Possibility Lab Awarded a James Irvine Foundation Grant to Support Statewide Work on Co-Governance
The James Irvine Foundation has awarded the UC Berkeley Possibility Lab a $600k gift to expand the Lab’s IMPACT Model – an approach that brings Californians directly into the hard, often hidden work of public sector problem-solving. This investment will strengthen efforts to rebuild civic trust, elevate community voices in shaping policy outcomes, and extend engagement into regions of California that are too often left out of statewide decision-making. The funding will help the Lab deepen partnerships with state and local government agencies and train students to become policy leaders using community-informed and data-driven tools to drive real-world impact.
“At a moment when science, universities, civil society, and democratic institutions are under immense strain, our work could not be more critical in a state like California. The demand for more meaningful civic engagement is high,” said Dr. Amy E. Lerman, professor of political science and public policy at UC Berkeley and the executive director of the Possibility Lab. “In the coming years, California will continue to tackle a wide range of increasingly complex challenges: from housing, to GenAI, to climate change and disaster resilience, to the affordability of basic goods and services. If we want new ways to solve these problems, we need more inclusive and innovative processes for policymaking. By advancing our model here, we aim to chart a path that other states can follow.”
In recent years, the Lab has tested its IMPACT Model with numerous state and local government agencies, including the California Strategic Growth Council and the Governor’s Office of Land Use & Climate Innovation on their regional Catalyst Convenings. Other partnerships include the state’s Racial Equity Commission, Youth Empowerment Commission, and the Labor and Workforce Development Agency, among others.
In October, the Lab published a report that explores how California state government agencies and departments are connecting with residents from diverse communities through civic engagement, deliberative democracy and community outreach. Through the Knowledge Hub partnership with CalMatters, the Lab also published several articles spotlighting original research around its approach, including people-centered policymaking, community engagement, and policymaking for impact. Through this new partnership with the Irvine Foundation, the Lab’s team will work to further embed the IMPACT Model into state and local government, while expanding reach throughout California, especially in the Los Angeles and Inland Empire regions.
The funding will also allow for further experimentation that includes launching a state government civic engagement fellowship, an innovation incubator for state government leaders, exploring regional hubs for equitable policy design, and expanding research communications and storytelling for greater impact.
The UC Berkeley Possibility Lab works to bridge the gap between government and community for policy impact. The team is comprised of researchers and practitioners working with partners inside and outside government to design, pilot, and scale new forms of collaboration for public-sector problem-solving. Their work centers on reducing polarization, improving trust in government, and producing more responsive public policies that improves people’s lives. The Lab is founded and led by Dr. Amy E. Lerman, a professor of public policy and political science with joint appointments at the Goldman School of Public Policy and the Department of Political Science.
