Research & Evaluation

From Insight to Impact: Data That Drives Decisions

The Fairbanks Foundation strives to advance the vitality of Indianapolis and the well-being of its people by addressing the city’s most significant challenges and creating opportunities in education, health, and economic vitality. One key element of the Fairbanks Foundation’s approach is evidence-based advocacy – using research, education, and engagement to drive informed decision-making. By focusing on data and research, we can pinpoint the root causes of pressing challenges in the Indianapolis region and share recommendations for improving outcomes and creating lasting change.

Supporting Research That Illuminates Solutions

The Fairbanks Foundation commissions studies, partners with researchers, and supports data collection efforts to shed light on key challenges facing the Indianapolis region. From education outcomes to public health trends, this research helps define problems and identify solutions. Using this approach, we’ve commissioned 22 reports since 2016.

Educating the Community

We share what we learn and strive to make complex data accessible and actionable through forums and communications initiatives. Through these efforts, we equip community members and organizations with the information they need to make informed decisions. Our publicly available resources include in-depth reports and best-practice insights, along with a free interactive data tool called the Community Data Snapshot, which contains more than 300 unique graphs.

Sharing Data to Improve Outcomes

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Evidence-based education and advocacy help drive measurable results. From lessons learned to recommendations from commissioned studies, the Fairbanks Foundation shares data to pinpoint root causes and focus on solutions. We continually evaluate our grantmaking, along with our data resources and communications efforts, to ensure their effectiveness and inform our future efforts.

Best Practices from Prevention Matters Inform Future Work

The Fairbanks Foundation released two reports to share lessons learned from Prevention Matters, a four-year, $13.5 million initiative to fund proven substance use prevention programming in Marion County schools. One report served as a summary of the initiative, including outcomes and lessons learned about effective implementation, while the other provided information and recommendations for funders seeking to support schools and communities with similar work.

Report Summary Highlights Health and Economic Effects of Smoking and Vaping

The Fairbanks Foundation commissioned four separate reports about the health and economic effects of smoking and vaping. The data showed that reducing smoking and vaping in Indiana would not only improve Hoosier health but would lower Medicaid and other healthcare costs, save businesses money, and increase state revenue. We shared findings and recommendations from the reports, which identified the most effective policies for decreasing smoking and vaping rates.

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Research & Data FAQs

What types of research does the Foundation support or commission?

Can other organizations use your data and resources?

How do you ensure your commissioned reports are accurate and reliable?

How do you collect and validate the accuracy of the data available in the Community Data Snapshot?

We collect data from a variety of sources and publish it in our Community Data Snapshot, updating new information as it becomes available. Whenever possible, the data has been disaggregated by age, gender, income, race, and ethnicity. Please note that while we do our best to confirm all data is correct, because the data comes from a variety of sources, we cannot guarantee its accuracy.

How do I learn more about a specific dataset or study?

How can I stay updated on the Foundation’s work?