ARLINGTON, VA. – The Coleridge Initiative, Inc. hosted its fourth annual national convening in Arlington, V.A. on March 18th-20th. The convening explored how government leaders in the field are pushing the boundaries of traditional governance, forging data partnerships, and collaborating for better outcomes in public policy and administration. 

“To drive change in how evidence and data are used to inform policy, we must work collaboratively to leverage partnerships and embrace innovative technologies that can empower policymakers and program administrators to make informed decisions for the betterment of our communities,” said Dr. Ahu Yildirmaz, President and CEO of the Coleridge Initiative. “The successful development and implementation of government policies and practices also relies on the adoption of technologies that support a data collaboration ecosystem.”

"The Convening, hosted by our partners at the Coleridge Initiative, has been a huge success in showcasing the work of those engaged with the Multi-State Data Collaborative (MSDC) and the impactful work in areas such as reemployment and post-secondary completions," said Scott B. Sanders, President and CEO of NASWA. "These discussions and as well as support from foundations will help grow our member participation in the MSDC, allow partnerships with research groups to unfold, and move their vision to value generation in evidence-based policy discussions."

During the three-day convening, attendees participated in interactive panel discussions for insights into how data collaboration can lead to better outcomes in public policy and administration. Attendees learned about innovative projects funded through the Democratizing our Data Challenge, domain-specific multi-partner product development, state-driven research practices, effective code modernization and reproducibility, cross-domain privacy-preserving techniques, and legal frameworks to break data-sharing barriers. Convening attendees also learned about federal and philanthropic funding progress with initiatives on data innovation and collaboration including state data linkages and use, training programs, technological enhancements, and collaborative community building. 

About The Coleridge Initiative, Inc.

The Coleridge Initiative is a nonprofit organization working with governments to ensure that data are more effectively used for public decision-making. Coleridge provides agencies with the opportunity to enhance their workforce data literacy and collaborate within and across states to develop new technologies through the secure access and sharing of confidential microdata. Coleridge’s secure data hosting platform, the Administrative Data Research Facility (ADRF), is a FedRAMP-certified environment that enables government agencies to link their longitudinal data with other states and agencies. Learn more:www.coleridgeinitiative.org