The room where it happens
At LEO, we’re dedicated to ensuring evidence informs decisions. That means being in the ‘room where it happens’ whether that means testifying in Congress, publishing in journals, or building relationships with key decision makers. Here’s a few of the successes we’ve had the past few months:
Federal relations director, Jill Pentimonti, joined a Child Welfare Briefing on Capitol Hill. Speaking of child welfare, LEO co-founder Jim Sullivan was appointed to the Committee on Federal Policy Impacts on Child Poverty. Tasked by Congress, this committee evaluates the effects of policies like the 2021 Child Tax Credit on child poverty. Jim’s involvement marks a significant step in utilizing data for impactful change.
The United States Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH) released its first Federal Homelessness Research Agenda in over a decade. During a dedicated call, LEO faculty researchers shared insights with the group, highlighting our ongoing and completed research contributions to various areas outlined in the agenda. Notably, a working paper by our own Bill Evans and David Phillips was cited, reinforcing our commitment to advancing impactful research.
We hosted the Indiana Evidence Summit—a half-day convening bringing together current and potential partners from across Indiana to discuss building evidence and its impact on state policy. Held in the downtown Indianapolis office of Barnes & Thornburg, the gathering featured a lunchtime keynote from Betsy Delgado of Goodwill Excel Centers, a partner panel with Phyllis Armstrong and Cindy Booth of Child Advocates and Lindie McElroy and Amy Jo Fox of Hands of Hope, and breakout sessions for current and potential partners on evidence creation and impact. Along with the speakers, the group included representatives from Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority, The Villages of Indiana, INNOPower, Indiana Youth Institute, Columbus IN Salvation Army, and the DREAM Center. This half day event grew out of an ad hoc group of Indiana providers that met during our Outsmarting Poverty Event.
A new chapter in our mission
The University of Notre Dame has launched a groundbreaking Poverty Initiative, and we at LEO are thrilled and honored to be one of the driving forces of this transformative effort.
Under the leadership of our co-founder, Jim Sullivan, this initiative, supported by an unprecedented $100 million donation, will broaden the efforts of the university’s work tackling poverty, strengthening the pillars of LEO and our incredible colleagues at the Pulte Institute for Global Development, while building efforts in the following focus areas:
Research: By recruiting leading scholars and investing in innovative research programs, the Poverty Initiative will support research focused on urgent poverty-related issues and solutions that can influence policy and practice.
Student formation: Investment in programming focused on student formation, including curriculum development and new research and experiential learning opportunities for both undergraduates and graduate students.
Impact: Translating research to action by engaging with partners in government and the nonprofit and corporate sectors to replicate proven programs.
“This gift will ensure that Notre Dame is the place where undergraduate and graduate students come to study poverty, where prominent faculty come to conduct poverty-related research and where policymakers, philanthropists, practitioners and providers look to discover new pathways to break the cycle of poverty. The Poverty Initiative exemplifies Notre Dame’s mission to be a force for good in a world deeply in need.” - Jim Sullivan
Fall Weekend Highlights
Read the rest of this edition of Illuminate below!