Coleridge Initiative

Congratulations to Kathy Stack, who recently co-authored the Field Guide for Financing Public Sector Integrated Data Systems and Evaluation alongside Mary Ellen Wiggins. This publication is a strong complement to the important work we are doing at Coleridge Initiative to advance state and local data capacity. This guide, supported by the Data Funders Collaborative, provides practical strategies for state, local, tribal, and territorial governments to build and sustain integrated data systems—a critical tool for driving the Coleridge Initiative mission of evidence-based policymaking. The guide covers everything from financing strategies and federal grants to case studies showcasing successful implementations across the country. It truly is a must-read for government leaders focused on improving public sector systems, including in areas like social determinants of health, education, and workforce training. You can download the full guide and explore its valuable insights on the National Academy of Public Administration’s website: https://bit.ly/3VIBQwN 

Through the ADRF, the state of Illinois was able to develop the Unemployment-to-Reemployment Portal that provides local workforce boards with timely and actionable information on Unemployment Insurance claimants in the area. The goal of this initiative is to equip program managers to make data-driven, informed decisions on local program administration related to the experience of beneficiaries and equitable access to benefits. Learn more about other projects and the ADRF on our website. #DataImpact #DataForGood

📢 Save the Date! We’re thrilled to announce the Coleridge Initiative's 5th Annual National Convening, happening March 26–28, 2025, at the Crystal Gateway Marriott in Arlington, VA! 🎉 This year’s theme, Empower Collaboration. Unlock Innovation. Drive Impact., sets the stage for impactful discussions on how data-driven solutions are transforming public policy. 🚨 March 28th will be dedicated to focused meetings with partners in the Multi-State Data Collaborative. As we celebrate the 5th anniversary of this event, we’ll spotlight how strategic partnerships across state, federal, and private sectors are unlocking the potential of administrative data to drive meaningful change. Registration opens January 2025, with free registration for government employees. Stay tuned for the full agenda and more updates in the new year! 📅 Mark your calendars and share with your network. We can’t wait to see you there! Learn more: https://bit.ly/4glk4HH #DataDrivenSolutions #PublicPolicy #SaveTheDate

This Thanksgiving, we at the Coleridge Initiative are grateful for our incredible community of partners, collaborators, and supporters. Your dedication to improving access to and use of data for the public good inspires us every day. 🍁💡 Wishing you all a season of gratitude, connection, and growth. Happy Thanksgiving! 🦃✨

The ADRF User Community has hit the ground running, and we’re excited to continue our Coding Best Practices series with an interactive session on "Coding in R/RStudio & Version Control in Git"! 🚀 📅 When: December 5th, 12 PM ET 💻 Where: Virtual This interactive session will help ADRF users sharpen their coding skills and explore version control tools to streamline their projects 👉 Learn more and register here: https://bit.ly/47bxh2o #ADRF #CodingBestPractices #R #RStudio #Git #Data4Good #VersionControl

Just returned from an incredible retreat in sunny Orlando with the amazing Coleridge Initiative team! Our retreat was a perfect mix of strategy, creativity, and fun. From engaging discussions about our mission of empowering government agencies through better use of data, to collaborative activities (yes, even building racing cars! ) that brought out the best in teamwork, the energy and passion were palpable. It’s always inspiring to step away, reflect, and strengthen our bonds as a team. Thank you to the entire team who made this retreat a success—it’s these moments that remind me how lucky I am to work with such talented, driven individuals.  Special thanks to our retreat committee: Corinne Weaver Benjamin Feder Mia Wuster, CNP, MNM, MPA Carolina Waterman John Baptista Corey Sparks, Ph.D. Alison Espindola and Allison Nunez

We are pleased to announce that three state agencies will be awarded funding and research support through the State IMPACT Collaborative. In partnership with MDRC, we launched this initiative earlier this year to provide funding and research support to transform state policymaking by leveraging advanced data analytics and collaborative research to foster evidence-based decision-making and sustainable development. Awardees will utilize Coleridge Initiative’s renowned Administrative Data Research Facility (ADRF), which enables secure cross-agency and cross-state collaboration, and participate in a new Applied Data Analytics training program in partnership with the state of Arkansas that will include a new co-developed curriculum in evaluation methods. Learn More ➡️ https://bit.ly/4fdFRkD

🌟 Jobs for the Future (JFF) is excited to announce its latest initiative—Fair Chance to Advance! 🌟 Led by JFF's Center for Justice & Economic Advancement, in collaboration with the Coleridge Initiative, Fair Chance to Advance is a groundbreaking, cross-state effort to expand equitable access to #qualityjobs, #education, and #support services for people with records. The initiative will address systemic barriers to #economic #advancement and help individuals build the successful, thriving futures they deserve. 🔗 Learn more about Fair Chance to Advance: https://lnkd.in/ef22R3SN We’re honored to have a dedicated advisory board who will help lead this initiative: Michael Dembrow, Amy Ellen Duke-Benfield, Robert McGough, Ved Price, Rebecca Silbert, John Simpkins, Jonathan Stenger, Sarah Vincent, Dr. Lisa Vosper, Jason Wang, MBA, MS, Tony Waterson, and Dean Williams. Thank you to our funders at Ascendium Education Group for their continued commitment to #NormalizingOpportunity for people with records and support for JFF's work! #JFFImpact #FairChanceToAdvance

We are thrilled to share that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) awarded the Coleridge Initiative a contract with a maximum potential value of $7.5 million over a five-year period to provide a secure data enclave service through Coleridge Initiative's Administrative Data Research Facility (ADRF), a FedRAMP-authorized, cloud-based computational research platform. Read the full release to learn more! https://lnkd.in/d3s_99tk

The Administrative Data Research Facility (ADRF) is driving impact by enabling states to integrate service delivery. Through the ADRF, the state of Arkansas has been able to link data from various agencies to provide actionable information for integrated service delivery of state programs for residents. This included data from public education, public higher education, workforce, criminal justice, eligible training providers, apprenticeships, and health and human services. Learn more about other projects and the ADRF on our website. #DataImpact #PolicyEvaluation #DataForGood