Our research and evaluation framework helps our clients gain the insights they need to drive positive impact and improve programs. We approach research and evaluation through a lens of diversity and inclusion, keeping racial equity central to the process. Accordingly, our work combines rigorous methodologies, lived experience, and community voices in recognition that no method is truly “objective.” We value integrity and innovation in our work; therefore, we engage our partners with humility, transparency, and a deep desire to positively impact lives. We work collaboratively to create research and evaluation plans, define and refine research questions, collect data, synthesize and interpret it meaningfully, and ultimately share it in ways that benefit those we serve. Our work carries the power to shape policies, programs, services, and resource allocations in ways that are equitable and make a positive impact.
Palladium works in partnership with communities to set goals, develop strategies, outline implementation, and allocate resources for viable and sustainable programs. We ensure community voices directly influence how our solutions address inequity by (1) centering the community in program design, (2) offering cultural humility, authentically engaging with and shifting power to communities, and (3) identifying needed structural and policy changes to address impacts of historic inequality. We support the amendment of public policies to ensure that they promote equity; prioritization of investments to best support those who need it most; and development of reciprocal communication loops that hold us accountable to community priorities.
Palladium TA/T and Capacity Building innovatively bridge the gap between research, policy, and practice. We ensure equity in our TA/T and Capacity Building efforts by focusing on cultural and relational aspects of the communities with whom we are collaborating and working to recover their power. This means that we work alongside the community to build trust and ensure we understand how values, beliefs, expectations, relationships, context, history, politics, power dynamics, and structural inequities impact the people within it.