Key Highlights:
- AIR launches $100+ million, five-year investment in behavioral and social science research
- The AIR Equity Initiative is being implemented to address underlying causes of systemic inequity
- AIR will fund research projects that support the goal of establishing bolder, more strategic, and sustained ways of advancing equity
AIR Equity Initiative
The American Institute for Research (AIR) has recently announced the launch of ‘AIR Equity Initiative’. Through this initiative, the AIR will be investing $100+ million for five years in behavioral and social science research and technical assistance. The main aim behind the initiative is to address one of the major issues of the nation – systemic inequity.
Systemic Inequity is a consequence of maintaining dominance within the society. This is usually perpetuated through social, political, and economic institutions. AIR Equity Initiative is a collaborative effort to provide new opportunities to researchers and technical assistance specialists.
Purpose and Benefits of the Initiative
Research has a critical role in identifying solutions and informing policies to create a better and more equitable world. This initiative will fund research projects that support the goal of establishing bolder, more strategic, and sustained ways of advancing equity. This encourages an on-the-ground, grassroots approach to decrease systemic inequity by tackling the issues at the core of conversations about education, workforce development, public safety and policing, and health.
Researchers and technical assistance specialists will be partnering with communities, schools, employment training organizations, and other institutions to provide assistance and ensure that the field benefits from diverse perspectives. This will enable new opportunities to address complex, overlooked, and challenging aspects of systemic inequity.
Aim of the Initiative
The main aim of AIR is to protect individuals and communities that are isolated from opportunities to thrive and to build conditions that facilitate effective approaches. They will also host a virtual roundtable soon to announce the Equity Initiative. The event has been named “Bridges Toward Equity: Making Workforce Development Work for All” which will feature a panel of AIR and community experts. They will discuss how they will work to increase economic mobility and prosperity for those who are left behind.
