Urban across the Country

Urban’s researchers partner with state and local leaders to provide the evidence, tools, and support they need to improve lives and strengthen communities. This work includes strategic advising to translate research into action, program evaluations to measure effectiveness, and research and data analysis to inform decisionmaking. Our experts develop custom data tools and modeling to support equitable resource allocation and lead community-engaged research and convenings to ensure policies reflect local priorities.

Use this page to explore Urban’s work. Search by region to see examples of our research, and filter by evidence and products to narrow results by topic or type of work.

Dive deeper into your state and community with our data tools. View highlighted tools below, select “Data tools” under “Filter by Product Types,” or head directly to our data tools page.

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Explore our work by state
Brief The Welfare-to-Work Grants Program
Administered by the U. S. Department of Labor and local Private Industry Councils (PICs), Welfare-to-Work is designed to serve people with the greatest difficulty finding and keeping a job. This brief describes how the $3 billion Welfare-to-Work Grants program operates and looks at the challenges
Brief Refusing a Helping Hand
[ Orlando Sentinel] Urban Institute researchers, Wendy Zimmermann and Michael Fix, write about the complex rules, mixed messages, confusion and fear in the immigrant community in light of changes to Welfare rules as they apply to noncitizens. In their opinion, the results are that many immigrants
Research Report Novgorod Regional Investment Initiative
In 1997, USAID organized the Novgorod Regional Investment Initiative to accelerate economic transition at the local level, foster U.S.-Russian linkages, and spur increased trade and investment. This report describes UI's efforts to achieve these aims through reforming the region's land and real
Research Report Health Policy for Low-Income People in Oklahoma
There are two Highlights for each state. The Highlights that focus on health cover Medicaid, other public insurance programs, the health care marketplace, and the role of public providers. The Highlights capture policies in place and planned in 1996 and early 1997.
Brief The Decline In Medicaid Spending Growth In 1996
Medicaid spending growth has slowed to unprecedented levels and, for the first time in the program's history, enrollment has fallen. This policy brief updates earlier analyses conducted for the Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured by researchers at the Urban Institute. It critically