About the Book, Results that Matter

buy the book, Results that MatterImproving Communities by Engaging Citizens, Measuring Performance and Getting Things Done

By Paul D. Epstein, Paul M. Coates, and Lyle D. Wray with David Swain


Results That Matter presents the new Effective Community Governance Model that brings together valuable tools of community improvement—especially performance measurement and citizen engagement—to empower communities to achieve the outcomes their citizens most desire.

"The authors demonstrate that results-based governance and citizen engagement not only enrich community improvement efforts, they are necessary ingredients for success."
— Michael Rubinger,
President and CEO, Local Initiatives Support Corporation

Government and nonprofit managers, civic reformers, and community leaders and activists will learn not only how to achieve one-time improvement of their organizations and communities but also how to foster a continual cycle of community renewal and improvement.

Improving How Communities Improve Themselves

Results that Matter features examples, including case studies, from 30 communities and organizations across the country including self-improvement practices of effective communities; new roles for citizens, community leaders, and organization staff; Managing for Results cycles in use in organizations; and Governing for Results cycles in use in communities.

"Results That Matter adds real substance to the discussion of how government can deliver the results citizens want at a price they are willing to pay."
— David Osborne, co-author of
The Price of Government
and Reinventing Government
  • Read Chapter 1 of Results That Matter
    Excerpted from Results That Matter by Paul D. Epstein, Paul M. Coates, and Lyle D. Wray with David Swain
    (November 2005, $32, Hardcover) by permission of
    Jossey-Bass/A Wiley Imprint.

    To view chapter 1, you need Adobe Acrobat Reader installed on your computer. Click this button to download it for free.


  • List of Examples and Case Studies from Results That Matter

  • Table of Contents

  • What Leaders are Saying about Results That Matter