We turn data into brighter beginnings.
Behind every statistic about maternal and child well-being is a real family, often facing impossible choices: parents cutting back on food to afford diapers or worrying about how they’ll piece together childcare to get to work the next day.
Bloom Research and Strategy supports organizations working to make our communities better places to raise a family, so that fewer families face challenges like these. Whether you’re looking for data and stories to build support for a policy change or detailed research on your community’s needs, we’re here to help you advance your mission.
About Us
Bloom Research and Strategy is a woman-owned consulting firm dedicated to improving outcomes for mothers, children and families through rigorous research communicated with clarity and heart.
We believe data is only as powerful as the story it tells — so we help our clients move from raw numbers to real understanding, and from understanding to strategy that works. Whether it's shaping a new program, informing policy, or building a case for investment, we make sure the evidence for maternal and child well-being doesn't just sit in a report — it drives tangible change for families and communities.
We started Bloom Research and Strategy because we believe two things can be true at once: research can be rigorous and accessible. Data can be precise and human. The organizations working hardest to improve outcomes for mothers, children and families — state and local agencies, foundations, nonprofits, advocacy coalitions — often don't have the time or specialized capacity to turn their data into a strategic asset. We do that work, so you can focus on yours.
Why We Exist
Our Areas of Expertise
Childcare and Early Learning
Childcare shouldn’t be a luxury; it’s vital infrastructure for U.S. families. We work with community leaders to help them understand how well their childcare landscape is meeting families’ needs — and where it could do better. We craft family surveys, design and facilitate focus groups with parents and childcare providers, and analyze detailed population and economic data to help local leaders make decisions based on what families actually need.
Maternal Health and Well-Being
Every mother deserves a safe and healthy pregnancy, birth and postpartum period — but motherhood doesn’t stop after the first year. We help organizations collect, analyze and communicate data focused on well-being at every stage of motherhood to ensure moms have the support they need to thrive — not just survive.
Thriving Communities
Families can only be as strong as the communities that surround them. We help state and local governments, nonprofits, and foundations collect and synthesize data about the communities they serve — and communicate the results in a way that helps them advance their goals. Our reports aren’t intended to sit on a shelf; they’re designed to be a powerful and accessible tool for change.
Our Leadership
Sarah Hughes, MSW
Founder and Principal Consultant
We probably all have that one professional compliment we keep in our back pockets for a hard day. Mine came from a dedicated child advocate who said, “You don’t just talk about the numbers. You really make people care.”
Years later, that’s still the best summary of how I approach my work. I've spent more than 15 years working on behalf of moms, kids, and families — first as the senior research leader at a state-level child advocacy organization that helped pass policies expanding access to preschool and improving maternal health, and now as the founder and principal consultant of a research and strategy firm. Whatever the role, my focus has stayed the same: giving decisionmakers a clear, honest picture of what families are facing — and making sure they never lose sight of who that picture represents. That focus isn't just professional. As a mom of two young kids, I understand firsthand the challenges today's families are up against, and what it will take to address them.
I founded Bloom Research and Strategy (formerly Groundswell for Good) because I've seen what good research, communicated well, can accomplish. It can shape legislation that changes lives. It can guide a tough budget decision. It can drive a winning advocacy campaign. To date, our firm's research has built support for a ballot initiative generating $12 million annually in public funding for childcare, informed the design of a new childcare tuition assistance program, and shed light on the realities of maternal mortality and morbidity. And we're just getting started.
The details: I hold a Master of Social Work from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and a Bachelor of Science in Business and Political Science from Washington University in St. Louis. Prior to consulting, I spent more than a decade leading research efforts at the Colorado Children’s Campaign, including the development of the organization’s signature KIDS COUNT in Colorado! report. Outside of work, I'm mom to two boys, and I spend my free time attempting to keep my garden alive (with mixed results) and reading a good book whenever I get the chance.
I'm always looking for the next way to make communities better places for moms, kids and families. Have an idea? I'd love to hear from you.
Our Values
Integrity
No matter the end product, we hold ourselves to the same simple standard: would we be proud to put our name on this? That means bringing the same care and rigor to every project, because we want you to feel confident putting our work in front of anyone who matters to you.
Humility
We never walk into a project assuming we already know best, ready to trot out a one-size-fits-all approach. Every project, every client, and every community is different — so we take the time to build authentic relationships, listen intently, and understand what each partner needs.
Clarity
The best research products don’t require a PhD to understand. Whether we're producing a one-page brief or an in-depth report, we believe findings should be accessible to anyone who needs them — to allocate resources, advocate for change, or better understand the community they serve.
Let’s do good work together.
Send us a quick note—let’s explore how our expertise can support your mission.