NYC Opportunity’s New Partnership with 11 Evaluation Firms
The Mayor’s Office for Economic Opportunity (NYC Opportunity) has launched a new partnership with 11 evaluation firms. The firms were selected in 2022 through a competitive Request for Proposals process issued by the NYC Human Resources Administration in collaboration with our office. These evaluation firms are also partnering with non-profit subcontractors such as CUNY’s John Jay College of Criminal Justice and Columbia University’s National Center for Children and Poverty, and will work with a range of M/WBEs on individual projects, thus extending our research expertise further.
Since its establishment as the Center for Economic Opportunity in 2006 as an anti-poverty innovation lab, NYC Opportunity has focused on using data and evidence to reduce poverty and promote equity across New York City. The office has used evaluations of initiatives to drive improvement, measure effectiveness and impact, and identify initiatives that are worth continuing or expanding. NYC Opportunity partners with a wide range of City agencies to evaluate current programming and key initiatives and to contribute to the development of new policies and programs through research and evaluation.
NYC Opportunity’s staff, in collaboration with agency partners and evaluation firms, develops a distinct evaluation strategy for each project. These strategies reflect, as applicable, the availability of data, program or service implementation status, the research goals and questions, the timing of expected outcomes, and existing research on a particular intervention. This differentiated approach helps NYC Opportunity produce evaluations that inform program and policy development and systems change. Strategies are qualitative and quantitative, and could include evaluation of program implementation, outcomes and impact, cost-benefit analysis, and others. As part of our focus on equity in research, NYC Opportunity is also increasingly embedding more participatory research practices in our evaluation projects. The evaluations conducted inform program and budget decision-making and contribute to public policy and program development to address the needs of low-income local residents more generally.
We are excited to be moving ahead with evaluations of two City programs, Environments Promoting Wellness and Resilience and NYC Men Teach with our new evaluation partners.
The 11 evaluation firms include:
American Institutes for Research
The American Institutes for Research (AIR) is a nonpartisan, not-for-profit organization founded in 1946 that conducts behavioral and social science research. With a multidisciplinary approach, AIR focuses on education, health, workforce development, international development, and more.
Chapin Hall is a research and policy center that focuses on improving the well-being of children, youth, and families. Their work spans various areas such as child welfare, homelessness, education, mental health, and juvenile justice. NYC Opportunity has partnered with Chapin Hall on projects including a Youth Homelessness System Assessment for NYC, and an ongoing evaluation of the Trust Youth Initiative.
Ideas42 is a non-profit organization that uses behavioral science to address social problems and improve outcomes for individuals and communities. Their mission is to apply insights from psychology and behavioral economics to design innovative solutions that promote positive behavior change. Ideas42 is a long-time partner of NYC Opportunity through their New York City Behavioral Design Team’s support for NYC agencies interested in applying behavioral insights to new and existing processes and programs.
Mathematica is a leading research and evaluation organization that provides evidence-based insights to inform public policy and program design. Mathematica uses data, analytics, and technology to address pressing social challenges, from the effects of climate change on communities around the world to disparities in health care, education, and employment across the U.S. Mathematica is an employee-owned and mission-driven company.
MDRC*
MDRC is committed to finding solutions to some of the most difficult problems facing the nation. MDRC designs promising new interventions, evaluates existing programs using the highest research standards, and provides technical assistance to build better programs and deliver effective interventions at scale. NYC Opportunity has partnered with MDRC on projects including evaluations of Supervised Release, the Young Adult Internship Program, and Paycheck Plus.
MEF Associates is a small social policy research firm offering a full range of evaluation, policy research, and technical assistance services. Founded in 2009, MEF Associates has worked on a range of federal, state, and foundation-funded evaluation projects in the areas of child and family policy, workforce development, income security, and early childhood education.
NORC at the University of Chicago
NORC at the University of Chicago, formerly known as the National Opinion Research Center, is an independent nonpartisan research organization affiliated with the University of Chicago. NORC conducts research in five main areas: Economics, Markets, and the Workforce; Education, Training, and Learning; Global Development; Health and Well-Being; and Society, Media, and Public Affairs.
RAND is a nonprofit institution that helps improve policy and decision-making through research and analysis. With a multidisciplinary approach, RAND conducts rigorous research across various fields, including national security, healthcare, education, economics, and more. NYC Opportunity has partnered with RAND on projects including evaluations of the Community Schools Initiative, Connections to Care, Scholars at Work.
The Urban Institute is a nonprofit research organization that provides data and evidence to help advance upward mobility and equity. Their research spans a wide range of areas, including housing, education, criminal justice, healthcare, and economic opportunity. NYC Opportunity has partnered with the Urban Institute on projects including evaluations of the Arches Transformative Mentoring program, NYC Kids RISE Save for College program, and the Credible Messengers study.
Westat is an employee-owned corporation that provides research services to agencies of the U.S. Government, as well as businesses, foundations, and state and local governments. Westat conducts research studies in behavioral health & health policy, clinical trials, education, public health & epidemiology, social policy & economics, and transportation. NYC Opportunity has partnered with Westat on projects including evaluations of Pre-K for All, IDNYC, and the NYC Men Teach program.
WestEd is a nonpartisan, nonprofit research and development organization that focuses on improving education and human development. They work with schools, districts, and policymakers to develop and implement effective educational practices and policies. WestEd conducts research, provides professional development and technical assistance, and offers evaluation services to support educational equity and excellence.
* Returning evaluation partners
