April 13, 2022
Last week, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) kicked off a yearlong series of discussions on “translating research evidence to practice and policy” with the Summit on Evidence for Action. Participants from federal agencies, nonprofit organizations and higher education institutions gathered to share best practices for generating and using the results of research, promoting consistent evidence-based decision-making, and increasing collaboration among researchers and decision-makers.
Dr. Christina Ciocca Eller, Assistant Director for Evidence and Policy at OSTP, moderated the event, which featured several panels:
- Lessons from Crossing Divides: Leadership Panel on Evidence for Action
- Agency Learning Agendas and Evidence-based Policy
- Advancing Evidence for Equity through the American Rescue Plan
- Evidence to Support the President’s Management Agenda
- Co-creating Actionable Evidence to Advance Equity: The “Creating Moves to Opportunity” Research Partnership
The panelists shared insights on the collection and use of data across agencies, and explored ideas to improve these practices with a particular eye toward increased collaboration. Dr. Alondra Nelson, Acting Director of OSTP, underscored the importance of building bridges across communities, specifying the value of connecting policymakers, researchers, and communities of use.
In addition, the panels shared a strong focus on issues of equity. Officials from various government agencies were able to share how they have been able to leverage data to ensure the equitable distribution of benefits from the American Rescue Plan. These examples demonstrated effective strategies for an audience which included government officials, researchers, non-profits, and practitioners.
The Summit was an important first step in bringing together the diverse groups necessary to create clearer links from research to outcomes. FABBS will continue to engage the Administration on its efforts to improve the use of evidence in policymaking to ensure that our disciplines are accounted for.
