NYC Opportunity

Our Values

The work of our office is guided by our commitment to 3 core values:

Equity

We believe that equal opportunity and the possibility of upward mobility must be genuine— that where you start out in life should not dictate where you end up. But too often poverty, racism and other structural inequalities and social conditions create barriers for New Yorkers that limit their ability to advance and participate fully in the city's economic and civic life.

We work to create a more equitable city, where all residents - regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, religious belief, age, ability and other identities and histories - can take advantage of resources, support and opportunities they need to fulfill their full potential. Specifically, by identifying ways City government can operate more equitably with respect to race, we can address these disparities more fully.

Evidence

We believe that the public sector should make decisions based on rigorous attention to data — drawn from research and evaluation, performance measurement, and the voices of those who experience public services as well as the challenges they are meant to address. Policies and programs exist that can effectively reduce poverty and broaden opportunity; government should invest in those that work, and end those that do not.

We support and promote evidence-based policy making in New York City and beyond.

Innovation

We believe that more solutions are required to address unmet needs and stubborn problems — and are optimistic that new approaches delivered through government can achieve large-scale impact. Innovation is fundamentally about getting better results, and demands a commitment to assess outcomes rigorously, capture and respond to lessons, and accept the risk that some efforts will fail.

We serve as a proving ground to influence how government addresses poverty and its related challenges.