The Ash Institute for Democratic Governance and Innovation at Harvard Kennedy School recently announced the finalists for the 2009 Innovations in American Government Awards competition, which recognizes programs that are models of government excellence, representing innovative programming from the local, county, city, tribal, state and federal levels. Among the 2009 winners were: Massachusetts' Commonwealth Health Connector Authority Washington, D.C.-based Data Feeds: Democratization of Government Data Kingsport, Tenn.-based Higher Education Initiative Idaho's Mapping Evapotranspiration New Leaders for New Schools of the Chicago Public School District Milwaukee County, Wis.-based Wraparound Milwaukee. Check back in late September for a list of next year's winners. View more articles, issues, questions or lists.