Key Uses for the Results First Clearinghouse Database

The Results First Clearinghouse Database brings together information on the effectiveness of social policy programs from nine national clearinghouses. This tool can help users easily access and understand the evidence base for these programs. Here are some creative ways to apply information from the database.

Policymakers and staff

• Determine if current programs are supported by evidence—and see what that evidence says about how effective they are.
• Identify effective evidence-based programs to meet their constituents’ needs. 
• Inform the allocation of program funding within an agency’s budget based on the evidence.
• Defend existing and justify new budget requests for programs by citing the evidence for those programs.
• Guide decisions about how to use limited program evaluation resources based on a program’s evidence base or lack thereof.
• Use programmatic details (such as description, target population, and setting) to ascertain if a program is being implemented as designed.

Nongovernmental service providers

• Determine if current programs have an evidence base and what that evidence says about their effectiveness.
• Identify effective evidence-based programs to meet jurisdiction-specific needs. 
• Add value to or fulfill requirements of an application for funding by citing the evidence for the proposed program.
• Use programmatic details (such as description, target population, and setting) to ascertain if a program is being implemented as designed.

Foundations

• Create a list of effective evidence-based programs that grantees can choose from to implement in their communities.
• Help determine evidence-based requirements for grant applications through understanding the accessibility and availability of information about evidence-based programs.
• Inform decisions about future investments in research by reviewing programs that have few rigorous evaluations, have no rigorous evaluations (categorized as insufficient evidence), or are not represented in the database at all.

Researchers

• Begin a literature review by scanning the evidence base for a program.
• Identify areas for future research by reviewing programs that have few rigorous evaluations, have no rigorous evaluations (categorized as insufficient evidence), or are not represented in the database at all. 
• Understand the criteria required for a clearinghouse to consider an evaluation (consult the database’s technical appendix).

There may be additional user groups for and applications of the information in the database. The Pew-MacArthur Results First Initiative encourages everyone to take advantage of this publicly available resource to meet their needs.

Sara Dube is director, Karen Lyons is a manager, and Mara Weinstein is a principal associate with the Pew-MacArthur Results First Initiative.