The Role of the Intermediary: Equitable Programming and Implementation Support

An organization that functions as an intermediary has been described as an entity that engages in the support of many programs while also building capacity for the implementation and delivery of programs locally so that they may be successfully sustained over time. The role of the intermediary in the distribution and support of usable innovations and evidence-based programs must be clearly defined if the functions of the intermediary, as well as the evidence-based programs, are to be sustained and scaled. Effective intermediary organizations require consistent attention to program implementation strategies and to integrating principles related to race equity within the structures and functions of intermediary organizations so that all children and families can benefit from usable innovations. This paper provides case examples of two intermediary organizations in the United States. We describe how they use the Active Implementation Frameworks to support the implementation of evidence-based practices and their organizational efforts to operationalize equity throughout their intermediary structure and functions.