Communities of Change (CoCs)

Communities of Change (CoCs) is sponsored by Jacobs Foundation. The Jacobs Foundation supports "Communities of Change" in Colombia to implement evidence-based policies and practices that improve the quality of education, tailored to regional needs.

Country Programs - Jacobs Foundation We work with countries to improve the use of evidence in policy and practice and ensure that programs designed to improve children’s learning and education are grounded in evidence. Our country programs focus on strengthening education systems by promoting evidence-based decision-making, supporting research, and building collaborative partnerships.

Working in Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, Colombia, and Switzerland, we tailor our approach to each country’s context while ensuring alignment with our broader mission: improving learning outcomes through data-driven interventions. Our country programs operate through three key mechanisms: 1) EdLabs : Research and innovation hubs that generate and translate evidence into practical solutions for education stakeholders.

2) Communities of Change: Networks of local actors, including educators, policymakers, and researchers, committed to improving education through shared learning and collaboration. 3) Co-funding Mechanisms : Strategic partnerships that leverage resources from public and private sector actors to scale impactful initiatives.

Despite progress in poverty reduction, educational challenges persist in Ghana Learning outcomes are inadequate, and child labor in cocoa-growing areas remains a concern. Our program strengthens education systems and child protection through evidence-based interventions and partnerships.

Key initiatives include the Ghana Education Evidence and Data Lab (GEEDLab) , Communities of Excellence, and the SCALE Co-Funding Mechanism, all aimed at improving education quality and ensuring safer environments for children. Côte d’Ivoire, the world’s largest cocoa producer, faces significant educational challenges. Many children are out of school and involved in cocoa-related labor.

Our program focuses on improving education quality and access in cocoa-growing regions, supporting the government’s efforts to combat child labor and strengthen education systems. Through the Child Learning and Education Facility (CLEF), the Education Evidence and Data Lab, and Communities of Excellence, we collaborate with partners to create sustainable, evidence-based solutions for children and families.

Colombia’s education system faces persistent gaps in foundational skills and socio-emotional learning, worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic. Colombia Evidencia Potencial en Educación (CEPE) is an initiative that connects researchers, policymakers, and educators to strengthen learning ecosystems at both national and regional levels.

Through Communities of Change, the Education Evidence Lab, and a Co-Funding Mechanism with international (UBS-OF, Botnar) and local partners (Fundacion Bancolombia, Fundacion Santo Domingo, Fundacion Velez Reyes), we promote collaborative, evidence-based solutions to improve education outcomes.

Our efforts center on fostering evidence-based decision making, practices, innovative approaches, and collaboration among diverse stakeholders in Switzerland’s decentralized education system to support it in understanding and embracing learning variability so that each child can realize their learning potential.

Initiatives include the Swiss EdLab, Switzerland’s national platform for translating and sharing scientific evidence in education and developmental science. It connects researchers, policymakers, and experts to inform policy decisions and advance quality learning opportunities for all children.

Other efforts include the DEEP research consortium for digital equity and the proEdu association for school innovation, in collaboration with staatslabor , a Swiss government innovation lab, to help education bodies leverage and analyze data for informed decision-making. By promoting collaboration and investing in local capacity, our country programs aim to create lasting improvements in education systems worldwide.

Our work in Colombia focuses on narrowing the large learning gaps in foundational skills and socioemotional learning on a national and regional level. In collaboration with the Ministry of Education in Ghana we are supporting the provision of quality education. We are trying to bridge the gap between evidence, policy, and practice, to ensure all children in Switzerland thrive in an increasingly digital world.

Our program in Côte d’Ivoire enhances education quality, supports teachers, infrastructure, policies, and a funding facility for 4M children.