We're excited to share the news that Maryland Governor Wes Moore yesterday announced a partnership with Arnold Ventures (AV) – matched funding of up to $40 million over four years – to scale up proven-effective social programs in Maryland. The Coalition for Evidence-Based Policy is facilitating the initiative.

​

Recent years have seen real growth in the body of social programs shown in large randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to produce important gains in education, economic mobility and other life outcomes. Gov. Moore and AV are now taking the critical next step: scaling these proven programs to improve lives at a state level.

​

Under the partnership, AV will provide up to $20 million over four years in philanthropic matching funds as an incentive for Maryland state and local government agencies to: 

​

1. Fund – with matched public dollars – the expansion of proven-effective programs; and

2. Work in partnership with the Coalition to incorporate evidence-based criteria into future government funding announcements (e.g., RFPs) in the relevant program area. The end goal is to institutionalize and sustain the government agency’s prioritization of funding for proven programs – along with rigorous testing to grow the number of proven programs – once the philanthropic funds wind down.

 

Targeted areas include workforce development, K-12 and higher education, and crime prevention. The program list is under discussion, but all have strong RCT evidence, replicated across multiple studies or study sites, of important, lasting improvements in people's lives.

 

We'll provide additional updates as things go forward. 

​