Overview and Strategy

Our Mission
Building a better government and a stronger democracy.

Our Vision
We envision a dynamic and innovative federal government that effectively serves our diverse nation.

At the Partnership for Public Service, we believe that our future and our democracy depend on our ability to solve big problems—and that we need an effective federal government to do so.

For more than 20 years, we have helped make this vision a reality, helping our government—the public institution most fundamental to our democracy—address the challenges of the moment and those to come.

Today, as we strive toward a better government and a stronger democracy, we are resolved in our commitment to nonpartisanship. While others may debate whether government should be bigger or smaller, we focus on making it better.

We do this by taking bold action to develop effective leaders and address critical talent gaps; increase employee engagement and recognize excellence in the federal workforce; promote innovation and collaboration; rebuild public trust in government and help agencies meet customer needs; and strengthen the presidential transition process.  

These issues are not partisan in nature, and we remain steadfast in pursuing meaningful change and advocating for both the federal government and the millions of public servants who comprise it, no matter the political environment.

We will continue to serve as a bridge between administrations, across the political aisle and from the public to the private sector to develop forward-thinking solutions that improve the way our government works.

Fulfilling our mission also means embracing diverse voices, perspectives and discourse within and outside of our organization. We believe that to build a better government and a stronger democracy, we must uphold the nonpartisan values of fairness and equity—values rooted in our representative democracy.

We are proud of this ongoing work, and we remain fueled by the possibilities to do more.

Our Strategy

Our current strategy seeks to expand and grow our impact in four core areas, each of which include solutions and performance measures designed to transform the way the federal government works.  

 

Federal Talent

Our government recruits, engages and retains the nation’s best talent.

 

Public Service Leadership

Federal leaders are equipped to achieve their agencies’ missions and contribute to the public good.

 

Society’s Commitment to Government 

Society trusts and engages with a well-functioning government.

 

The Partnership

The Partnership has the talent and organizational capacity to deliver on and sustain its nonpartisan mission.

Learn more about our impact and our future plans in our 2022-23 impact report.  

Our Approach

Five main operational principles guide our work to build a better government and a stronger democracy:

Constructive

We act as a force for positive change and seek to not only find problems, but to identify possible solutions.

Continuity

We serve as a bridge between administrations, across the political aisle and between government and the private sector.   

Credible

We are nonpartisan, and our work is evidence-based and rooted in experience. 

Connector

We have created a robust community of leaders, practitioners and thinkers within and beyond government. 

Catalyzer

We help our partners take meaningful action to create a better government and a stronger democracy—and we help government do its job better rather than doing the job of government.