DRIVING FEDERAL PERFORMANCE

In its very first year, the Administration established a common sense approach to improving the performance of government at every level. Following successful evidence-based practices used in both the private and public sectors, the Administration engaged senior Federal leaders in establishing two-year Agency Priority Goals in areas where agencies were focused on accelerated performance improvement. The Administration also established government-wide Cross-Agency Priority Goals in areas benefiting from collaboration across multiple agencies.

At its core, these goals serve as a simple but powerful way to motivate people and communicate priorities in improving the Federal Government’s performance and accountability. Agencies establish a variety of performance goals and objectives to drive progress toward key outcomes, while outlining long-term goals and objectives in their strategic plans. Leaders in states, local governments, Federal programs, and in other countries have demonstrated the power of using specific, challenging goals -- combined with frequent measurement, analysis, and follow-up -- to improve performance while being more efficient and effective for the

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Over those last five years, we have seen that the Federal Government operates more effectively when agency leaders, at all levels of the organization, starting at the top, set clear measurable goals aligned to achieving better outcomes. Federal agency leaders are increasingly using goals and measurement to reinforce priorities, motivate action, and illuminate paths to improvement. Agencies also regularly engage their organizations and delivery partners in critical reviews of progress on these goals.

In continuation of the successes seen from setting clearly established goals to improve the way our government works, the Administration has introduced new Agency Priority Goals and Cross-Agency Priority Goals in the 2015 Budget, along with the release of new agency strategic plans. Click below to learn more:

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	What are Cross-Agency Priority Goals? Cross-Agency Priority Goals are statements of the long-term level of desired performance improvement for Government-wide efforts. These goals are set or revised every four years and include outcome-oriented goals that cover a limited number of crosscutting policy areas and management goals addressing financial management, strategic human capital management, information technology management, procurement and acquisition management, and real property management.


	What are Strategic Objectives? Strategic objectives reflect the outcome or management impact the agency is trying to achieve, and generally include the agency’s role. Each objective is tracked through a suite of performance goals, indicators and other evidence that facilitate planning, management, reporting, and evaluation. What are Agency Priority Goals? Agency Priority Goals are a limited number of specific performance targets, usually 2–8, that advance progress toward longer-term outcomes. Agency Priority Goals are near-term results or achievements that leadership wants to accomplish within approximately 24 months. These goals rely predominantly on agency implementation as opposed to budget or legislative accomplishments.


	What are Themes? Themes list the issue or policy areas that are used to group similar goals and objectives.

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DRIVING FEDERAL PERFORMANCE