Collaboration. Research. Evaluation. Outreach. Strategy.

Co-Create

Co-Create is a CommNS team dedicated to informing community-led social change through collaborative research, evaluation, and facilitation. All our projects are grounded in co-creation—we work hand in hand with those closest to an issue to find new paths forward.

What difference can Co-Create make for your organization?

Read about the reflections from our clients and partners.

 

 

Visit the Resources page for a library of past Co-Create projects and reports.

Our Services

Services for community organizations, nonprofits, and public sector partners

Evaluation, applied research, and community-engaged research

  • Development or refinement of evaluation strategy and plans
  • Data collection, analysis, and reporting
  • Advisory group development and facilitation
  • Participatory data analysis, interpretation, and writing
  • Multi-audience and multimedia dissemination
  • Multilingual and multicultural services in Spanish and HMoob

Needs assessments, landscape scans, and research-to-practice translation

  • Community needs assessments data collection and analysis
  • Scans of programs and organizations in a topic or geographic region
  • Review and summarization of research to inform program planning
  • Program planning and curriculum development

Professional development and capacity building

  • Workshops and webinars in stakeholder engagement, evaluation, data use, and communicating learning to others
  • Coaching and mentoring services for evaluation and learning professionals and nonprofit boards

We also provide customized services for philanthropic organizations and academic partners.

Fill Out Our Request Form

 

Our initiative is funded by fee-for-service contracts or through grant partnerships. Our smallest projects might cost $1,000 and take a month or two to complete, while our largest partnerships may run several years and require hundreds of thousands of dollars. Most projects are somewhere in between! We occasionally help organizations find pro bono services by connecting them with graduate student capstone projects. 

 

Would you like to partner with us? Fill out this request form and we’ll get back to you!

Who We Are

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Amy Washbush, Ph.D. - Associate Director of the CommNS and Co-Create Lead

I started at the CommNS in 2013 as a Postdoctoral Researcher and I began to build the Co-Create initiative in 2017 in my role as the Associate Director for Engaged Research. It’s been a joy to be involved in our more than 70 projects since 2017, engaging with our project partners, designing our projects, and working with our teams to carry them out. I’ve been a practicing evaluator for more than 15 years, so I continue to get excited about our evaluation projects as well as our evaluation refinement and capacity-building efforts. As a former teacher and a graduate of our Human Development and Family Studies PhD program, I enjoy projects that engage with schools or community-based learning spaces, or that otherwise benefit children and families. I really like working with groups, community-based or our university colleagues, that lead with their values and aren’t afraid to show their commitment to justice, and I anticipate more opportunities in the future for Co-Create to support the learning and adaptation needs of groups like these.

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Alex Wells, M.S. - Co-Create Program Coordinator

I began working for Co-Create in 2019 as a research and evaluation specialist and am now the Co-Create Project Coordinator. I’ve worked on a diverse set of projects including data collection for academic researchers, landscape scans, needs assessments, public health initiatives, survey development and implementation, focus group facilitation, and support for funders looking to gain insights and feedback from their grantees. Many of my projects have focused on children and families, particularly the timeframe of early childhood. I really enjoy working on projects that include data gathering that helps organizations learn from their staff or stakeholders to make their work and processes better. I would love to work on more projects that address environmental justice and climate change concerns.

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Costanza Generali, M.S. - Co-Create Researcher & Evaluation Specialist

I have been with Co-Create for two and a half years, starting out as a graduate student researcher and then transitioning to full-time staff. During this time, I have worked on evaluation and applied research projects with partners ranging from local nonprofits to large state agencies. The projects I most enjoy are those where I have the opportunity to engage directly with our partners and community members, whether it be through interviews, focus groups, or participating in events. In the future, I would love to work on more participatory projects in which participants’ and community members’ voices guide our process.

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Sandie Thao, M.S. - Co-Create Researcher

Since 2019, I have worked with Co-Create, starting as a research assistant and now as a Multicultural Research Analyst. My experience includes qualitative and quantitative evaluation, needs assessments, translation, transcription, and creating plain-language materials to share results with communities.

I enjoy working on diverse projects that keep my brain moving. I’ve grown comfortable with the iterative nature of community-based work but also appreciate the clarity that comes from balancing projects within a structured framework. I’m passionate about partnering with mission-driven organizations serving children, families, and BIPOC communities—especially projects that center community voices and focus on family and community wellbeing. Looking ahead, I hope to deepen my evaluation expertise and grow into leadership roles that support data-driven improvement, equity, and operational excellence. Outside of work, I enjoy board games, karaoke, and spending time with my family and dogs.

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Laura Evans, Ph.D. - Co-Create Researcher

I have been working with Co-Create for almost five years. I started as a graduate student researcher in Human Development and Family Studies and am now full-time staff with the CommNS. I have participated in a range of projects including landscape analyses, needs assessments, interview and focus group facilitations, prevention scans, and program evaluations. I have most of my experience focusing on children, families, social services, and marginalized racial groups. I particularly enjoy projects that include qualitative interviewing, projects focused on quality improvement of systems and processes, and evaluating the components of programs that make them effective. I would love to work on more projects that focus on racial equity and involve connecting academic research partners and community partners!

Stories from our partners

The Co-Create Team served as the academic partner for our statewide pilot project testing a funding model to expand philanthropic support for school-based mental health programs. … Throughout the project, our Co-Create partners met with us to understand the funding model and the dynamics of our relationships with the participating school districts. They asked numerous questions about the funding model and our approach. Their questions made us smarter.

Their evaluation report has helped us improve the funding model and is helping us recruit additional funders to expand the program to more school districts throughout Wisconsin, which means more students will have access to essential mental health services.

Steve Goldberg, Executive Director, WEA Member Benefits Foundation

Working with Co-Create really helped us to see our program through new eyes, make adjustments to increase benefit and consider future operational changes to ensure equitable outcomes for those we serve. The Co-Create staff were very genuine and easy to work with. We deeply appreciate both the process and the outcome of our evaluation work with Co-Create.

Paula Drew, Co-Director, Wisconsin Early Education Shared Services Network

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Bring us your questions, challenges, and dreams—let’s create together!

Contact Amy Washbush, Associate Director for Engaged Research, at ahilgendorf@wisc.edu or 608-712-5950