An Environmental Protection Agency program has encouraged over 1,300 businesses to voluntarily reduce their toxic waste; a reinvention lab has pushed agencies to work together to speed up passenger processing at one of the nation's busiest international airports; and an IRS file-by-telephone system has reduced paperwork and saved taxpayers millions of dollars.
These three federal programs are among 25 finalists for this year's Innovations in American Government Awards Program, sponsored by the Ford Foundation and Harvard University. Each of the finalists will receive a $20,000 grant and will compete for ten top grants of $100,000 each. The awards honor federal, state and local government programs that find new ways to solve public problems.
This year over 1,500 programs applied for the awards. The ten winners will be chosen later this year.
"We are delighted to recognize programs that demonstrate daily to the American public the effectiveness and creativity of government in addressing pressing social issues," said Michael Lipsky of the Ford Foundation.
Five of the 25 finalists are federal programs:
- The Environmental Protection Agency's 33/50 Program.
- IRS's Telefile system.
- Miami International Airport's reinvention lab.
- The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms "Disarming the Criminal" program, which reduces gun trafficking using computer technology and aggressive enforcement.
- The Food and Drug Administration's revamped drug approval process.
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