A diverse array of federal agencies—from those charged with space exploration to environmental protection to ensuring government workers are properly equipped to do their jobs—rose to the top of the first-ever Best Places to Work in the Federal Government rankings, released in 2003. Created by the Partnership for Public Service and American University’s Institute for the Study of Public Policy Implementation (ISPPI), the 2003 Best Places to Work rankings were based on survey responses from more than 100,000 participants in the U.S. Office of Personnel Management’s Federal Human Capital Survey. The 2003 report provides a ranking of 28 cabinet departments and independent agencies and nearly 200 subagencies on overall employee satisfaction, as well as in ten work environment categories including effective leadership, performance-based rewards and advancement, family-friendly culture and benefits.