The time is now: Harnessing rigorous evaluation in a post-ARPA America

Louise Geraghty, government partnerships lead at the Adbul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL) North America, writes an op-ed published in Route Fifty urging cities and states to use federal funding provided under the 2021 American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) before the spending deadline in 2026 to evaluate the effectiveness of new programmes, and to enhance their own evaluation capacity at the same time.

"When government leaders embed evaluation within their work to foster equity and economic mobility, they’re investing in building knowledge on how to best support their communities. This work is not easy. States and localities should make the most of the historic opportunity to devote ARPA funding—as well as future federal funding—to evaluation. This investment will help them sustain their programs and ensure they are best positioned to support the communities they serve for the long term," writes Louise.