8. Investing in What Works through Budgeting

Minnesota

A 2017 Minnesota law requires state agencies to include performance data in their biennial budget documents. Budget instructions for both the base budget and new funding requests direct agencies to include a Results section that identifies performance indicators and the evidence base (as defined by MMB) for their budget proposals. For Fiscal Years 2024 and 2025, the form for new funding requests added sections for Tribal Consultation and Public Engagement, complementing existing questions about Impact on Children and Families and Equity and Inclusion, improving how the state’s funding decisions consider community voice and impact. The Results Team then reviews budget proposals for evidence to inform negotiations between the Governor and legislature. Starting in 2023, MMB began publishing an Evidence Based Polices tab on the Current Enacted Biennial Budget dashboard to summarize new evidence-based funding: $2.68 billion for 168 new practices/programs, representing 27.9% of new proposals approved that year.