DATA COLLECTION
Numbers and facts can tell powerful stories—47 million uninsured adults in America, 5 million kids with at least one undocumented parent, 23 million taxpayers facing the alternative minimum tax. Numbers like these can bring home the seriousness and urgency of the nation’s most pressing concerns. Policymakers and the press rely on the Urban Institute for sound, reliable data to inform their decisions and their stories.
POLICY ANALYSIS
When lawmakers announce their policy proposals, Institute researchers are quick to respond with fact-based, objective analysis. The advanced research tools in our kit include computer modeling, survey design and analysis, cost-benefit and regression analysis, site visits, and other methods. Our researchers are often ahead of the curve, foreseeing emerging problems and offering solutions.
EVALUATION
We evaluate local, state, and national programs and policies to find out what works and what doesn’t, who benefits and who’s being left behind. Our researchers study the results of Baltimore’s high school reforms, the effectiveness of Massachusetts’ universal health insurance plan, and the long-term effect of welfare reform on low-income families nationwide.
PUBLIC EDUCATION
From podcasts and e-newsletters to media briefings and testimony, our work travels in many forms to reach a broad audience. We’re making use of new forms of communication, including live audiocasts of our conferences, to ensure our research findings are widely discussed.
How the POLICY ENVIRONMENT has Changed