Youth Policy Lab 2020 Annual Report

To our YPL supporters:

At the beginning of 2021, we were hopeful that the global COVID-19 pandemic would begin to wane and that access to safe and effective vaccines, along with other public health measures, would allow us all to return to some sense of normalcy by year’s end. And while the spike in cases and deaths over the holiday season was devastating to see, we are again encouraged by the direction of case counts, hospitalizations, and vaccination uptake here in Ann Arbor.

Despite all of the continued challenges the Lab and our partners faced in the past year, we are proud of our accomplishments and are excited to share some of them with you in this report. From raising the funds for several new Data & Policy Fellowship positions to establishing multiple new statewide evaluation partnerships, the Lab exceeded our own expectations again this past year.

And as we look forward to what 2022 will bring, we anticipate further growth this year with at least four new staff joining the team and new projects and partnerships on the horizon. This growth will support our team as they continue to produce sound research and social policy insights in service of improving outcomes for Michiganders - all while adjusting to the changing conditions created by this global pandemic.

We are tremendously grateful for your continued support and are hopeful that you will stay on this journey with us in the year to come.