Proof Points
This list features 40+ research-backed social science projects that have delivered for taxpayers and helped solve major problems. Nearly all the examples come from the United States, with a few from around the world.
Before 1990: Foundations of High-Impact Policy
FCC Spectrum Auctions (1959): Ronald Coase’s theory proposed that market auctions, rather than administrative hearings, should allocate public airwaves. This research transformed federal policy, generating over $200 billion for the U.S. Treasury through efficient auctions.
Peer-reviewed: Coase (1959), Journal of Law and Economics
The Perry Preschool Project (1962): High-quality early education for low-income children was found to yield massive lifelong returns. Research showed participants had higher earnings and lower crime rates, providing a $12.90 return per dollar spent.
Peer-reviewed: Heckman et al. (2010), Journal of Public Economics
Nurse-Family Partnership (1977): Randomized trials proved that home visits by nurses for first-time, low-income mothers drastically reduce child abuse. The intervention saves taxpayers roughly $5.70 for every dollar invested through reduced social service and justice costs.
Peer-reviewed: Olds et al. (1997), JAMA
Needle Exchange Programs (1984): Research in New Haven demonstrated that legal syringe exchanges significantly decreased HIV transmission without increasing drug use. This evidence convinced policymakers to adopt harm reduction as a strategy, saving thousands of lives and medical costs.
Peer-reviewed: Kaplan & O'Keefe (1993), American Journal of Medicine
Tennessee STAR Project (1985): This large-scale experiment proved that smaller class sizes in early grades lead to higher test scores and college attendance. These findings have guided school funding and policy across dozens of states for decades.
Peer-reviewed: Krueger (1999), Quarterly Journal of Economics
Emissions Trading (Acid Rain) (1988): Social scientists developed "cap-and-trade" systems to reduce pollution at the lowest cost. This approach successfully tackled acid rain and became the global blueprint for policies to reduce pollution.
1990–2009: The Rise of Evidence-Based Policy
DICE Climate Model (1992): William Nordhaus won a Nobel Prize for this model, which quantified the economic costs of climate change and the benefits of carbon reduction. This framework remains the standard tool for calculating the social cost of carbon.
Peer-reviewed: Nordhaus (1992), Science
Moving to Opportunity (1994): Moving low-income families to lower-poverty neighborhoods was found to significantly increase children's future earnings. This research revolutionized housing voucher policy by proving the long-term economic impact of neighborhood environments.
Peer-reviewed: Chetty et al. (2016), American Economic Review
Project Quest (1995): Sectoral job training for high-demand fields like healthcare was shown to generate sustained earnings gains of $5,000+ per year. It proves that specialized workforce investments can permanently move families into the middle class.
Peer-reviewed: Economic Mobility Corp (2010), Long-term Evaluation
School Deworming (1998): Low-cost deworming in schools was found to improve health and boost long-term school attendance and adult earnings. This research launched global initiatives that have treated hundreds of millions of children.
Peer-reviewed: Clarke et al (2017), The Lancet
Career Academies (2000): Random assignment evaluations found that "schools within schools" with vocational themes significantly increased the long-term earnings of students. The model has now scaled to over 8,000 high schools across the country.
Peer-reviewed: Kemple (2008), MDRC Report
401k Auto-Enrollment (2001): Behavioral research showed that making retirement plan enrollment "automatic" dramatically increased participation rates. This insight was codified in the Pension Protection Act of 2006, helping millions save for retirement.
Peer-reviewed: Madrian & Shea (2001), Quarterly Journal of Economics
Harlem Children’s Zone (2001): Combining rigorous charter schools with wrap-around services was found to close the racial achievement gap in math. This model inspired the federal Promise Neighborhoods initiative to replicate its holistic success.
Peer-reviewed: Dobbie & Fryer (2011), American Economic Journal
Advanced Market Commitments (2004): Economists designed a funding mechanism where donors guarantee a market for vaccines that don't yet exist. This accelerated the pneumococcal vaccine, saving an estimated 700,000 lives in low-income countries.
Peer-reviewed: Kremer et al. (2020), NBER Paper
Oregon Health Insurance Experiment (2008): A Medicaid lottery proved that expanding insurance increases healthcare use and reduces financial distress and depression. The findings provided critical evidence for the Affordable Care Act’s Medicaid expansion.
Peer-reviewed: Finkelstein et al. (2012), Quarterly Journal of Economics
Simplifying the FAFSA (2009): Helping families fill out college aid forms during tax preparation significantly increased enrollment. This low-cost intervention was more effective than increasing grant amounts, highlighting the impact of reducing administrative hurdles.
Peer-reviewed: Bettinger et al. (2012), Quarterly Journal of Economics
2010–Present: Modern Innovation and Scaling
Becoming a Man (BAM) (2012): This CBT-based program for at-risk youth was found to reduce violent crime arrests by 50%. It provides a cost-effective alternative to incarceration while increasing high school graduation rates.
Peer-reviewed: Heller et al. (2017), Quarterly Journal of Economics
SNAP and Long-term Health (2016): Researchers found that access to food stamps in early childhood significantly reduces adult health problems and increases economic self-sufficiency. This proved that nutritional assistance is a long-term public health investment.
Peer-reviewed: Hoynes et al. (2016), American Economic Review
Millionaire Tax Migration (2016): A study of 45 million tax records found that "millionaire tax flight" is rare, and high tax rates rarely cause elite migration. This research gave states greater confidence in adjusting top-tier tax brackets.
Peer-reviewed: Young et al. (2016), American Sociological Review
Allegheny County Child Welfare Tool (2016): A predictive risk model helped social workers more accurately identify children at high risk of maltreatment. The tool optimized resource allocation and helped reduce racial disparities in child welfare screening.
Peer-reviewed: De-Arteaga et al. (2020), CHI Conference
Court Date Text Reminders (2018): Low-cost text reminders in D.C. reduced "Failure to Appear" rates, preventing unnecessary warrants and jail time. This technical solution saves police resources and keeps residents out of the justice system.
Peer-reviewed: The Lab @ DC (2018), Evaluation Report
CUNY ASAP Ohio Replication (2018): Replicating the successful CUNY model in Ohio colleges proved it can double graduation rates in diverse settings. It demonstrates that evidence-based higher education solutions can be effectively scaled across states.
Peer-reviewed: MDRC (2020), Evaluation Report
Growth Mindset National Study (2019): A massive study of U.S. high schools showed that a brief mindset intervention improved grades for lower-achieving students. This demonstrated that light-touch psychological interventions can have measurable impacts on academic trajectories.
Peer-reviewed: Yeager et al. (2019), Nature
Stockton UBI Pilot (2019): A guaranteed income pilot found that $500 monthly payments improved mental health and increased full-time employment rates. This evidence has catalyzed dozens of similar pilots across the United States.
Peer-reviewed: West et al. (2021), SEED Final Report
Workplace Wellness Evaluations (2019): A large-scale trial found that traditional workplace wellness programs do not actually reduce healthcare costs. This saved public and private employers millions by redirecting focus toward more effective health strategies.
Peer-reviewed: Song & Baicker (2019), JAMA
Boston Universal Pre-K (2021): A long-term study found that universal preschool significantly increased college enrollment and decreased juvenile incarceration. It solidified the fiscal case for public investment in early childhood systems.
Peer-reviewed: Gray-Lobe et al. (2021), NBER Paper
