For the past few years, local government officials across the country have been prioritizing equity-focused interventions to help close gaps in communities, increase resilience, and better serve their residents diverse needs. Although the funding environment around this work has been inconsistent, and the federal government has backed away from supporting this work, local officials persist in their efforts and seek thought partners and tailored supports to continue to prioritize equitable outcomes and operationalize transformative policy agendas. Drawing on the Urban Institute’s extensive engagement with stakeholders in local governments, including data officers, planners, policy specialists, government staff committees, and elected officials, our team has created a State and Local Community Impact Initiative to work alongside local governments to help them design and implement equity-driven policies, programs, and systems.

Through this work, we’ve designed tools, resources, and customized assistance that support local leaders to address their most pressing questions and priorities. Our team is always looking for new partnerships with practitioners, government network associations, regional working groups, research organizations, and subject matter experts interested in transforming local governance to serve all residents and build resilient communities. To connect with our team, please email [email protected].