Rainbow Research Inc., based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization founded in 1974. Our mission is to improve the effectiveness of socially concerned organizations through capacity building, research, assessment, and evaluation.

Our clients include non-profit agencies and service providers; local, state and national government agencies; and foundations and other funders.

Projects range in scale from one-time program evaluations to multi-year, multi-site research studies. We adapt our services to meet each client’s needs and budget.

 

Our Approach

Partner with socially concerned organizations to discover what works and evaluate—through studies and participatory projects—the best practices associated with building stronger, healthier communities.

Engage stakeholders in projects, including planning, design, data collection, analysis and reporting phases. Experience has demonstrated that this builds ownership, understanding and credibility, making it more likely that findings are used. 

Effectively and sensitively work with diverse communities to conduct research and evaluation that addresses their information needs, and those of their funders. Attention is given to developing together culturally appropriate methodologies that incorporate community traditions and understandings.

Improve effectiveness of socially concerned organizations through workshops, technical assistance, and collaborative tool development. This builds lasting capacity within organizations and the local community to sustain evaluation efforts.

Well-balanced evaluation designs that address both the process and the outcome evaluation issues associated with a project, and incorporate both quantitative and qualitative data collection methods. The Rainbow team is skilled in a wide range of research methods from the old standards to the new and more innovative methods and technologies.

Rainbow Research can help your organization:

Deepen understanding of key program elements that contribute to program effectiveness.

Increase program impact by integrating effectiveness principles with day-to-day operations.

Manage resources to focus on achieving your critical objectives.
Align organization activities more closely with community needs and opportunities.

Strengthen staff and board commitment to your organization's mission.

Improve communication between your organization and its stakeholders and audiences.

Develop tools and infrastructure that strengthen program performance and outcomes.

To learn more about how Rainbow Research can work with your organization, please contact us.

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News:

Health Symposium Poster Places First

Please join us in congratulating Rainbow Research staff members, Ann Zukoski and Mia Robillos, recipients of a first place award for their recent poster session at a University of Minnesota symposium, Accelerating the Future: The Changing Face of Health in America. Their poster, titled Eliminating Health Disparities Initiative (EHDI): Building Evaluation Capacity of Grantees Working with Diverse Cultural Communities through Technical Assistance & Support, was made possible by a grant from the Eliminating Health Disparities Initiative [EHDI] of the Minnesota Department of Health’s Office of Minority and Multicultural Health, through an appropriation from the Minnesota State Legislature

Staff Promotions

Please join us in congratulating two Rainbow Research staff members, Crystal Myslajek and Sherry Ou, who were recently promoted from research assistant to research associate.

New Health Initiative Projects

Rainbow Research is pleased to announce three new projects to evaluate important health initiatives in Minnesota.

Data Management System for Development for Families in Safe Hands (FISH)

Rainbow Research is revising the current evaluation tools and developing a data management system that will help FISH accurately and efficiently report on its program’s activities and outcomes. more >>

Minnesota Department of Health Youth Focus Groups:

Rainbow Research is conducting 10 youth focus groups as a follow-up study to the Minnesota Student Survey during the winter and spring of 2011. more >>

Bike Walk Twin Cities Program:

Communications and Community Outreach Professional Services, for Transit for Livable Communities (with Mod & Company, LLC, McDonnell & Co., and Community Development Group). more >>