Throughout this past year, in recognition of the Colorado Evaluation and Action Lab’s 5th anniversary, we have lifted up elements of our work essential to achieving our mission—using data to inform solutions to critical social problems. There is a strong likelihood that solutions will be sustainable over time and may well grow in scale.
The goal of every Colorado Lab project is meaningful, timely action; we generate research evidence to inform practice and policy decisions. One of the most important elements to activating research findings is taking care to create, nurture, and maintain trusting relationships with and among partners
At the Colorado Lab, we use data to support learning and sustained action among our partners. We view “rigor” as one part of what helps a study meet that goal, striving to do work that is simultaneously rigorous, relevant, and resonant.
The Colorado Lab was established with a fundamental commitment to using data to develop sustained solutions that benefit Coloradans. Our ability to fulfill this rests on a collective commitment of Colorado decision-makers to generate and use research to inform policy and practice change.
Our essential element, Bridge to the Research Community, articulates how we collaborate with research and evaluation partners across Colorado. We believe that mutually beneficial partnerships within the research community are vital to developing proactive, cross-system solutions that meet the priorities of government and community partners.
Early on, we learned the importance of meeting our partners where they are. Part of relationship-building is learning together with our partners about the data and actions needed to move the needle toward desired outcomes.
This year marks the fifth anniversary of the Colorado Evaluation and Action Lab!
As this milestone approached, we reflected on the “essential elements” that make our work most effective. We’ll be sharing insights about these key elements throughout the year in a series of blog posts. We hope you’ll follow along, asking questions, sharing feedback, and offering ideas in the spirit of working together to make Colorado’s policy lab a valuable resource for the people of our state well into the future.