The Population Health Innovation Lab (PHIL), a program of the Public Health Institute (PHI), brings startup thinking to community health. We leverage the assets PHI has amassed over its more than 55 years at the forefront of public health–nationally ranked researchers, diverse and proven programs, strong infrastructure, and a wide network of partners–to improve health, well-being, and equity in a community.

We see innovation as a process: move fast, try new things, measure results, and find what works. Repeat. Share. Scale. Since 2015 we have partnered with funders, community-based organizations, government stakeholders, or directly with communities themselves to co-create solutions that move beyond symptoms to address root-cause issues. We bring the science, you bring local expertise, and together we use a proven system of change theories to get results.

PHIL provides research and evaluation services, tools, and resources in support of multisector collaboratives (MSCs), local health departments, PHI programs, communities, funders, policy makers, universities, and local, state, and federal government through Monitoring, Evaluation, Research, and Learning Innovations (MERLIN) team. The goal of PHIL’s MERLIN team is to connect MSCs and diverse health partners with evidence to inform upstream, systems-level approaches that can eliminate health disparities and improve social well-being.