A wide range of support and service groups exist from the smallest donor-supported soup kitchens to the largest tax-based supplementary-income programs. Institute researchers delve into the policies and practices of every tier of society, from small neighborhood associations and nonprofit service providers to city governments and federal agencies.

Urban Institute’s Assessing the New Federalism program is an example of the Institute’s vision. The multi-year research project analyzes trends and policies that affect low-income families. Originally driven by questions about welfare reform and proposed changes in health care, the project has evolved with the policy environment to focus on family experiences on-the-job, with the goal of providing timely, nonpartisan information to inform public debate and to assist state and local policy makers in designing new policies and programs.

The Institute also houses the National Center for Charitable Statistics, a comprehensive source for information regarding U.S. nonprofits with extensive databases of information collected by the IRS.