The Urban Institute has been an indispensable resource for nearly 50 years because of our intellectual integrity. We are unrivaled in the breadth and depth of our expertise, the thoughtful analysis we generate, and the cutting-edge tools we develop. We are unique in our ability to simultaneously deliver the objectivity and rigor of academic research with the timeliness and accessibility necessary to inform current debates and imminent decisions.
Today, more than ever, America needs an independent, authoritative source of evidence and insight to ensure that important decisions are rooted in reliable information. Urban is that trusted source for many stakeholders, including the following:
The Urban Institute is a national treasure. It provides a rare voice of reason in policy debates too often dominated by sound bites and political posturing.
Jeremy Travis, Senior Vice President of Criminal Justice, Laura and John Arnold Foundation
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We are a resource for:
- National lawmakers, who want to evaluate whether federal programs are working as intended
- Mayors, who need to find smarter ways to spend scarce resources
- State governments, who need guidance as they implement national programs or pilot new policies
- Local nonprofits, who seek to build data and measure the effectiveness of their interventions
- Community foundations, who want to know if their priorities match their region’s needs
- Philanthropists, who want to invest in efforts that are most likely to change outcomes
- Journalists, who need facts and objective analyses
- Individuals and families, who want to be better informed about their communities and the policies that could shape their future