Iowa

Iowa’s Integrated Data System for Decision-Making (i2d2) is an integrated data system, overseen by a governing board and coordinated among health, social service, and education agencies, that comprehensively identifies and addresses the needs of Iowa’s young children and families. Since launching in 2016, i2d2 has been used to better understand early childhood service utilization and the early childhood workforce, including supporting a comprehensive statewide needs assessment as part of a Preschool Development Grant B-5.

In 2022, the Iowa Commission on Volunteer Service used a tiered evidence framework from the AmeriCorps Evidence Exchange to define and prioritize evidence of effectiveness in its allocation of funds through its AmeriCorps grant program. Criteria from the Evidence Exchange assigned preference to evidence-based interventions assessed as ‘Moderate’ or ‘Strong’. To do this, the grant attributed points within Program Design (worth 50% of total points) towards evidence-based criteria, including Evidence Tier (worth 12%) and Evidence Quality (worth 8%). Evidence Base was subsequently awarded up to 20 points and Evidence Tier was allotted 12 points. Applicants assessed as lower than the Preliminary evidence tier (i.e., Pre-Preliminary) must provide adequate responses to the Evidence Quality review criteria in order to be considered for funding.” Applicants were encouraged to consider interventions through the AmeriCorps Mandatory Supplemental Guidance that further defined evidence.