The Riley Institute believes all children deserve to have caring, safe, and enriching environments in which to learn and grow. Through research, program evaluation, and strategic learning opportunities, we serve organizations that support and strengthen the well-being of children and families.

Our research identifies effective programs and practices for improving child well-being and family stability. Local leaders can use the results of our research to implement, adapt, and scale proven programs.

We have experience working with programs targeting all stages of child development. Below are examples:

Institute for Child Success Hello Family Pay-for-Success Project

Hello Family is five-year initiative aiming to improve the outcomes for children and their families in Spartanburg through a continuum of evidence-based services addressing prenatal development to kindergarten entry. In collaboration with the Urban Institute, the primary impact evaluator, the Riley Institute is leading the effort to validate the annual achievement of performance benchmarks set by the four Hello Family partners: BirthMatters, Family Connects, Hope Center for Children, and Spartanburg First Steps. Achievement of benchmarks will trigger payments from the City of Spartanburg to each partner and to private investors.

Help Me Grow South Carolina

Help Me Grow South Carolina (HMG SC) is a system for identifying and connecting children who are at risk for developmental, behavioral, or learning problems to local, community-based programs and services. Program leaders have used evaluation results to better understand the characteristics of the children and families HMG SC serves and strengthen the program’s internal data system.

College Advising Corps

College Advising Corps uses near-peer mentors to help high school students enroll in and persist at college. Our evaluation has helped leaders clarify the roles and responsibilities of mentors, leading to improved coaching services and an increase in the number of first-generation students applying to college.

Contact us to learn more about these research efforts.

OnTrack Greenville

OnTrack Greenville is a federally-funded, school-based collective impact partnership that aims to keep students engaged at school and on track toward high school graduation. Stakeholders have used results of our evaluation to adjust the implementation of programs as they scaled services to accommodate more students and schools.

Read OnTrack Greenville reports