We are impact research and strategy experts

We help our private, public, and nonprofit clients better understand the communities they serve and the impact they have. Our work bridges data-driven insights with compelling storytelling to drive strategic and meaningful change. Our clients come to us for our expertise in:

Behavioral Insights Research

Applying behavioral science to understand the motivations, engagement, and decision-making shaping the community.

Program & Policy Design Research

Conducting research to inform the design of effective programs, policies, and initiatives that are responsive to community needs and social impact goals.

Stakeholder & Community Engagement

Facilitating participatory research and co-creation strategies with key partners and communities.

Rebranding & Strategic Positioning

Helping entities refine their mission, messaging, and cultural identity to better align their work with their intended audience and impact.

Testing & Developing Marketing Campaigns

Designing and piloting campaigns to refine messaging, optimize engagement, and maximize audience impact.

Impact Evaluation & Measurement

Assessing the implementation and the effectiveness of programs, policies, and initiatives using rigorous qualitative and quantitative research methods.

Our core mission is to advance social impact. We are particularly known for our work with vulnerable and marginalized communities, including children and youth, women, immigrants, low-income people, and racial minorities.

  • Improving the Math Achievement of Black & Hispanic Children & Youth

    Partnered with Goodwin Simon Strategic Research to inform the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation's USD$1.1 billion strategy to narrow America’s racial math achievement gap.

    Project Site

  • Designing America's First Youth Homelessness Cash Program

    Worked with the cities of Boston, New York, Oakland, and San Francisco to design and implement direct cash transfer programs to support youth experiencing homelessness in securing safe and stable housing.

    Report

  • Understanding the Tax Filing Behaviors of Immigrant Communities

    Tested an ad campaign for Golden State Opportunity and Fraser Communications to understand how to motivate low-income immigrant communities to file their taxes and apply for tax credits.

    Project Site

  • Exploring the Socioeconomic Wellbeing of the Female Workforce

    Ongoing partnership with the UC Berkeley Labor Center to produce research to effectively advocate for policies across the United States that improve the financial wellbeing of the predominantly female early childhood education workforce.

    Publications

  • Designing a Mental Health Space for Hispanic Youth in East Los Angeles

    Led community-based participatory research practices for the Barrio Action Youth and Family Center to inform the design of a mental health hub for underserved youth in East Los Angeles at risk of joining a gang.

    Partner Site

  • Understanding the Banking Needs of Low-Income Communities

    Collaborated with the Roosevelt Institute and the Service Employees International Union to understand the banking needs of low-income Californians and test a proposal to enact free public banking.

    Program Site

Our Services

  • Secondary Data Analysis

    Evidence reviews and analyses of existing data

  • Primary Data Collection

    Surveys and interview and focus group moderation in English and Spanish

  • Data Synthesis & Reporting

    Rigorous data coding techniques that meet peer-reviewed journal standards

  • Technical Assistance

    Research and theory of change workshops, and data integration advising

Our Partners

Principal

Dr. Chávez in 2013 traded in his job as a CIA Latin American political and terrorism analyst for a doctorate degree to do his part to improve the well-being of vulnerable and marginalized communities. For more than a decade, his work – spanning 24 US states and 14 countries – has helped NGOs, IGOs, foundations, public agencies, and public and private research firms gain a behavior-centered understanding of the issues they address.

Empathy fuels his research work. As a man of color raised in Southern California under the poverty line by non-English-speaking Mexican immigrant parents, he is passionate about research that meets people where they are, lifts their voices, and empowers them. He has partnered with dozens of teams from around the world and has over 20 publications.

While a CIA officer, he analyzed intelligence, wrote for the President’s Daily Brief, and briefed top US Government officials at the White House and at the Departments of State, Defense, and Homeland Security. He received his doctoral degree at the University of California, Berkeley. He also holds a master’s degree from The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Southern California.

Raúl Chávez, PhD

Let’s Work Together

We work across North America, the UK, and Europe. We are always looking for new projects with the potential to enrich people’s lives.

Please contact us directly through your preferred option below.