Building Evidence to Advance Equity

Summary

Using data and evidence to refine, improve and expand programming is a vital requirement for nonprofits. Even so, realizing this requirement may be difficult for organizations operating on razor-thin margins. The Annie E. Casey Foundation spent seven years investing in the Building Evidence to Advance Equity initiative and helping nonprofits advance their use of data to better serve youth and families of color.

About the Building Evidence to Advance Equity Initiative

Casey launched the Building Evidence to Advance Equity initiative in 2016, with three main objectives:

• help culturally responsive programs expand and better serve young people and their families across the country;
• encourage investment in community-based nonprofits that serve youth and communities of color and use culturally responsive approaches; and
• increase the evidence base for culturally responsive programs across diverse ethnic and racial communities.

Grantee Outcomes

By 2023, the initiative spanned 16 grantees. With Casey Foundation support, these organizations had:

• developed evidence-based systems;
• shared their experiences with other nonprofits;
• used technical assistance to strengthen data collection and assess their practices;
  
• worked to deliver the core components of their program consistently and with fidelity;
  
• replicated or expanded their services; and
• adapted their program to serve new populations
  

Key Takeaways From the Initiative

Casey's Building Evidence to Advance Equity report shares key insights for funders who are similarly interested in helping organizations advance the use of evidence to better serve communities of color.

In addition to summarizing what the Foundation learned throughout its seven-year investment, the report also offers four spotlights. Each summarize a grantee's experiences over the course of the initiative.

Program Profiles

Learn more about these Building Evidence to Advance Equity grantees:

• Future Foundation
• Pace Center for Girls
• Center for Behavioral Design and Social Justice
• E4 Youth
• Village of Wisdom
• Latinos in Action
• Peer Health Exchange
• Con Mi MADRE
• Latin American Youth Center