Tools

Self-assessments, check lists, printable summaries or diagnostic tools, and other help available for users of the site:

Strategy Tools

· Strategy selection tool: Criteria for selecting strategies to achieve the results identified for the jurisdiction.

· Juvenile detention forecasting tool : Urban Institute’s calculator for forecasting future juvenile detention population.

· Budget Calculator: A tool to calculate family budgets developed by the Economic Policy Institute.

· Family Economic Self-Sufficiency Resources: Provides resources and technical assistance to state and local organizations to implement policies and programs that help low-income families achieve economic self-sufficiency.

· Family Resource Simulator: Illustrates the impact of “work supports”—such as earned income tax credits and child care assistance, developed by the National Center for Children in Poverty.

· EITC Interactive: Shows how proposed expansions to the EITC would benefit taxpayers in individual states, metropolitan areas and selected cities around the nation, developed by Brookings Institute.

· Food Stamp tool kit: Includes numerous resources for elected officials, from outreach ideas to a sample op-ed to press releases, developed by the Annie E. Casey Foundation.

· Early Childhood System Self-Assessment: A tool developed by the National Governor's Association.

Financing Tools

· Financing assessment tools : A self-assessment of various financing strategies, developed by the Fiscal Policy Studies Institute.

· Budgeting checklist: A guide to maximizing federal funding, returns on investment and reinvestment opportunities.

· Budgeting Questions: A tool for assessing budgeting decisions based on demonstrated results and performance.

· Results Accountability Budgeting: Tools and examples of using a results-based approach to budgeting.

Accountability Tools

· A statewide accountability system: Virginia Performs, created by the Council on Virginia’s Future, is a performance leadership and accountability system.

· Executive branch self assessment: A results-focused tool for Governors and advisors to monitor the implementation of strategies.

· Executive branch self assessment score sheet: A score sheet for Governors to quantify the successful implementation of strategies.

· Legislative hearing performance accountability questions : A performance-based monitoring tool for legislators to use during hearings, developed by the Fiscal Policy Studies Institute.

· Legislative hearing results accountability questions : A results-focused monitoring tool for legislators to use during hearings, developed by the Fiscal Policy Studies Institute

· 11 things a legislator can do : Guidelines for holding a results-focused hearing, developed by the Fiscal Policy Studies Institute.

· Results Scorecard: Assesses performance by aligning indicators of community well-being and performance measures, developed by the Results Leadership Group.