Byron Auguste

This is big. We've co-launched a new lab with Zack Cooper providing breakthrough insights to improve understanding of rising health spending, to curb costs, and boost affordability. Health policy has often led the way in policy innovation & applied econ at Tobin Center & this is the latest in that trend. Thanks to partners Yale School of Public Health on this important collaboration, and to Andrea Harris, Delaney Parrish, and Elizabeth Jurinka.

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We know there are funders and practitioners out there who want to do things differently.  That's where #Pando funding comes in, specifically the world's first Bioregional Pando Funding Ecosystem being developed right now by Legacy Project Founder Susan V. Bosak and myself, along with Joe Brewer and Penny L. Heiple. This is a rethink of how we organize and fund real work on the ground. If everything is connected to everything else, and we're in a #polycrisis, then we need a whole-system approach. A #bioregion is the smallest actionable scale that maintains whole-system integrity. This is about ecological regeneration (watersheds, large landscapes, food systems) and social regeneration (Indigenous reconciliation, education, economy, health, grassroots stewardship) – all together, in a way that multiplies the impact of funding. Read more at: https://lnkd.in/grR_2PYj This is a multi-year, multi-donor approach that combines the best of many existing approaches to philanthropy: Emergent Strategy; Collective Impact; Multi-Donor Fund Pooling; Trust-Based Philanthropy; Flow Funding; Future-Focused Funding; Developmental Evaluation; Systems Complexity Research. We're moving from point-solution funding to financing system health, from a "fixing" mindset to a healing mindset. This work meets the global moment – emergent, complex, synergistic, adaptable, innovative, and answering to the next seven generations. Our bioregion, the Greater Tkaronto Bioregion (GTB) in Canada on the Great Lakes, was first defined by former Toronto Mayor and federal cabinet minister The Honourable David Crombie. He published the seminal 1992 "Regeneration" report. Our work builds on his legacy. From Crombie's report, the bioregion is "both a way of doing things and a way of thinking. It's not a new concept. Indigenous peoples have long understood their connectedness to the ecosystem – the land, water, air, and other life. Thinking about the whole bioregion helps focus attention on the interdependencies… Everything is connected to everything else." As part of a Catalytic Cohort of funders for the Bioregional Pando Funding Ecosystem, we're springboarding off a powerful North/South collaboration between GTB/Great Lakes Basin and Barichara/Northern Andes. This is real work already in progress, with experienced Core Teams, a network of trusted relationships, and a diverse Portfolio of Projects. Our current funders leverage and de-risk the contributions of new funders. This is about co-creating the next evolution in #philanthropy. Find out more: https://lnkd.in/grR_2PYj

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When people ask me how I got started in philanthropy, I always mention the Grants Advisory Committee at The New York Women's Foundation. One of the first of its kind in the country, it offers a chance for community members to help inform grant recommendations, while also getting to know some of the smartest leaders in the city working on issues of gender, racial and economic justice. See more below!

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Maybe you didn't know the world as you know it depends largely on open-source software. This is important for a free and open society that supports innovation and collaboration. And, not to tie everything to AI, but AI software developing agents and assistants exist because they trained on open-source codebases. I'm glad there are humans focusing on this aspect of keeping the world turning.

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Folks, I want to draw your attention to an Ezra Klein interview with Jack Clark, co-founder and head of policy at Anthropic (Claude). (https://lnkd.in/e94eyzrH). It is one of the best discussions around the advancement of AI technology I've come across in many months, touching on the implications for labor market task and job displacement, data tools that can help us gain some visibility into the phenomenon, and the potential for developing social policy to address it. Of extra special note is Anthropic's new Economic Index, which is a promising new tool that sheds light on how and people are using Claude including occupational groupings. Here's the link: https://lnkd.in/epnuf_-A.

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Moving from statistical averages towards more citizen-centric distributions is exactly what the world needs right now. "We must invest in data stewards and expand their roles to include connecting communities, technologists, decision-makers, and other stakeholders. It is essential to embed feedback loops to ensure people see how their input can shape policy and affect their lives."

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I chatted recently to Karen Mangia about #nonprofit leadership and Accountability Lab. We also touched on Civic Strength Partners- the new eco-system support facility we've set up with Development Gateway: An IREX Venture. I outlined the three character traits I think are essential, especially now: #humility, #generosity and #adaptability; and explained one of my all-time favorite leadership principles: "the best thing you can do with power is give it away". More here: https://lnkd.in/ekpjcqt7

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Sister Of NEW announces the launch of its public homepage and Institutional Binder. The platform introduces a comprehensive workforce development model designed to expand women’s access to skilled‑trades careers. It outlines the institution’s mission, governance structure, program architecture, and quality systems, all grounded in globally aligned frameworks including the UN Sustainable Development Goals, AmeriCorps service principles, and ISO‑informed quality standards. Explore the institution: Homepage: https://lnkd.in/evu_nbMV Institutional Binder: https://lnkd.in/eBbz9FC3 Sister Of NEW is now positioned for partnerships, collaboration, and national impact.

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"We need to engage grassroots groups to ensure we move recovery research forward in meaningful ways. Beyond that, we would be well served to address the archaic, toxic labels and tired concepts in our space. Concepts like tough love and codependency have been weaponized in such ways that any beneficial message within has been long lost. We see that tough love can kill. Codependency has become a stigma laden label of derision and judgement isolating families in shame. It creates a whiplash of harm for our families who first struggle with addiction in their midst and then get hit by insult on top of injury by being labeled as flawed and somehow less than others simply by being empathetic. These things are just not true. We know that adversity can bring out the best in people and families and how this happens needs to be better understood, better articulated. Our capacity for resiliency put on center stage. This should be done in ways that pass no judgment on families who are struggling with resiliency. A parallel here, in recent decades, we have begun to articulate that people do not fail addiction treatment. Our understanding of what levels of care, the varied approaches to treatment, and the instances of treatment initiation need to be seen across a continuum and not a one-time or isolated event for the individual. We are failing families here, not the other way around. The key to moving forward is coproduction of recovery-focused research in ways that support our wellness and validate our role in the process instead of being passive recipients of whatever our systems come up with as limited scope top-down solutions. We have great opportunities here, but we can only achieve them if we pursue them together." -Caroline Beidler

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Disruption is no longer episodic—it’s systemic. For nonprofit and higher education leaders, uncertainty has become the new operating environment, not a passing phase. Funding models are shifting, talent is more fragile, boards are navigating unfamiliar risks, and decision cycles are accelerating faster than many leadership structures were ever designed to handle. In this environment, strategy alone is no longer enough. What increasingly distinguishes organizations that sustain momentum from those that fracture under pressure is trust—trust in leaders, trust between leaders, and trust embedded in the culture itself. When certainty disappears, trust becomes the true currency of leadership. In this post, I explore why disruption is fundamentally different from change, how trust functions as an execution multiplier, and why leadership self-awareness and board stewardship are now mission-critical. My hope is to offer leaders a clear, practical lens for leading with credibility, speed, and integrity in a world that refuses to slow down.

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⭐ New Urban Institute research on DC's child care quality rating and improvement system offers useful evidence and recommendations. States invest a lot in these systems to ensure child care programs meet quality standards and that families, especially families with low incomes using child care subsidies, have a high-quality child care experience. Stepping back to assess what's working well and for whom and areas for improvement is important.

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This new report, 𝑴𝒐𝒗𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒐 𝑶𝒇𝒇𝒆𝒏𝒔𝒆 𝒊𝒏 𝒂 𝑻𝒊𝒎𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝑪𝒐𝒍𝒍𝒂𝒑𝒔𝒆, by the 𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐄𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐮𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐈𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 offers a powerful framework for philanthropic leaders to navigate uncertainty while staying true to long-term #equity goals. One insight stands out: #learning and #evaluation are not just tools; they are critical infrastructure for resilience and transformation. In a rapidly changing world, our ability to sense shifting conditions, stay grounded in our values, and adapt with intention will define our impact. 𝐄𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐭𝐲-𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐩𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐲 𝐢𝐬 𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐡𝐮𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐱𝐭 𝐝𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐝𝐞. I’d love to hear your thoughts. Hanh Cao Yu Diana Scearce Yvonne Trask Anita Toy Lisa Jordan King Baudouin Foundation #Equity #Philanthropy #FutureOfGiving #Leadership #ScenarioPlanning

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“How do you know your program made a difference?” Causal inference is challenging for health and community services, but it’s important to understand whether interventions are effective - for funding decisions, accountability, learning, and improvement. Social services collect data on people who use their programs and what's improving for them, but typically don't have data to represent the counterfactual - what would have happened without the intervention. Integrated microdata, linking de-identified data from multiple agencies, offers an opportunity to build statistical counterfactuals and support causal inferences in real-world settings. This new blog explores the opportunity: what it offers #evaluation and what it doesn’t; where optimism is warranted, and where caution is needed. Read more below.👇 https://lnkd.in/gAC2FTxT

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Narrative shapes what communities believe is possible. And most collaboratives are still waiting to act on that truth. On April 14, I'm leading a hands-on workshop at the 2026 Collective Impact Action Summit where participants will walk away with two free, field-tested tools: the Narrative Audit Map and the Counter-Narrative Canvas. No new budget. No proprietary software. Just practical frameworks that fit into the meetings your team is already having. We'll work through real case examples of how shifting the narrative around marginalized communities unlocked partner support and resources that data alone could not move. Then you'll practice applying both tools to your own collaborative context. The Summit runs April 14-16 (virtual) and brings together nonprofit leaders, funders, and community partners working toward lasting systems change. This year's lineup also includes keynote conversations with Baratunde Thurston, Jinkx Monsoon, and Eric Liu on community joy as a long-term change strategy. Early-bird registration closes March 20. If you work in collective impact and want narrative change to be something your team actually does, not just believes in, I'd love to see you there. Register here: https://lnkd.in/eQR7sZmH

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I had the chance to join Baltimore Area Evaluators winter webinar as a panelist on AI in evaluation yesterday. It was so much fun! I focused my contributions around two themes: Disclosure: 🤝 AI disclosure as trust-building: Why simply asking “Did you use AI? Yes/No” isn’t helpful 🍎 How transparent, concrete descriptions of how we used AI can educate stakeholders and have the potential to deepen trust 🔍The equity stakes: disclosure is not neutral, and can disproportionately impact women and people of color Application: Concrete evaluator use cases I’m using today: 🗒️ Reviewing and strengthening survey items (e.g., spotting double-barreled questions) 🗣️ Generating and stress-testing interview protocols ✍️ Drafting and tightening executive summaries 💭 Supporting qualitative analysis and sense-making 🧠 Acting as a “project memory” across meetings and documents I was grateful to share space with: Kantahyanee Murray, PhD, who described how Lift Every Voice Evaluation, Research & Strategy is cultivating internal “safe-to-learn” spaces and bottom-up AI guidelines aligned with equity Brandon Sepulvado, who shared his experience on licensing, data protection, and when AI does/doesn't serve our methods Participants were active and insightful in the chat! They pushed us with thoughtful questions about disclosure requirements, confidentiality, historical data availability in AI-powered search, and what robust human review looks like when AI assists with coding. This webinar was a great way to round out a full year of AI consulting with mission-driven organizations and particularly to return to my evaluation community. Conversations like this make me hopeful that evaluators have an important role to play in shaping an AI future that is equitable, human-centered, and accountable. Thanks for having me and facilitating a great panel, Emily Frost!

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Kevin Schaul and Shira Ovide have an excellent write up this morning in the The Washington Post looking at recent work Sam Manning and Tomás Aguirre did on #AI exposure that my crew at The Brookings Institution wrote up as a brief. Kevin and Shira do a really nice job detailing the novel part of the analysis which focuses on which workers may be most and least able to adapt to AI, given various socioeconomic traits. They capture exactly our suggestion that while many will be "exposed" to AIs fewer (often clerical and administrative workers; often women) will struggle to shift into other good-paying work if AI destroys their jobs. Yet what I like best about Kevin and Shira's piece is how thoughtfully it contextualizes our particular labor-market analysis amid the broader AI prediction business. Kevin and Shira provide really good perspective on the fact that much AI-related work--say on labor market trends--amounts to "useful but fallible best guesses," even when the methodologies are hard core and rigorous. And the Post reporters are not wrong about the result of so much well intentioned but often contradictory work. As they write: "A flood of sometimes conflicting analyses shows the yawning gap between what is known about how AI is changing work and everyone's understandable hunger for certainty. The divide lets Americans, business leaders, and policymakers cheery-pick their preferred narratives." That's a genuine problem. Kevin and Shira are right to reference researcher Jed Kolko for declaring AI labor-market research inconclusive with key questions "unanswered." And yet, having observed the field for a while, and participated in it from time to time, would say that while the #AI predictions industry has some faults, it's also provided more clarity than many acknowledge. Good research and reporting over time is how insights come into focus, and as for AI's influence on the labor market, much of the debate is directionally suggestive and really valuable. Anyway: Here's Kevin's and Shira's story: https://lnkd.in/eSmPQsSh And here's our original @BrookingsMetro brief: https://lnkd.in/exUcEZSu Brookings Metro GovAI Jed Kolko Nathan Goldschlag Peterson Institute for International Economics Shriya Methkupally Justin Heck Papia Debroy Courtney Haynes Joe Parilla James Feigenbaum Robert Puentes Elham Tabassi Melina Kennedy Nathan Ringham Molly Kinder Xavier de Souza Briggs Nicol Turner Lee Alan Berube Gad Levanon Sanjay Patnaik

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A post shared this morning by my colleague Camila Oliveira led me to a Forbes article that reflects an important and timely shift in philanthropy. Over the past two decades working alongside donors and partners, I have frequently observed a model in which institutes and foundations develop significant internal structures, define priorities at a distance, and require reporting formats that do not always align with the realities of those operating on the ground. It is encouraging to see a growing movement that challenges this approach — one that prioritizes trust-based philanthropy and directs resources toward organizations closest to the communities and causes they serve. This shift invites a broader reflection on how decisions are made, how impact is defined, and how power is distributed within the ecosystem. It is also notable that many of the leaders advancing this approach are women, contributing to a model of leadership that emphasizes collaboration, trust, and long-term impact over visibility. This is a meaningful evolution for the sector — and one that merits continued attention and support. https://lnkd.in/dV4uAC2q

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If your ML engineer doesn’t care about your mission… They’ll leave the moment someone offers more equity. I’ve recruited for nonprofits, cyber orgs, and AI startups. Here’s what I’ve learned: You can’t fake mission-fit. Skills get you hired. Values keep you. If you want to build a resilient AI-for-Good team: ✅ Make mission part of the JD ✅ Ask values-driven interview questions ✅ Screen for belief, not just brilliance Hiring for heart is strategic. 💬 Want my “mission-fit” screening questions? Drop mission below.

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