At EMPath, we don’t just provide services – we measure our success and examine the data to see what’s working and what isn’t. Our in-house research team rigorously analyzes outcomes across our own programs – as well as those of member organizations in our learning network – to figure out what we’re doing right and what might need to change.

In our new What Works Series, we’re sharing these learnings broadly. We know there are many others out there – in human services, philanthropy, policymaking, academia, and beyond – who, like us, are always seeking to improve their work and better support families in achieving their goals.

The first installment in our series focuses on goal-setting. Although goal-setting is included in many human service programs, it is not broadly systematized in the field. Program staff may set a few goals with program participants, but then not return to them until months later. But goal-setting – when done correctly – is very powerful. Goal-setting is a core tenet of our brain science-based coaching method.

Research* over the past 50 years consistently demonstrates a strong association between goal-setting and a broad array of outcomes, including workers’ performance, academic performance, financial literacy and status, and dietary change.

In our newest report, we answer some pressing questions from the human services field: What drives outcomes in human service programs? Does it matter how frequently we meet with program participants? Or does it matter more what we do with that meeting time – specifically, setting goals? Does the length of goal matter?

Check out the report to find answers you can use.

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*see full report for sources

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Economic Mobility Pathways (EMPath) is a national nonprofit that dramatically improves the lives of people struggling to make ends meet. Because creating economic opportunity is multifaceted, our approach is too. We offer a unique combination of direct services, learning exchange, and research and advocacy for what works. This “virtuous circle” allows each part of our work to inform what we know, do, and share with others to seed systemic change.

• Using our research-backed method for one-on-one support (Mobility Mentoring®), we work directly with people living in poverty to help them climb the economic ladder.
• We lead a network of organizations (the Exchange) to help them get better results and re-envision the systems that serve people experiencing poverty.
• We do research to inform our practice and advocate to take what works to scale.

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