Introducing the

Evidence and Equity Collaborative

Advancing diverse and equitable analysis to inform policymaking.

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Our Mission

About the Collaborative

The nine organizations of the Evidence and Equity Collaborative are working to support diversity in their workplaces, strengthen inclusive practices in programs and policy research, and build a foundation for equitable analysis ready to inform systems, policies, and programs across the nation.

Chief Executive Officers Convene

The chief executive officers of the Evidence & Equity Collaborative’s nine member organizations recently convened with the Collaborative’s diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) leaders to reflect on the Collaborative’s progress over the past two years—and envision its potential. The Collaborative was organized in 2021 by the CEOs of nine organizations in the social and behavioral science fields to support diversity in our workplaces, strengthen inclusive practices in policy research, and build a foundation for equitable analysis ready to inform policymaking.

Our Beginnings

The Collaborative Story

In the fall of 2020, the chief executive officers of nine leading policy research organizations met to discuss the critical importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion in the field of public policy research and in their individual workplaces. The result is the Evidence and Equity Collaborative.

The first collaboration of its kind within the policy research field, the Evidence and Equity Collaborative brings together market leaders Abt Associates, American Institutes for Research (AIR), Mathematica, MDRC, NORC at the University of Chicago, the RAND Corporation, RTI International, the Urban Institute, and Westat for an initiative outside their usual roles as business competitors. As members of the Evidence and Equity Collaborative, these nine organizations representing more than 20,000 employees, are joining forces to support diversity in their workplaces, strengthen inclusive practices in policy research, and build a foundation for equitable analysis ready to inform policymaking across the nation.

Our commitment

Areas of Focus

Enhance practices to support workforce diversity, equity, and inclusion within our member organizations.

Individually, we seek to address inequity within our own respective workforces by improving pathways into our organizations and practices around the recruitment, development, advancement, and retention of all staff, particularly those from historically under-served communities. As a group, we are enhancing the individual efforts of member organizations by facilitating cross-organizational learning on best practices and, where applicable, actively coordinating on internal practices. In doing so, we will promote greater workforce DEI within our field as a whole.

Collectively promote efforts that enhance diversity, equity, and inclusion within our field and beyond.

We work to coordinate on externally focused efforts aimed at enhancing DEI within our field and beyond. This may include, for example, nurturing partnerships with schools and other organizations to increase knowledge of and interest in careers in our field; expanding membership organizations’ and students’ networks to include each other; collaboratively promoting the behavioral and social science and consulting field at conferences and academic programs to attract diverse candidates; and making other externally focused efforts that promote equity and social justice within our field and, more broadly, throughout the world.

Support equity-focused research.

We are promoting a greater understanding of how research methods must evolve to better reflect considerations of cultural competence, equity, and justice. Our member organizations strive to generate research that is responsive and sensitive to these key considerations as part of methodological rigor. As we each continue to learn and implement strategies to do so effectively, the Collaborative is providing a venue to share perspectives within our member organizations that can enhance our collective understanding.

Our organizations

Member Spotlight

RTI’s Commitment to Equity

RTI is a leading mission-driven nonprofit research institute dedicated to improving the human condition. Centering equity in what we work on and who we work with is necessary for our organization to spur positive social change. RTI’s Transformative Research Unit for Equity (TRUE) leads the way by innovating and guiding organizational shifts in how to implement equity centered research methods and promote evidence on complex social issues. TRUE’s interdisciplinary team of dedicated experts collaborate across RTI and with external partners to leverage the power of research and evidence to advance equity. TRUE’s priorities include building the capacity of researchers to conduct transformative research, building the evidence base of impactful solutions that target systemic inequities, shifting dominant narratives that get in the way of advancing social justice, and catalyzing change by engaging authentically with communities and diverse stakeholders.

TRUE’s unique approach to capacity building combines applied training on research methods and fostering equity-centered, holistic mentorship that supports the intersection of research and wellbeing to re-imagine the possibilities, opportunities, and joys of research careers. Our Village of Impactful Community Engagement (VOICE) alongside our narrative change work continues to forge new paths to engage communities to use and participate in research that supports community priorities, builds credible evidence ethically, and builds the field of researchers practicing transformative research.

Visit our website to learn about TRUE and our work. We are always looking for partners and collaborators and would love to hear from you – Send us a note!

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For media inquiries

Makini Nyanteh, AIR

(202) 403-5000

Jennifer de Vallance, Mathematica

(202) 484-4692