Institutional role
NCI remains the institutional header.
NCI carries the research authority, policy credibility, and formal institutional sponsorship for briefs, scorecards, and dissemination.
Community Equity Lab, a program of NCI
About the program and how it fits inside NCI
Community Equity Lab partners with schools, families, and districts to translate rigorous research into practice: we design and run pilots, center lived experience in evaluation, and produce actionable policy guidance that reduces disparities in student mental health and preserves youth sports access.
Program role
Community Equity Lab is the visible operating engine.
The Lab leads pilots, community engagement, practitioner tools, and the humanized language that helps implementation partners understand the work quickly.
Core functions
Three connected ways of working
The Lab converts research into practice without looking institutionally separate from NCI.
Pilot design and operations
Design and run pilots with schools, districts, and community partners under real operational conditions.
Community-engaged evaluation
Blend measurable outcomes with lived experience so evaluation reflects both performance and trust.
Policy translation
Produce actionable briefs, implementation guidance, and operational recommendations that leaders can use.
Visual and tone split
NCI carries formal research framing. Community Equity Lab carries community-facing calls to action and pilot operations.
Use this everywhere governance needs to be clear
Prepared by Community Equity Lab, a program of NCI
The full institutional relationship statement appears in footers and program overviews.