GAO says many federal programs still lack clear goals and useful performance data
The Government Accountability Office said July 21 that many federal agencies still lack clearly defined goals and relevant data for determining whether taxpayer-funded programs are achieving the results they were created to deliver.
The finding matters for Congress, agency leaders and the public as lawmakers evaluate federal spending and prepare for future budget and appropriations decisions. GAO said weak performance information makes it harder to determine whether programs are delivering their intended results.
What GAO reviewed
The report examined 15 federal programs at five agencies. Those programs provide direct services solely to pregnant women, young children and their families.
That targeted review does not mean every federal program lacks performance measures. But GAO said the examination illustrated broader challenges in how agencies define program goals, collect information and use that information to manage their work.
Federal spending covers trillions of dollars in programs Americans rely on, including health care, public safety and disaster support. The quality of the information used to assess those programs affects how Congress and agencies oversee that spending.
The three steps GAO identified
GAO identified three core steps for improving program effectiveness: defining goals, collecting relevant data and using the information in management decisions.
Clear goals give agencies a basis for determining what a program is supposed to accomplish. Relevant data can then help show whether the program is moving toward those objectives. Finally, managers need to use the information when making decisions, rather than treating performance measures as a reporting exercise separate from day-to-day oversight.
According to GAO, weaknesses in any of those steps can limit the ability of agencies and Congress to evaluate results. Without clear goals, it can be difficult to define success. Without relevant data, agencies may not be able to assess progress. And without using the information in management decisions, collecting it may have little effect on how programs operate.
What the report does — and does not — show
GAO’s findings concern program management and measurement. They do not by themselves establish that the programs reviewed are ineffective.
The report also does not conclude that all federal spending is wasteful or fraudulent. Its central concern is whether agencies have the information needed to show what programs are accomplishing and to support decisions about their effectiveness.
For people who depend on federal services, the report is an oversight finding rather than an announcement of benefit reductions or service losses. The source packet does not identify any cuts, program terminations or changes to eligibility.
Why the finding matters for budgeting
Congress and agency leaders make decisions about federal programs against competing demands for public funds. GAO’s report says those decisions are harder to evaluate when agencies cannot clearly connect program activities with intended results.
Better goals and data would give lawmakers and agency officials more useful information when reviewing whether programs are working as intended. The report therefore provides a taxpayer-focused warning about the limits of current oversight, particularly across services involving health care, public safety, disaster support and families.
The July 21 report does not set a new statutory deadline or announce a specific follow-up action. Its immediate contribution is to identify weaknesses in the measurement process and outline the three-part approach GAO says agencies need in order to improve their assessment of federally funded programs.
Sources
- Federal Programs: Assessing and Improving Effectiveness, U.S. Government Accountability Office
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