Did you know that North Carolina has a Chief Scientist? Housed in the Office of State Budget and Management, David Yokum helps state agencies use evidence to figure out what’s working, what’s not and what’s worth funding — making sure every dollar in the budget goes as far as possible for the people of North Carolina.
Because there is always uncertainty in government work, decisionmakers need tools for determining what approach or program works or what should be changed in those that are not working. By generating evidence at the right time and in the right format, government agencies and leaders can make better informed decisions. Evidence can also inform the state’s budgeting process, for example, either by justifying investments to expand successful programs or informing tough decisions to change or reduce funding for programs that don’t deliver meaningful results.
As Chief Scientist, Yokum starts by helping government agencies with their strategic plans, encouraging them to think ambitiously and creatively about what they can deliver and how they can guide their decisions with evidence rather than assumptions. His work focuses on promoting a culture of adaptive learning, where agencies use performance data to guide decisions, test new approaches, and continuously refine strategies for maximum impact.
“The more you question and learn, the more likely you are to figure out the most efficient ways to deliver programs and services that matter to people and give you a meaningful return,” Yokum explained.
Yokum brings considerable experience to his office. In a former position in Washington, D.C., he conducted a randomized controlled trial to determine if the use of nurses to triage 911 calls could reduce unnecessary ambulance costs while delivering equal (or better) quality healthcare. (It did, and the idea is now spreading nationally.) He also drew on behavioral science to redesign government forms to make it easier to get a driver’s license, enroll a child in school, sign up for a benefit, or start a new business.
Yokum notes that his work offers a myriad of partnership opportunities for philanthropies like The Duke Endowment.
“I think philanthropy can be uniquely helpful in piloting new program ideas and evaluating whether existing programs are working. What is learned can inform public debate about whether taxpayer dollars should (or should not) be spent to continue or expand the effort,” Yokum said.
“Appreciation for the value of philanthropic-government partnerships goes both ways,” said Dr. William Bacon, vice president and director of evaluation at The Duke Endowment. “We are grateful for the state’s investment in a chief scientist. The Endowment has a team that meets with Dr. Yokum regularly to coordinate efforts. This kind of collaboration is essential. While private philanthropy can spur innovation and fund evaluation, government funds are typically required to scale and sustain programs.”
Yokum pointed out that exploring a body of evidence takes time and also noted the importance of recognizing the need for a long-term approach. “Lots of things in the social policy domain, such as affordable housing or access to healthcare, are complicated problems that need many iterations of ideas before we uncover the right way to address them,” he explained.
To that end, Yokum envisions building the capacity of all North Carolina state agencies to integrate evidence collection and analysis into their everyday activities and policy domains.
“It’s not about one-time fixes — it’s about building long-term capacity to learn and adjust,” Yokum said. “That’s how we make the most of every tax dollar: by improving what we can do today while also being prepared to tackle the issues of tomorrow.”