In 2025, change came from every direction. The rising cost of groceries, housing, child care, and health care strained family budgets and local safety nets. The nation experienced rapid shifts in federal policy, economic conditions, and technology, including the rise of artificial intelligence.

Government leaders, nonprofits, businesses, and communities are grappling with how to adapt, often with fewer resources and greater uncertainty.

In this period of rapid change, the Urban Institute helped changemakers navigate evolving challenges by delivering real-time data, rigorous analyses, and practical tools that clarified policy trade-offs and informed decisions affecting people and families across the country.

We directly engaged government and community stakeholders to ensure our work had reach and influence and drove real change at the federal and state level.

This annual report highlights how Urban helped changemakers adapt not just for the moment, but for the long term—building resilience for what comes next.