Field Resources

CoLab curates these third-party resources to help policymakers, researchers, and practitioners find and apply high-quality evidence and data tools in their work to advance upward mobility. Resources include program clearinghouses, administrative data guidance, evidence-based decision-making frameworks, research on drivers of economic opportunity, and approaches for meaningfully engaging communities as partners.

  • The Economic Mobility Catalog

    Results for America

    The Economic Mobility Catalog is designed specifically for local government leaders seeking to identify and implement evidence-based strategies to advance economic mobility in their communities — with a deeper focus on implementation than most clearinghouses provide. It covers over 50 high-level strategies and nearly 200 specific programs and practices, each rated by evidence strength (promising, strong, or proven) and organized by policy area or outcome — from early childhood and K–12 education to housing and financial security. Each entry synthesizes the relevant research, highlights implementation best practices, and links to case studies from cities and counties that have put these strategies into practice.

  • Student Upward Mobility Initiative

    Urban Institute

    The Student Upward Mobility Initiative (SUMI) is a multiyear effort to identify the PK–12 skills and competencies — spanning academic achievement, social-emotional development, health and well-being, social capital, and career preparation — that drive students’ long-term economic mobility, with a focus on students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. SUMI funds research that develops and validates measures of these skills, with the goal of equipping educators and policymakers with tools to shape programs, interventions, and systems change.

  • Mobility Experiences

    Camber Collective & Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation

    This research hub synthesizes findings from more than 230 studies and a survey of over 4,000 Americans to identify and quantify 28 life experiences—spanning education, career, health, finances, and relationships—that drive lifetime income and economic mobility. The site presents evidence on each experience’s average impact on earnings, explores Americans’ perceptions of mobility, and maps federal and philanthropic funding flows across these experience areas. An interactive dashboard allows users to explore capital allocation trends.

  • Opportunity Insights

    Harvard University

    Opportunity Insights uses large-scale data to identify barriers to economic mobility and develop evidence-based policy solutions. The organization produces rigorous research on neighborhoods, education, racial disparities, and national trends in upward mobility, and translates findings into actionable tools for practitioners and policymakers. Resources include:

    • The Opportunity Atlas: a neighborhood-level data tool
    • The Social Capital Atlas: maps social network connections across schools, colleges, and ZIP codes 
    • Downloadable datasets
    • Training courses for researchers and policy leaders

  • Upward Mobility Framework

    Urban Institute

    The Urban Institute’s Upward Mobility Initiative provides integrated resources to advance economic mobility and racial equity: 

    • A research-grounded Framework organizing the key drivers of mobility across five pillars — rewarding work, high-quality education, opportunity-rich neighborhoods, healthy environments and health care access, and responsive governance.
    • A community-level Data Dashboard for exploring and comparing local mobility metrics nationwide,
    • A practical Toolkit translating framework concepts into actionable strategies, including supplementary research, blogs, and training opportunities.

  • Campbell Collaboration

    The Campbell Collaboration produces rigorous systematic reviews across 11 issue areas, including education, social welfare, crime and justice, children and youth well-being, and disability. Its library of more than 300 published reviews synthesizes evidence from randomized controlled trials and other high-quality research designs to help decision-makers identify what works. Reviews are freely accessible and searchable.

  • Results First Clearinghouse Database

    Evidence-to-Impact Collaborative

    Managed by Penn State University’s Evidence-to-Impact Collaborative, this searchable database aggregates evidence ratings for more than 4,000 programs across ten national clearinghouses, covering social policy areas, including behavioral health, criminal justice, education, and public health. A color-coded rating system creates a common language across clearinghouses with varying methodologies, making it easier to compare programs. Users can search by category, setting, and rating using either traditional filters or an AI assistant. A downloadable Excel version of the full database is also available.

  • Title IV-E Prevention Services Clearinghouse

    Administration for Children & Families

    Established by the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, this federal clearinghouse conducts reviews of programs and services designed to support children and families and prevent foster care placements. Developed under the Family First Prevention Services Act, it rates programs as Well-Supported, Supported, Promising, or Does Not Currently Meet Criteria. To date, 210 programs and services have been reviewed, with 95 receiving a positive rating. Users can search the full database to identify evidence-based options relevant to child and family well-being.

  • CEBC

    The California Evidence-Based Clearinghouse for Child Welfare (CEBC) is a searchable registry of programs serving children and families involved with the child welfare system, each rated on the strength of its supporting evidence. The site also provides guidance on selecting and implementing evidence-based practices, along with free tools, measurement resources, and real-world implementation examples.

  • Pathways to Work

    Administration for Children & Families

    Pathways to Work, a project of the Administration for Children & Families (ACF) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, provides a comprehensive, systematic review of programs designed to improve employment outcomes for individuals with low incomes. Users can search and compare over 290 reviewed interventions and 370 studies by service type, target population, and strength of evidence. The clearinghouse also offers evidence gap maps, evidence snapshots, cost-effectiveness data, and information on studies currently underway.

  • Blueprints for Healthy Youth Development

    University of Colorado Boulder

    Blueprints for Healthy Youth Development maintains a searchable registry of rigorously evaluated programs for youth, families, and communities. Programs are independently reviewed against clear scientific standards and rated as Promising, Model, or Model Plus based on the strength of evidence—ranging from quasi-experimental designs to replicated randomized controlled trials. The registry spans family-, school-, and community-based interventions targeting prevention through intensive support for at-risk youth and adults.

  • Social Programs That Work

    Arnold Ventures

    Social Programs That Work systematically reviews social programs evaluated through randomized controlled trials to identify those with credible evidence of meaningful, sustained impact. The site offers an impartial guide for policy officials and practitioners across 11 policy areas relevant to upward mobility—including early childhood, K-12 and postsecondary education, employment, and housing. Programs are rated by evidence strength (Top Tier, Near Top Tier, or Suggestive), helping practitioners quickly distinguish rigorously tested programs from those that merely claim effectiveness. The site is administered by the Evidence-Based Policy team at Arnold Ventures.

  • What Works Clearinghouse

    Institute of Education Sciences

    The What Works Clearinghouse (WWC), housed within the U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences, is a central hub for rigorous evidence on educational programs, policies, and practices. It offers searchable intervention reports, educator practice guides, and individual study reviews—each assessed against demanding methodological standards. Resources are organized by topic area (e.g., literacy, STEM, college readiness, social-emotional learning) and grade level, making it straightforward for practitioners and policymakers to identify what the evidence shows works for specific student populations and contexts.

  • State Chief Data Officer (CDO) Tracker

    Beeck Center

    The State CDO Tracker, developed by the Beeck Center for Social Impact and Innovation at Georgetown University, is a resource that tracks the evolving role of chief data officers across state governments. The tracker documents which states have established CDO or equivalent positions, where the role sits within government, how data operations are structured, and what enabling legislation is in place. Designed for government practitioners, researchers, and civic technologists, it offers a centralized view of trends, gaps, and replicable models for advancing data-informed decision-making at the state level.

  • Massive Data Institute

    Georgetown University

    The Massive Data Institute (MDI) at Georgetown’s McCourt School of Public Policy is an interdisciplinary research institute connecting experts across data science, public policy, and social science to conduct evidence-based research that improves public policy decision-making. Designated as one of only 23 Federal Statistical Research Data Centers by the U.S. Census Bureau, MDI serves as a model and potential partner for organizations seeking to build administrative data infrastructure — demonstrating how secure data access, cross-agency linkage, and rigorous analysis can be structured to generate actionable policy insights.

  • Recommendations for Ensuring the Quality of Linked Human Services Data Sources

    Chapin Hall

    This brief identifies key threats to the quality of linked human services administrative data and offers recommendations for practitioners and the field. It argues that the human services context — characterized by variable data quality, limited identifiers, and small target populations — presents unique challenges not addressed by mainstream record linkage research. The brief recommends that practitioners prioritize scalable, transparent methods with built-in sensitivity testing, and calls for the broader research and policy community to develop field-specific standards for data linkage quality and methodological transparency.

  • Linking Administrative Data: Strategies and Methods

    California Policy Lab

    This white paper provides a practical, accessible guide to record linkage — the process of matching individuals across administrative datasets that lack common identifiers. It walks through the full linking workflow, from data preparation and blocking to field comparison and matching algorithms, and compares three main approaches: rules-based matching, supervised machine learning, and unsupervised machine learning. The paper also evaluates common software tools and addresses accuracy, reproducibility, and equity considerations.

  • Actionable Intelligence for Social Policy

    University of Pennsylvania

    Housed at the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Social Policy and Practice, Actionable Intelligence for Social Policy is a national hub for integrated data systems (IDS), data governance, and the ethical use of public data. AISP partners with 70 data-sharing efforts across the country to share best practices and amplify impact. The site offers practical tools and guidance for both building and using cross-agency data systems, covering legal frameworks, racial equity, governance, and record linkage.

  • Accelerate

    Accelerate connects research, policy, and implementation to help schools adopt proven learning approaches at scale, with a focus on students furthest from opportunity. The organization funds promising interventions, promotes proven strategies, and has launched over 30 randomized controlled trials — leveraging more than $430 million in federal and state funding across 29 states to build the evidence base needed for informed, scalable investment in student outcomes.

  • Results for America

    Results for America works with government leaders at the federal, state, and local levels to make investing in what works the “new normal” — so that when policymakers make decisions, they start by seeking the best available evidence and data, then use what they find to get better results. The organization provides tools, training, and technical assistance to help government leaders identify, fund, and implement evidence-based solutions aimed at accelerating upward economic mobility. Results for America also publishes annual Standards of Excellence benchmarking how federal, state, and local governments are integrating evidence and data into budget, policy, and management decisions.

  • Partnership for Proven Programs

    Coalition for Evidence-Based Policy

    The Partnership for Proven Programs (PFPP) is a model of public-philanthropic collaboration in which matched philanthropic funding incentivizes state and local governments to expand social programs with strong randomized controlled trial evidence of impact and to institutionalize evidence-based criteria in future public spending. The Coalition facilitates active partnerships in Maryland, Colorado, and Oklahoma, with examples spanning workforce development, higher education, and K-12 achievement. The site also features updates on each state partnership’s progress.

  • Institute of Evidence-Based Policymaking

    This Colorado-based institute produces evidence-based policy research for state and local decision-makers, offering a practical model for how rigorous analysis can inform government policy at the subnational level. Reports cover a range of policy areas; including child care, housing, public safety, and fiscal policy; and policy recommendations are grounded in data and research.

  • Principles of Evidence-Based Policymaking

    Evidence-Based Policymaking Collaborative

    Produced by researchers from the Urban Institute, Brookings Institution, American Enterprise Institute, and the Pew-MacArthur Results First Initiative, this brief outlines four core principles for integrating evidence into public sector decision-making: 

    • Building rigorous evidence on what works including costs and benefits.
    • Monitoring program delivery and evaluating effectiveness.
    • Using evidence to scale effective programs and redirect resources away from ineffective ones.
    • Encouraging innovation by testing new approaches.

  • Evidence-Based Policymaking — Practices to Help Manage and Assess the Results of Federal Efforts

    U.S. Government Accountability Office

    This U.S. GAO guide distills findings from approximately 200 federal audit reports into 13 key practices for building and using evidence in federal decision-making. Organized around four areas — planning for results, assessing and building evidence, using evidence, and fostering a culture of continuous learning — the guide includes concrete implementation actions and real agency examples.

  • Evidence in Public Policy Online Course

    Oxford Blavatnik School of Government

    This eight-week online course equips civil servants, NGO professionals, and policy leaders with practical skills for evidence-based policy evaluation. Modules cover core evaluation methods — including randomized control trials, difference-in-differences, and systematic reviews — as well as how policymakers gather and apply evidence in practice. Designed for early-to-mid-career professionals, the course offers a certificate of completion and CPD accreditation. A fee applies.

  • Community-Engaged and Participatory Methods Toolkits

    Urban Institute

    The Urban Institute’s Community-Engaged and Participatory Methods Toolkit is a practical, freely accessible resource for researchers, policymakers, and program planners seeking to include communities as genuine partners in their work. It covers the full arc of participatory practice — from building equitable partnerships and compensating partners fairly, to designing community-informed surveys and using participatory methods in quantitative research.

  • Human-Centered Design

    Digital.gov

    Human-centered design (HCD) is a philosophy and practice that places people’s real-world experiences at the heart of service design — prioritizing an understanding of users’ actual challenges and crafting solutions that directly address them, with regular feedback loops to adapt as needs evolve. This Digital.gov resource hub, maintained by the U.S. General Services Administration, offers an accessible entry point for practitioners and government agencies looking to apply HCD principles in public service contexts; including guides, case studies, and communities of practice focused on improving how programs reach and serve the people they are designed to help.

  • Lived Experience Grove

    Lived Experience Grove offers a community-designed framework and toolkit for building equitable partnerships between system leaders and people with lived experience of homelessness. The site provides facilitated learning journeys, practical planning tools, and topic-based resources covering areas such as power sharing, co-design, compensation, and conflict navigation. It features real-world examples from partnerships in Los Angeles, Minnesota, New York City, and Omaha, and includes a community network for peer learning and resource sharing. The framework is designed to support Continuums of Care, city and county agencies, and community organizations working to strengthen systemic conditions for inclusive decision-making.