SSRC Links with U.S. Treasury on Evaluation Projects

For over 100 years, the Social Science Research Council (SSRC) has connected philanthropic and policy communities with social and behavioral scientists to solve the world’s greatest problems. Thanks to a partnership between the SSRC and the US Department of the Treasury, two new research opportunities in program evaluation – the Homeowner Assistance Fund Project and the State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds Project – have opened.

Both projects reflect the United States government’s efforts to implement portions of the bipartisan 2019 Evidence Act to that stress evaluation and evidence-based research for decision-making across the federal government. The law followed release of a report from the U.S. Commission on Evidence-Based Policymaking that listed 22 recommendations that linked routine evaluation with effective public policy.

The new evaluation opportunities from the Treasury Department are:

• The Homeowner Assistance Fund Project focuses on whether the program’s $9.961 billion allocation to combatting mortgage defaults and delinquencies, displacement of homeowners, and foreclosures is equitable in its distribution.
• The State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds Project focuses on any short-term and long-term impacts that State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF) may have on households, organizations, communities, and governments. More specifically, this study looks at whether these funds impact priority areas like public safety, affordable housing, and workforce.

These two projects are just the latest in a series of research opportunities shared by the Evidence Team from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) on the Evidence Project Portal. This resource serves as an opportunity for the OMB to bridge the gap between federal agencies and researchers, thus creating more opportunities to conduct evaluations and build research. Regardless of which project may pique your interest, the OMB will be holding virtual meetings to discuss both of these opportunities.

Candidates interested in the Homeowner Assistance Fund Project are encouraged to attend the information session on Tuesday, February 13 at 1 p.m. EST. Candidates interested in the State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds Project can join their virtual session on Thursday, February 15 at 1 p.m. EST. Both meetings will provide individuals the opportunity to learn more about these opportunities, speak with professionals from the Treasury, and hear about the analytical methods and research experience that are necessary to complete the work.

Outside of this, the SSRC is currently exploring other options to expand these efforts, including supporting the work of Evidence Team by providing funding for researcher and agency partnerships. Any researcher who is interested in forming a partnership with the Treasury to support these efforts should complete this form to express their interest and set up a meeting.

For questions, please contact the OMB’s Evidence Team at evidence@omb.eop.gov.