As we approach the end of a tumultuous year and look toward a new year and a new administration, we believe a next generation of evidence – a data and evidence ecosystem that is more equitable and actionable – will allow us to build back stronger. Despite progress made under both the Bush and Obama…
Making the Case for Social Sector R&D
Q&A with Jon Baron In his most recent Straight Talk on Evidence post, Arnold Ventures’ Vice President of Evidence-Based Policy Jon Baron argues that – just like with medical research – we must strengthen the way we build and use evidence in the social sector in order to develop a body of demonstrably effective strategies for meeting…
Supporting Effective Policymaking through the Development of Strategic Evidence Plans
The COVID-19 pandemic and the Black Lives Matter movement has put a stark spotlight on the racial and economic inequities that stem from policies and practices in health, housing, education, employment, criminal justice, and other domains. There is immense urgency for systemic reforms and effective solutions that deliver equitable outcomes for communities of color and…
We Need to End Structural Racism and Inequities. How can Data and Evidence Help?
“I’m gonna be something, I’m gonna make a difference, I’m gonna change the world.” These were the aspirations of a teen George Floyd, whose killing at the hands of police has renewed protests to draw attention to police brutality against Black people. While his death is symbolic of systemic racism in policing, Floyd’s life and…
A Stronger Evidence Ecosystem is Vital for a More Equitable Recovery After the Pandemic
The coronavirus pandemic has transformed our world in a matter of weeks, and its effects on our communities, institutions, and systems will be felt long after the public health crisis subsides. In a recent editorial, Nick Hart of the Data Foundation and Dr. Nancy Potok, who served on the bipartisan Commission on Evidence-Based Policy Making,…
What the Federal Government Can Do to Address the Unprecedented Education Crisis Caused by Coronavirus
More than 50 million children and young adults have been affected by nationwide school building closures aimed at slowing the transmission of coronavirus. Students are facing the prospect of losing anywhere from weeks to months of schooling, and some states have warned that classrooms could remain shuttered for the rest of the academic year. This…
Applying a Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Lens to Strengthen Evidence Building
For social sector leaders striving for equitable outcomes, incorporating a diversity, equity and inclusion lens for evidence building is critical — and often overlooked. Project Evident has been working to develop a structured process for promoting and integrating a diversity, equity and inclusion framework into the evidence building activities of an organization. The goal is…
Continuous Improvement and Evidence Building
Nonprofit organizations face high demand from communities for services, and increasing expectations from funders and policymakers for evidence of impact. For many years, traditional evaluations, such as randomized control trials (RCT), have been used to demonstrate the impact of programs. This evidence building method, if done prematurely, can often leave nonprofits with findings of minimal…
The Role of the Practitioner in the Next Generation of Evidence
In the next generation model for evidence building, we envision that practitioners become the drivers of their evidence agendas, equipped with the strategies, tools, and talent they need to rigorously evaluate their programs and strengthen outcomes for the communities they serve. We imagine an ecosystem less governed by power, misplaced incentives, and sluggish learning, and…
Empowering Practitioners to Drive the Evidence Train: Building the Next Generation of Evidence
The movement toward greater use of data and evidence in social programs is encouraging, and there is a widely shared commitment to achieving better outcomes for the vulnerable segments of society served by nonprofits. At the same time, the current paradigm for using evaluation to get those outcomes has faced challenges. It is time to…