With the launch of the Centers for Civic Impact, Johns Hopkins University is advancing efforts to provide data-driven research muscle to better understand and enhance public life. “We know from experience that change is more effective when it is based on data and evidence,” Civic Impact Executive Director Beth Blauer said. “Civic Impact will empower governments and nonprofit organizations to make transformational change so that residents thrive.”
Connie Ress explains how Civic Impact can help nonprofits and government agencies in this report filed in The Hub:
Civic Impact will build on the success of the Center for Government Excellence’s data work by also offering governments and nonprofits the latest in policy research from the new Center for Applied Public Research and public sector training from the new GovEx Academy. These efforts will be bolstered by the academic and research expertise of Johns Hopkins, as Civic Impact will be part of the university’s Krieger School of Arts and Sciences.
“Our university is committed to fostering communities locally and globally,” Johns Hopkins President Ronald J. Daniels said. “Through the new Centers for Civic Impact’s combination of mentoring, scholarly research, and training, we will continue to bring our expertise and research to the public sector and inspire data-driven change that serves cities around the country and around the world.”
Civic Impact will help public sector organizations:
• More effectively deliver services
• Build technological skills
• Fill the knowledge and skills gap left by years of dwindling public sector resources
• Strategically employ the practical applications of academic research in policy areas such as economic development, economic equality, community health, sustainability, public safety, and transportation
• Leverage Johns Hopkins research and expertise
