Our staff and consultants bring the expertise needed to deliver high-caliber research and consulting within key policy areas. We focus on Talent and Economic Development, Education and Early Childhood, Healthy Communities, and Justice.
In each policy area, we apply not only a focus on policies and what is possible, but an equity lens that makes sure our research and findings capture the full human experience of the people and communities being impacted.
Talent and Economic Development
PPA is dedicated to creating economies where people, places, and communities can grow and thrive together. We work with our clients to help identify barriers to economic participation and ways to foster more inclusive development and share promising practices that will lead to job creation. Attracting and retaining talent is a key component of economic growth everywhere and is a leading driver of population growth at the local and state levels. PPA has a strong history of working with state departments, trade associations, community-based organizations, mission-driven lenders, other nonprofits, and philanthropy as they assess and promote programs and policies, engage with decision-makers, and develop solutions grounded in research.
Education and Early Childhood
PPA is focused on the education and care of young children because their start in life affects their futures. Using an equity lens, we research child outcomes, family outcomes, and community prosperity. Our projects in this area have focused on child care policy, the child care market, early childhood workforce, quality, and other topics. Through federally-funded grants and other projects, we have helped to inform state and county policymaking by taking fresh and deeper looks at existing data and gathering provider, family, business, and caseworker perspectives.
Healthy Communities
Our work is essential in supporting appropriate infrastructure, vibrant communities, viable regional food systems, and a healthier population, including public health, community economic development, and housing and homelessness. Our evaluation, research, and strategic planning services help inform a client’s practices and policies that impact community resiliency and health. In this work, PPA has partnered with public, private, nonprofit, and philanthropic clients, including small business and health-related statewide associations, and community consortiums.
Justice
PPA provides exceptional research, evaluation, and strategic consultation services to help government agencies, nonprofit organizations, philanthropies, and other stakeholders shape policies and practices to reduce crime and delinquency, improve system responses to individuals with behavioral health needs, safely divert juveniles from formal court processing, reduce the use of secure confinement for youth, and help incarcerated individuals return successfully to the community.
