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

    Abell Report: Later School Start Times for Adolescents in Baltimore City Public Schools

    Everyone agrees that teens need more sleep. So why does school start so early? This report examines the research on school start times and the implications for students in Baltimore City.

    2023 Annual Report

    Our 2023 Annual Report highlights the work of organizations across the city that are dedicated to addressing the complex challenges many of our neighbors face and of the great potential they hold.

    Abell Reports: Police-Community Relations in Baltimore

    In 2017, the U.S. Department of Justice issued a consent decree for the Baltimore Police Department, mandating wide-ranging reforms. In a pair of companion reports, researchers from the University of Maryland examine the current state of community-police relations and how certain initiatives could help to improve them.

    Publications Library

    B’more for Healthy Babies: The Story Behind the Data

    B’more for Healthy Babies (BHB) is a multidisciplinary public health strategy to improve maternal and child health outcomes. BHB has made a significant difference in Baltimore City, cutting the racial disparity between Black and white infant deaths by more than half. This report explains what has made BHB so effective.

    Maryland Offshore Wind: Estimating the Costs and Benefits of Offshore Wind Energy Development

    In 2022, Maryland established some of the most ambitious greenhouse gas reduction targets of any state. To help guide Maryland in meeting these goals, this report analyzes the potential of additional offshore wind development.

    Standing Last in Line: The Hurdles to Bringing Environmental Accountability Lawsuits in Maryland

    Our court system is a core component of enforcing environmental protections. But current Maryland law limits who has standing to sue to protect the environment. This report looks at steps the state can take to improve this system.

    Costly Delays: Diagnosing and addressing operational delays in Baltimore’s nonprofit contracting process

    Baltimore City depends on nonprofits to provide services, particularly in Black and low-income communities. This Abell Report asks what causes the delays in the City’s contracting process with nonprofits and how can those delays be fixed?

    Examining the Opportunities and Challenges of the Rental Assistance Demonstration Program in Baltimore

    The Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) is designed to preserve public housing and provide the funding necessary for long deferred capital improvements. Has the program achieved those objectives in Baltimore? This Abell Report offers some early assessments.

    Header photo courtesy of Venture for America.