Engagement for Equitable Outcomes is a practical, yet comprehensive, resource for developing the practices, skills, and mindset to improve society through helping others. With a tone that is plainspoken and factual, with empathetic shades, the book pushes the reader to do more, and do better, without being pushy. I recommend this “playbook” to anyone who needs an equity primer or an in-depth guide to building systems that work for everyone.
— Ivory A. Toldson, national director of education innovation and research for the NAACP, professor of Counseling Psychology at Howard University and cditor-in-chief of The Journal of Negro Education
For far too long, the public management toolkit has focused on cost and effectiveness at a collective level. This novel text opens the black box of evidence-based management by tackling the elephant that has long occupied the public and nonprofit space—that outcomes for particular programs are not uniform for all recipients. This approach provides the tools with which managers can better choose, evaluate, and implement programs in a manner that emphasizes equity as a core public value.
— Jeremy L. Hall, Ph.D. professor and Ph.D. program director, University of Central Florida; cditor-in-chief, Public Administration Review; National Academy of Public Administration fellow
In Engagement for Equitable Outcomes: A Practitioner’s Playbook, Newcomer and her co-authors make the case for using methods to investigate urgent social problems. At the community-level, they offer a breakthrough approach which integrates theory and practice to examine important issues explaining persistent and existing gaps in service delivery. To achieve equitable outcomes and improve racial justice, this playbook offers an authentic community engagement strategy to block attempts to deny inalienable rights to underserved persons and marginalized communities.
— RaJade M. Barry James, North Carolina State University, professor and chair of the faculty, School of Public and International Affairs
The emphasis on creation happening authentically in relationship with communities makes an enormous difference in the potential for equitable outcomes. Engagement for Equitable Outcomes approaches this complexity with a nuance that reflects lived experiences. The focus on the use of data, the commitment to this being the work of all sectors, and the understanding of systems and policy changes coupled with community work is our nation's most hopeful path forward.
— Michelle M. Molitor, The Equity Lab, founder and executive director
The authors of this very timely new book are the “go to” people in Washington for program evaluation and management improvement. They’ve distilled their lifetime experiences into this readable Playbook to tackle the challenge of improving equitable outcomes in social programs in both the public and nonprofit sectors. Their pragmatic advice – rooted in bridging the gaps between political leaders, practitioners and members of local communities – will be invaluable to readers who aspire to achieve equitable results when addressing longstanding social challenges.
— John Kamensky, emeritus senior fellow, IBM Center for The Business of Government
We need different tools and approaches to tackle the systemic social challenges that have plagued our nation for far too long. Adapting an evidence-based equity approach and putting equity at the forefront of these complex discussions promotes the engagement of communities whose voices are often marginalized. I believe this is a critical step to paving the way for bold solutions to address our nation’s most urgent problems.
— Dominique Harris, strategic account manager, Cargill
Being born in 1950 in a small, segregated town gives me insight into what the real world of inequities looks like. Despite leading successful organizations, having achieved the office of President of the United States and creating great art, music and poetry, Blacks and other minorities are still seen as second-class citizens. In the face of the challenges of systemic racism, the authors present a sound framework for deliberate action to prioritize and achieve outcomes that overcome disparities in healthcare, education and crime.
— Rita Days, chair of the St. Louis County Council