Wilson Sheehan Lab for Economic Opportunities - LEO - at Notre Dame

Wilson Sheehan Lab for Economic Opportunities - LEO - at Notre Dame Poverty research center at the University of Notre Dame. And every day, a lucky few break free of its grasp. An end to injustice. An end to dependence.

Every day, poverty stifles hope, opportunity and dignity for millions of Americans unable to escape its cycle. Thanks to a fierce army of social entrepreneurs, counselors, case managers and so many others, we are beginning to turn the tide. But despite their successes, we still know too little about what works to lift lives up. Notre Dame’s Lab for Economic Opportunities exists to power service wi

th science. We help service providers apply scientific evaluation methods to better understand and unleash effective poverty interventions. We are grounded in a belief that research serves people—not the other way around. So we work side-by-side with our partners across the country to design and implement a research approach that’s both rigorous and respectful of every person it involves. Then we share what we learn with others, allowing each success to inspire thousands more. Because, whether the goal is to help stressed families find stability, connect young people to careers, or move parents to financial independence, outsmarting poverty starts with working smarter. At LEO, we believe rigorous research is a powerful means to an end. An end to poverty. And a new beginning for millions of families who are ready to thrive. Sign up for email updates: https://leo.nd.edu/act/subscribe/

Turn your evidence into action! Next month, join the community, with J-PAL North America and Carrie Cihak, to learn th...
08/27/2026

Turn your evidence into action!

Next month, join the community, with J-PAL North America and Carrie Cihak, to learn the ins and outs of building strong partnerships and bringing programs to scale. You’ll hear directly from the research, non-profit, and local government leaders behind these efforts - how they built trust, collaboration, shared purpose, and the evidence that has continued to expand impact to many more people.

In this webinar, Patrick Turner, Betsy Delgado, Alicia Modestino, Allison Vernerey, and Kalila Jackson-Spieker will discuss:
- Scaling and replicating with purpose
- Building partnerships to last
- Incorporating evidence
- Maintaining fidelity and flexibility

🔗Register NOW https://bit.ly/4gAGVRl

LEO co-founder Bill Evans, research faculty Jonathan Tebes, and research associate Annabelle Sauer recently visited our ...
08/03/2026

LEO co-founder Bill Evans, research faculty Jonathan Tebes, and research associate Annabelle Sauer recently visited our partner Thread in Baltimore. Thread is a community impact organization that leverages the power of relationships to support Baltimore City students through graduation and beyond.

Annabelle notes the visit "reinforced how valuable in-person time can be for strengthening research partnerships and advancing our evaluations."

For her, the highlight of the visit was connecting with the Thread community: "We heard from staff and former participants about the many ways Thread shows up for young people, discussed Thread’s evolution over time with program leadership, and learned about the schools and neighborhoods where Thread young people live during a staff-led driving tour. We also made meaningful progress in discussions of historical program records that could expand the study sample and deepen our understanding of how the program creates lasting impact. We were grateful to spend this time with the Thread team and to cap off the visit with an Orioles game!"

07/29/2026

Recent Notre Dame graduate Mary Curran made her mark on LEO as a Poverty Research Fellow.

She played a critical role in finding potential replication sites for Padua, a holistic case management program created by Catholic Charities Fort Worth and backed by evidence from LEO. Two years after Mary began her research, one site has opened in South Bend and another is set to launch in Chicago in the fall.

Read Forming the Future to learn about Mary's engaging internship: https://bit.ly/4g2KTD2

We're hiring!Help advance evidence-based solutions to poverty as LEO’s next Associate Director of Research Operations. I...
07/27/2026

We're hiring!

Help advance evidence-based solutions to poverty as LEO’s next Associate Director of Research Operations. In this role, you'll foster collaboration between researchers, faculty, and provider partners.

Experience with impact evaluation or applied research methodologies and a familiarity with nonprofit or mission-driven organizations are highly valued.

🗓 Apply at https://bit.ly/4fl2juB by 8/2/26
💼 Salary up to $125,000

This week marks the end of the 2026 Poverty Research Fellows summer program.All PRFs and their supervisors gathered to c...
07/24/2026

This week marks the end of the 2026 Poverty Research Fellows summer program.

All PRFs and their supervisors gathered to celebrate the end of an amazing summer. PRFs from LEO, ND Pop, Strengthening Families, and BIG Lab shared how their experience shaped the way they look at poverty.

LEO PRFs Allie, Tim, and Dean shared their biggest takeaways at LEO's weekly team meeting. With roles ranging from research operations to policy and impact, they each appreciated the knowledge they gained and connections they created.

Thank you to Cam and Laura from Notre Dame's Poverty Initiative for creating and managing this engaging program for students.

Stay tuned for more PRF reflections over the next few weeks!

07/22/2026

In our most recent Evidence Matters webinar, Sam Quinney said evidence helps local government professionals be "really certain that of the things that [they] can do" which leads to "the best path to impact."

Thank you to Sam Quinney, Ricardo Basurto-Davila, Ryan Flynn, and Jen Tolentino for sharing their insight on incorporating evidence into local budgeting.

Check out J-PAL's new blog post with a recap of the webinar and clear steps to maximize your impact: https://bit.ly/4b1o5Ry

Evidence Matters is a collaborative learning series from LEO, J-PAL North America, and Carrie S. Cihak. Click here to learn more: https://bit.ly/4m042Ha

07/17/2026

Homelessness is more than a housing crisis—it’s a human crisis.

Through our rigorous impact evaluation with Destination: Home, we discovered investing in homelessness prevention is key to solving this crisis.

Learn how LEO partnered with Destination: Home to create Right at Home, a targeted homelessness prevention model launching in 10 communities across the country.

Read Future Learnings in the latest edition of Illuminate: https://bit.ly/4aZo808

07/15/2026

Padua® Michiana works. ✅

Padua Participants are:
🔹 25% more likely to secure full-time jobs
🔹 46% higher earnings if unemployed at start of program
🔹 60% more likely to achieve stable housing after 24 months of service

That’s what real, lasting change looks like. 💙

👉 Apply today: PaduaMichiana.com

Last week, Poverty Research Fellows (PRFs) spent the day at Goodwill Industries of Michiana, Inc. where they toured the ...
07/15/2026

Last week, Poverty Research Fellows (PRFs) spent the day at Goodwill Industries of Michiana, Inc. where they toured the space and heard directly from The Academy, NFP, Excel Centers, and Padua staff about the work they’re doing to expand access to education and alleviate poverty. Breakout sessions gave PRFs the chance to ask deeper questions about each program.

Thank you to our partners at Goodwill for the insight into how their programs help people in our community build new opportunities.

07/09/2026

A diploma changes everything.

The Excel Centers are on a mission to transform adult lives through the power of achieving a high school diploma and accessing postsecondary education.

Read What the Experts Say in the latest edition of Illuminate: https://bit.ly/4fp2Dbu

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