Create a policy and research infrastructure to identify innovations, assess progress, and provide technical assistance to communities to build and sustain such efforts

Continuous improvement is a hallmark of American success, and it should be applied to our efforts for youth. We must foster partnerships between nonprofits, foundations, research institutions, and corporations-not only to increase the quantity of programs for young people who need them, but also to ensure that programs are of the highest quality. Funders-both private and public sector-demand results, and we must build systems to adequately measure our successes and assess our shortcomings. Policy solutions:

• Fund research and knowledge development to identify and document best practices that currently exist, seed innovation and promising practices, and provide resources and technical assistance to states and localities so that all communities have the benefit of high‐quality, innovative, and effective interventions grounded in research
• Help communities to develop innovative sustainability plans that include creatively leveraging existing funding streams, accessing foundation and private sector funding, generating new revenue streams, fundraising, and creating other income generation vehicles
• Develop accountability, training, and technical assistance toolboxes. Develop practices that can be utilized across federal, state, and local government departments and agencies to improve program quality.