Year Running

December 21, 2018

By

Results for America

Far right: Acting Vice President of MCC’s Department of Policy and Evaluation, Tom Kelly, speaks at Results for America's 2018 launch of the Invest in What Works Index.

 

For MCC, evidence-based decision making is not just an aspiration, it is a core value that is embedded into everything we do. According to Results for America, an organization that encourages U.S. policymakers to make evidence-based investments to achieve better results, we are on the right track.

For the third year in a row, MCC ranked highest among its peers in Results for America’s Invest in What Works Federal Standard of Excellence Index. The Index is just one way Results for America works to achieve its mission to make investing in what works the “new normal,” and this recognition underscores MCC’s commitment to an evidence-based approach to high-return investments.

MCC's total score of 87 was the highest of all nine federal agencies participating in the Index.

Results for America

Nine federal agencies participated in the Index this year and I had the privilege of joining the eight other agencies—described by Results for America as “evidence champions”—in a panel celebrating the launch of the 2018 Index. It was encouraging to hear a common commitment to evidence across federal agencies with vastly different missions. Agencies noted a recent push to ensure data and evidence are accessible to external stakeholders. This includes producing products that are easy to understand and that allow, even encourage, the public to engage.

MCC is taking this challenge seriously with forthcoming products to make the results of our investments and independent evaluations more accessible and clear. While MCC was highlighted as one of three agencies to increase its overall score on the Index compared to last year, MCC’s external stakeholders expect the Agency to continually push the bounds of creating and using evidence to make investments. We welcome this external push. Stay tuned for new products in this spirit in 2019.

Panel participants also discussed pursuing a culture of evidence, data and learning that extends beyond traditional monitoring and evaluation staff. Building this culture means having honest discussions about what works and what doesn’t work, while making these conversations transparent to stakeholders. The creation and use of evidence and data is central to MCC’s investment approach, and MCC remains committed to advancing the role of evidence in decision-making in our own investments and with our partner countries.