Continuing momentum for evidence-informed policies amid uncertainty and distrust

Session Submission Type: Roundtable

Abstract

Evidence is vital for effective and equity-driven decisionmaking; it enables public sector leaders to spend scarce tax dollars efficiently and maximize benefits for constituents. Bipartisan recognition of evidence’s value in policymaking has ballooned in the past few decades, as demonstrated by legislation like the Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act of 2018. However, this ecosystem is at risk of retrenchment, with a dismantling of federal research funding infrastructure and national erosion of trust in science. These challenges are vast and complex, but not insurmountable—so long as there are continued efforts from both the private and public sectors. 

This roundtable will bring together speakers from these different sectors to explore how the evidence-based policymaking community can maintain momentum amid the shifting landscape in the United States. Building on a 2025 APPAM session, “Evidence- & Equity-Informed Policymaking amid Uncertainty and Distrust: Adapting Across Sectors to Sustain Impact,” speakers will provide updates on concrete strategies they’ve used over the past year to continue the critical work of using evidence to inform equitable policies. 

In a moderated conversation, a philanthropic funder, an intermediary, a government expert, and an academic researcher will share how they have—and haven’t—shifted their priorities in response to the changing landscape. They’ll discuss how different stakeholders can help sustain this movement at the local, state, and even national level. Attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions and engage in an interactive discussion on: The current challenges facing the evidence-based policymaking ecosystem, how speakers have altered their strategies and tactics in light of these challenges, the importance of cross-sector collaboration, and recommendations for how to continue situating equity and data at the center of decisionmaking.

Participants will leave with a deeper understanding of the current state of this ecosystem, the challenges that lay ahead, and the opportunities to continue improving lives through evidence.

Policy Area

• Politics, Media, and the Policy Process

Moderator

• James Sullivan, University of Notre Dame

Organizer

• Carrie S Cihak, Beyond Measure

Speakers

• Carrie S Cihak, Beyond Measure

• Justin Milner, Arnold Ventures

• Elizabeth Linos, Harvard University

• Vincent Quan, Massachusetts Institute of Technology