Grounded Futures Collective

Research, evaluation, and design grounded in lived experience, supporting well-being, belonging, and future opportunity

What We Do

Grounded Futures Collective partners with organizations to understand and strengthen the programs and systems that shape the lives of young people and communities.We design and lead research and evaluation grounded in lived experience and informed by evidence, helping organizations make sense of their work and improve practice.We work primarily with nonprofits, school systems, and community-based organizations to support program evaluation, learning, and design.

Our Approach

Our work is grounded in human development and focuses on how programs are experienced by the people they are intended to serve.We work in close partnership with organizations to:

  • Understand how programs are experienced in practice

  • Interpret data in context

  • Identify opportunities for improvement

  • Support ongoing learning and decision-making

We are a culturally responsive and justice-oriented collective, committed to centering the voices and lived experiences of the communities organizations serve.We also provide bilingual (Spanish/English) research and engagement support, ensuring that data collection and communication are accessible and reflective of participants’ realities.The “collective” reflects how the work is done, in partnership with organizations, communities, and collaborators with a commitment to creating space for shared learning, reflection, storytelling, and action.

Focus Areas

Youth Development & Education

  • Programs and systems supporting young people’s learning and development

Community Well-Being & Health

  • Work focused on well-being, belonging, and access to opportunity

Workforce Development & Pathways

  • Programs connecting young people and communities to long-term opportunity

Services

  • Program evaluation (process and outcomes)

  • Mixed methods research design and implementation

  • Community-engaged and participatory research

  • Survey design and data collection

  • Landscape analysis and program scans

  • Curriculum and program design

  • Learning and strategy support

About

Grounded Futures Collective is led by Claudia M. Castillo-Lavergne, Ph.D., a researcher trained in Human Development and Social Policy at Northwestern University with over a decade of experience working at the intersection of education, health, and community systems.Her work is grounded in long-term partnerships with school districts, community-based organizations, and nonprofit leaders working to support young people and families. This includes collaborations with organizations focused on youth development, arts-based programming, STEM and STEAM initiatives, and Latine, immigrant, and multilingual communities.Across these partnerships, she has led research and evaluation efforts that support program development, strengthen community-based work, and help organizations better understand how their programs are experienced by the people they serve.Grounded Futures Collective operates through a collaborative model, working alongside organizations and drawing on a broader network of partners and expertise to support research, evaluation, and program design.