LEO partners are innovators and disruptors in the anti-poverty space. They find unique ways to address complex problems, going above and beyond to uplift their communities. Two of LEO’s newest partners serve different populations and employ different methods, but maintain the same goal for their clients: economic mobility. LEO wants to know what works to help people achieve economic mobility, and build evidence that encourages proven solutions for people experiencing both situational and generational poverty. Upcoming impact evaluations with Project Diakonia and Polaris will demonstrate which interventions are most effective to address a multitude of economic barriers.
Partner: Project Diakonia
Project: Low Barrier Workforce Development Program
Location: Colorado Springs, Colorado
By: Lily Morrell, senior research design manager
Project Diakonia is a nonprofit organization providing vocational training and wraparound support to disconnected youth ages 16 to 24.
The program deliberately targets individuals who are typically excluded from traditional workforce development programs due to strict performance requirements tied to funding, including those who are justice-involved, experiencing homelessness, in foster care, dropped out of a traditional high school, or are enrolled in an alternative high school.
“There are these huge pools of untapped talent who just need programming tailored to their needs so that they’re prepared to succeed in these opportunities,” said Project Diakonia executive director Cliff Hunter.
Program participants complete an eight-week, competency-based construction skills training course and receive up to 12 months of post-program support, including individualized case management, mentorship, and employment navigation services. A distinguishing feature of the model is its “screening in” philosophy. Rather than prioritizing participants with the highest likelihood of nearterm success, Project Diakonia intentionally serves those with the most complex barriers to stability.
LEO is partnering with Project Diakonia to conduct a randomized controlled trial (RCT) evaluating the causal impact of this workforce development model. The study leverages excess demand for the program to randomly assign eligible and consenting youth to either a treatment group, that receives the full program, or a control group, that receives referrals to community resources and a warm handoff to local workforce services.
The evaluation will measure Project Diakonia’s impact on primary outcomes including employment, earnings, and educational attainment. Secondary outcomes include justice system involvement (including recidivism and frequency and intensity of reoffenses), housing stability, and use of government benefits. The baseline and follow-up survey instruments will capture harder-to-quantify dimensions of the intervention’s impact, such as self-efficacy, agency, and goal orientation. The study aims to generate rigorous causal evidence on the effectiveness of low-barrier workforce development programs for high-need youth populations, with implications for program scaling and policy advocacy at the state and national level.
Upcoming studies with Project Diakonia and Polaris will demonstrate which interventions are most effective to address a multitude of economic barriers.
Partner: Polaris
Project: The Resilience Fund
Location: Washington D.C. (National)
By: Paul Gramling, research design manager
Polaris is a leading non-profit dedicated to combating human trafficking. They put survivors first, treating them as the true experts in the field. Their work centers on listening to survivors and letting their experiences drive real change.
One of Polaris’s flagship programs is the Resilience Fund, which provides direct cash assistance to trafficking survivors across the U.S. The idea is simple but powerful: give survivors back what their traffickers took from them—control over their own lives. The fund steps in where traditional resources fall short, while also connecting participants to services that address the deeper barriers to financial security.
Through the Resilience Fund, survivors can receive up to $6,900 over 18 months. Payments start at up to $500 per month and gradually taper down over time, a deliberate design choice that encourages long-term independence rather than ongoing reliance on outside support. Survivors can use the funds however they need, whether that’s for housing, transportation, childcare, or paying down debt. Beyond the financial assistance, participants have access to benefits navigation, a monthly community forum, and a survivor support group throughout the program.
Megan Lundstrom, CEO of Polaris, says, “Survivors of human trafficking, by definition, have experienced a form of severe financial abuse, so feeling like you are being monitored around your spending, being controlled, not having true agency, can bring up memories of exploitation. So, the act of direct cash assistance says we trust you, you know your life best, and you are the expert in your life. That in itself has a healing effect.”
Now, Polaris is partnering with LEO to study the impact of the Resilience Fund. The research will use a randomized controlled trial (RCT) to measure the program’s impact on survivors’ safety, economic stability, and well-being. Researchers will look at outcomes like housing stability, mental health, credit scores, debt reduction, and educational progress. A key question is whether the financial support reduces survivors’ risk of being exploited again. Once the study is complete, Polaris will use results not only to improve and expand the program — but also to advocate for policies and resources that support survivors’ long-term thriving.
Do you work at or know of an organization ready to develop evidence to show their impact.? Start with a quick call. Visit partnerwithleo.org to learn more.