Arnold Ventures: Strengthening Evidence - Support for RCTs to Evaluate Social Programs and Policies RFP

Our Approach to Giving

We support organizations aligned with our core areas. We source the majority of our proposals through direct outreach and periodically, we do issue formal Requests for Proposals. We do not currently accept unsolicited grant proposals. Funding decisions are made by the board and staff throughout the year based on a variety of criteria, with the ultimate goal of advancing our strategies.

Strengthening Evidence - Support for RCTs to Evaluate Social Programs and Policies RFP

Arnold Ventures (AV) is a philanthropy dedicated to improving the lives of all Americans through evidence based policy solutions that maximize opportunity and minimize injustice. AV focuses on improving systems where outcomes are falling short, incentives are misaligned, and the time is right for change. By funding rigorous research, we strive to better understand the root causes of problems and build the evidence base about what works to solve them. Using this research, we advocate for policy reforms at all levels of government and build durable, bipartisan coalitions for lasting change and impact.

The Evidence and Evaluation team has been at the forefront of AV’s mission to inform policy solutions through an evidence-based lens. We are driven by the core belief that by increasing the body of evidence about ‘what works’ – while also identifying programs and policies that do not demonstrate impact – we create opportunities for government to better target limited resources and drive improved outcomes.

The Opportunity

The Evidence and Evaluation team aims to identify, evaluate, and scale evidence-based solutions targeting the nation’s most pressing social problems. One of the strongest tools in the evidence-building toolkit is the randomized controlled trial (RCT). While not applicable to all policy and program contexts, RCTs are often the strongest choice for evaluating social programs because they fairly compare results between a treatment group and a control group, making it clear whether the program or policy truly works. This strong evidence can be important for informing decision-makers and stakeholders to support effective programs.

This Request for Proposals (RFP) aims to build the body of proven, effective policies, programs, and interventions by funding researchers to conduct rigorous RCTs across the spectrum of social policy.

Funding

Proposals over $500,000 may require additional time for approval.

Eligibility

_ You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's [website]().