National Organization Honors New Mexico Legislative Finance Committee Work for Fourth Year

Legislative Finance Committee Gets Top Ranking for Results-Driven Budgeting and Policy Efforts

Results for America, a national nonprofit focused on evidence-based decision-making in government, has awarded New Mexico with platinum certification, the highest possible, for its work on results-driven budgeting and performance analysis.

In the newly released report 2026 Invest in What Works State Standard of Excellence, Results for America recognizes New Mexico as one of eight states certified platinum and one of 15 leading the nation in its efforts to use data and evidence to maximize the impact of taxpayer dollars.

Results for American has cited New Mexico as a leading example every year since 2023 and awarded the state with silver certification in 2025.  

“Receiving this honor for the fourth year in a row is a testament to our incredible staff, our dedicated committee members, and our shared commitment to a strategic and transparent budgeting process,” said Legislative Finance Committee (LFC) Chairman Rep. Nathan Small. “At a time when many states have been forced to make tough cuts, New Mexico’s smart budgeting and thoughtful investing have allowed us to maintain and responsibly grow our investments in key areas of need, while continuing to save for the future.”

LFC Vice Chairman George Muñoz noted the importance of evidence in budget decisions.

“That’s how we make sure taxpayer dollars are producing safer communities, stronger schools, better healthcare, and an economy that creates opportunity for every New Mexican,” he said. “This recognition from Results for America is a testament to the professionalism and dedication of the LFC staff. Their commitment to rigorous analysis and accountability helps ensure New Mexico continues making smart investments that position our state to win. Congratulations to the entire team on this well-deserved honor.”

The Results for American awards announcement highlights the work of the LFC program evaluation unit—New Mexico is one of just a handful of states that houses its evaluation unit within its legislative finance agency—along with the use of evidence in assessing budget expansion requests, its inventory of operational funding for evidence-based programs, and its annual post-session review of legislative action

The Results for America program, an outgrowth of the data-focused Pew-MacArthur Results First Initiative, also reports Maryland and New Mexico are the first in the nation to complete all five evidence-based budgeting action steps outlined in Results for America’s evidence-based budgeting guide.

The Results for America report evaluates all states against 12 criteria that measure how they are leveraging their budgeting, grantmaking, and direct services authority to invest in what works and deliver better results for their residents faster. The criteria are intended to act as a roadmap for states.