Counties across the country are facing a challenging fiscal situation: revenues are decreasing while the demand for services is on the rise. Relying on data and evidence to make spending decisions, which has proved useful in times of prosperity, is critical now. Results First, a Pew Charitable Trusts initiative born out of the Great Recession, has published a new brief on How Public Officials can use Data and Evidence to make Strategic Budget Cuts. On December 3rd, Result First will discuss those strategies, provide examples of how jurisdictions have successfully applied them, and hone in on a practical first step to assessing current program expenditures. A representative from Santa Clara County will share how they have used program assessment in decision-making in times of financial certainty and how county decision-makers are using data and evidence in innovative ways in the face of budget cuts and planning for FY21.