What We’re Learning

What We’re Learning

We believe that a community of creative problem-solvers, faced with complicated, seemingly intractable challenges, is well-served by thought-provoking, research-based information and analysis. We support the development and dissemination of research in two ways:

Abell Reports

Abell Reports are commissioned reports by subject matter experts, academics, and investigative journalists that provide studies of selected issues on the public agenda.

Abell-Supported Research

These projects – undertaken with grant funding by academics and nonprofit research and advocacy organizations – advance learning on issues key to Baltimore City.

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    Featured Reports

    Photo courtesy of the Goucher Prison Education Partnership.

    2024 Annual Report

    A reflection on the promising new approaches and new resources that have been brought to bear in the last decade.

    Abell Report: “Justice by Geography”: Improving Pretrial Electric Monitoring in Maryland

    Recent changes to state funding have reignited conversations among Maryland corrections leaders about expanding and strengthening electronic monitoring (EM) and pretrial services. This report summarizes key findings from the Justice Policy Institute’s research into EM as well as best practices.

    Abell Report: Evidence of Racial Bias in Home Appraisals in the Baltimore Metropolitan Area

    Racial bias in home appraising can harm individuals by making home purchases more expensive or refinancing unattainable, but when compounded on the community level, it can have profound impacts on minority communities’ ability to build wealth. Using newly available federal data, this report finds evidence of systemic appraisal bias that undervalues homes in predominantly Black communities in Baltimore City and the surrounding counties.

    Publications Library

    The Economic Impact of an Eviction Right to Counsel

    A new report from Stout Risius Ross, LLC (Stout), funded by the Abell Foundation, finds an annual investment of $5.7 million in a right to counsel for Baltimore tenants facing eviction would yield $35.6 million in benefits to Baltimore City and the State of Maryland.

    Baltimore’s Digital Divide: Gaps in Internet Connectivity and the Impact on Low-income City Residents

    This Abell Report documents the depths of Baltimore’s digital divide, a systemic problem that is now urgent and acute as it creates barriers to remote learning, telehealth appointments, and applying for jobs and benefits.

    Drilling Down in Baltimore’s Neighborhoods

    This Abell Report mines data from 2000 to 2017 to better understand how the racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic composition of Baltimore’s neighborhoods have changed.

    Microplastics: the Grand Reach of Our Tiny Plastics Problem

    Microplastics pollution in Bay waters is an urgent issue that may affect the overall success of the Chesapeake Bay restoration effort.

    Green Stormwater Infrastructure

    Blue Water Baltimore highlights the challenges with the implementation of green stormwater infrastructure in this Abell-Supported research.

    Header photo courtesy of Venture for America.