31 Governors Join Historic Bipartisan Compact to Make Entrepreneurship a National Priority

Milestone reached during America's 250th anniversary year as Governors from both parties commit to making entrepreneurship a civic priority through this initiative of America the Entrepreneurial, a national campaign of More Perfect and Right to Start.

KANSAS CITY, Mo., Sept. 3, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Right to Start, the national nonprofit organization championing entrepreneurship as a civic priority, and More Perfect, an American alliance dedicated to revitalizing democracy, today celebrate a historic milestone as 31 governors from across the United States and its territories have signed the bipartisan Governor's Compact on Entrepreneurship – one of the broadest gubernatorial commitments to entrepreneurship in American history.

The Governor's Compact outlines practical actions governors can take to make entrepreneurship a priority across their states and territories. It was created by Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt during his term as Chair of the National Governors Association (NGA), which ended on July 31. Maryland Governor Wes Moore, the current NGA Chair, continues to champion entrepreneurship as a bipartisan priority.

The Governors who have signed the Governor's Compact include:

Alabama Governor Kay Ivey
Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders
Colorado Governor Jared Polis
Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont
Delaware Governor Matt Meyer
Georgia Governor Brian Kemp
Hawai'i Governor Josh Green
Idaho Governor Brad Little
Indiana Governor Mike Braun
Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds
Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry
Maryland Governor Wes Moore
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz
Montana Governor Greg Gianforte
Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo
New Hampshire Governor Kelly Ayotte
New York Governor Kathy Hochul
North Carolina Governor Josh Stein
North Dakota Governor Kelly Armstrong
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine
Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt
Puerto Rico Governor Jenniffer González-Colón
South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster
South Dakota Governor Larry Rhoden
Tennessee Governor Bill Lee
U.S. Virgin Islands Governor Albert Bryan Jr.
Utah Governor Spencer J. Cox
Vermont Governor Phil Scott
West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey
Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers
Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon.

"Governors know that entrepreneurs fuel economic growth – generating jobs, economic activity and innovation in every state and territory," said NGA CEO Brandon Tatum. "Through the bipartisan Governor's Compact on Entrepreneurship, governors are leading the way in advancing practical policies that help more people start and grow businesses that strengthen entire communities and give more people a shot at the American Dream. The National Governors Association is proud to support governors in this important work."

The Governor's Compact is a signature initiative of America the Entrepreneurial, the national campaign of Right to Start and More Perfect. The campaign is renewing America's entrepreneurial promise during the nation's 250th anniversary year by mobilizing citizens, entrepreneurs, civic organizations, elected officials, and business leaders across the country.

The campaign is crucial to America's economic future: new and young businesses generate virtually all net job growth in the United States, and every 1% increase in a state's entrepreneurial activity correlates with a 2% decline in poverty.

"At a time when Americans worry that the American Dream is fading, Governor Stitt, Governor Moore, and leaders across the country are taking concrete steps to help people translate their talents into new enterprises," said John Bridgeland, Founder & CEO of More Perfect and Co-Chair of America the Entrepreneurial. "With 31 governors committed to fueling entrepreneurship in their states, this bipartisan movement helps create jobs, lift people out of poverty, close the affordability gap, and knit communities back together."

The Governor's Compact is inspired by an Executive Order issued in January by Governor Kevin Stitt creating in Oklahoma the nation's first executive-level Chief Entrepreneurial Officer, reporting directly to the Governor. The order also advances policies that make it easier for entrepreneurs to start and grow businesses in the state.

"Governor Stitt's groundbreaking Executive Order achieved a historic milestone for entrepreneurship and went on to become the model for the Governor's Compact on Entrepreneurship," said Victor W. Hwang, Founder & CEO of Right to Start and Co-Chair of America the Entrepreneurial. "The Governor's Compact has now achieved its own historic milestone, with more than half of the governors of U.S. states and territories signing it.  This affirms the importance of entrepreneurs to creating broad prosperity in our states and for our entire nation."

"This impressive support for the Governor's Compact represents a bold commitment to prioritizing entrepreneurs, small businesses, and innovation at the highest levels of government," said Kim Lane, COO of Right to Start and Executive Director of America the Entrepreneurial. "It's a foundation on which we will now build further. We're committed to working alongside governors to turn these commitments into meaningful reforms that make it easier for every American to start and grow a business."

Governors who have not yet signed the Governor's Compact on Entrepreneurship are encouraged to join this growing bipartisan effort to make entrepreneurship an economic and  civic priority.

America the Entrepreneurial has inspired more than 1,800 civic actions across all 50 states and two U.S. territories in just six months. That momentum will continue to build and will be showcased at the America the Entrepreneurial Summit, on November 19-20th in Washington, D.C. The Summit will bring together government leaders, civic leaders, media, and entrepreneurs from across the country, to examine what is actually driving entrepreneurship, connect leaders who are shaping policy on the ground, and set the direction for the next chapter of America's entrepreneurial story.

About Right to Start
Right to Start is a national nonpartisan movement to advance entrepreneurship as a civic priority throughout the United States. Entrepreneurship has long been viewed as a solitary endeavor – the lone starter in a basement or garage. Right to Start's vision is to transform America so that all communities prioritize entrepreneurship, clearing away obstacles to ensure that every American has an equal right to start and a level playing field on which to embark. To speak with Victor Hwang or Kim Lane, contact Henry Miller at [email protected] or 917-921-8034.

About More Perfect
More Perfect is a bipartisan alliance of 44 Presidential Centers, National Archives Foundation, American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Karsh Institute for Democracy at the University of Virginia, and more than 100 organizations working together to launch initiatives that bring leaders together across differences to solve public problems and to advance five foundational Democracy Goals: 1) Universal Civic Learning; 2) Expanding National Service & Volunteering; 3) Bridging Divides & Building Trust; 4) Trusted Elections & More Representative and Responsive Governance; and 5) Access to Trusted News & Information. John Bridgeland can be reached at [email protected]. For press inquiries, contact:
[email protected]

For press inquiries, contact:
[email protected]

SOURCE More Perfect