Using data to drive action
We give our partners the confidence to make informed decisions that drive action. Visit our project pages to see how the Colorado Lab supports our partners in tackling their most difficult challenges.
We are the Colorado Evaluation and Action Lab
We work with government and community partners to create data-informed solutions to Colorado’s most pressing problems. Learn more about how we leverage data for meaningful action.
What We Do
Projects
We support our partners in tackling challenges across issue areas, from early childhood to housing to physical and behavioral health.
Evidence-Based Decision Making
Policy and budget decisions are not made using research evidence alone. Evidence-Based Decision Making recognizes that decision-makers’ expertise and community needs and context are also important.
Evidence-Building Hubs
Evidence-building hubs reduce the state’s administrative burden by managing evaluation teams. Hubs align and support actionability of findings across projects.
Linked Information Network of Colorado
LINC is a data integration collaborative based out of the Governor’s Office of Information Technology that supports timely and cost-efficient research, evaluation, and analytics.
Work With Us
The Latest from the Colorado Lab
Learn more about our work through our blog, where we share the latest updates on projects, evidence-based decision making, partnership opportunities, and more.
Inside the Colorado Lab: Committed to Being a Learning Organization
An Essential Element of the Colorado Lab is to learn together with our partners about the data and actions needed to move the needle toward desired outcomes. So too are we committed to being a learning organization. We regularly bring our staff together to learn and grow our capacity to provide top quality support to […]
Systematizing Change to Weather Diminished State Budget: Colorado’s Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation Program
Evidence-Based Decision Making in Action: The Governor’s Wildly Important Goals
Update: Philanthropy and Nonprofit Community of Practice
Spotlight on External Research Partner: Emma Monahan
New Study Estimates Youth and Young Adult Homelessness in Colorado to be Three to Five Times Larger than Previous Estimates
A new research study used more comprehensive and innovative approaches to gain a clearer understanding of the reach of youth and young adult homelessness in Colorado. Unlike traditional point-in-time counts, the study linked unduplicated data from the administrative records of three major systems that identify and support youths experiencing homelessness— the Colorado Department of Education, […]
Inside the Colorado Lab: Prioritizing Accessibility
We have been working hard to make small changes that can make a big difference in ensuring information produced by the Colorado Lab is understandable and accessible to everyone. Our efforts range from simplifying the language we use to avoiding things like overly flashy, dynamic graphics that can be difficult for some people to see. […]
Capacity Building: Family First Continuous Quality Improvement
The Colorado Lab serves as the Family First Evidence-Building Hub, providing guidance to the Colorado Department of Human Services (CDHS) to ensure strategic investments in evidence building for child welfare programs and services that aim to keep children safe and more families together. We’re excited to celebrate an important milestone in this work: the Continuous […]
Learning Community Kick-Off: Family Economic Well-Being Research
In late January, we had the honor of convening esteemed researchers from across the country for a kick-off meeting to discuss what is known, and not known, about the relationship between income volatility and child maltreatment. A dozen diverse and uniquely qualified researchers serve as the Learning Community for the Family Economic Well-Being project. Working […]
New Resource: Guidance for Legislators in Bill Drafting for State-Funded Grant Programs
The Colorado Lab has issued a new brief, State-Funded Grant Programs: Guidance for Legislators in Bill Drafting. State-funded grant programs support initiatives that address statewide needs through innovative, localized solutions. These grants provide resources for local government and community partners to experiment with different approaches to the same problem simultaneously around the state. However, experimentation […]
Explore Our Resources and Projects
We champion transparency and cultivate innovation in Colorado and beyond by sharing our work. Access valuable insights in our resources and projects library.
