The vast majority of our work is conducted in collaboration with public sector agencies, non-profit organizations, or other partners who are invested in learning what works in a rigorous and data-informed way. We look for partnerships that involve co-designing and evaluating solutions that are feasible at scale and where our projects can help build internal infrastructure, buy-in, and capacity to support the equitable adoption of best practice.
When selecting which projects to take on, we often ask:
- Does our expertise complement that of the partner organization and are we well-positioned to add value through our work?
- Is a rigorous academic project feasible and publishable in this context?
- If successful, will the results of this partnership be useful to policymakers, scholars, the broader public sector, and the communities they serve?
While our collaborations are tailored to the question at hand, our work often progresses as follows:
STEP 1: Analyze administrative data or survey data to understand the scope and drivers of the challenge.
STEP 2: Conduct qualitative research with key actors, including those with direct lived experience, to understand and contextualize needs and barriers to change.
STEP 3: Co-design, pilot, and rigorously evaluate an innovative solution using a randomized controlled trial (RCT).
STEP 4: Share our findings with our collaborators and other key stakeholders, and publish results in top academic and policy outlets to support broader evidence adoption.
