At Knology, we embrace and promote alliances that expand notions of the possibilities for solving complex social issues. Oftentimes, these partnerships are unusual -- by tapping into the expertise of diverse organizations and thinkers, we’re able to shift the needle on intractable problems. In 2020, we kept up this tradition with our partners, funders, and among our team members. These stories capture the power of alliances that bring together good ideas and people, especially during times of crisis.

Designing a Research-Driven Award Competition

Our exploratory research and gap analysis led to the first-of-its-kind UL Innovative Education Award competition for nonprofits. This initiative was born out of a partnership between Underwriters Laboratories, an international safety science organization, an environmental education association, and our social science think tank. This paper details the journey of this unusual collaboration, with takeaways for foundation leaders and corporate social responsibility professionals. Read about the Alliance behind the UL Innovative Education Award >>

Who Gets to Be an Inventor?

We teamed up with The Lemelson Foundation and PBS NewsHour to study stereotypes about inventors. A nationwide survey showed that people have persistent stereotypes about inventors’ dress and style, how they work, their work environment, income, and who they are. This study has implications for journalists who cover innovation and discovery. Read about Research on Inventors & Stereotypes >>

Research Fellows: Systems that Work for Societies & Early Care to Reduce Health Care Costs

Research Fellows are a vital part of Knology’s team of experts. Erwin de Leon published on the ways that the pandemic and BLM protests underscored the importance of people who were previously invisible in U.S. systems, especially immigrant communities. He advocated for further study of the network of institutions that support these groups, to understand and improve the systems that can enable people to flourish in this country. Read Erwin de Leon’s Article >> Ed Greene and colleagues also published a white paper advocating for investment in early care and education for children. This work showed how proactive policy and spending can lower healthcare costs across the lifespan, with the opportunity to increase equity especially for low income families. Read Ed Greene and Colleagues’ Paper >>

Photo credit: Ashkan Forouzani