Evidence-based policymaking requires policymakers to evaluate and incorporate evidence into their decision-making. However, policymakers may lack the expertise and incentives to do so. In a randomized controlled trial, we test the effects of a training program to teach elected officials how to collect and evaluate evidence. The training program, developed in part by the Joint Research Center (JRC) of the European Commission, was offered to local elected officials in Germany, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. Once registered, participants were randomly assigned either to the evidence-based policymaking training or a placebo training course. We find that the half day training course significantly improved statistical literacy, demand for evidence, and interest in partnering with academics. The training made participants think that finding academic partners was a more significant obstacle than they had thought. An ostensibly unrelated invitation to join a platform that connects policymakers to researchers measured the persistence of training effects 7 months after the sessions. The study reveals both promise and limitations of evidence-based policymaking.