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 are commissioned reports by subject matter experts, academics, and investigative journalists that provide studies of selected issues on the public agenda.
These projects – undertaken with grant funding by academics and nonprofit research and advocacy organizations – advance learning on issues key to Baltimore City.
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?
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.
Vacant houses, uninhabitable due to abandonment or lack of owner investment, exert a heavy cost on neighborhoods and the City as a whole. This report calculates just how steep the public cost is and provides an economic backdrop for future action.
Child care is critical to enabling families to work, to reopening the economy, and to broader community prosperity. This Abell Report asks how we can improve the financing and delivery of child care so that it is more equitable, efficient and effective for low-income families in Baltimore and across the state.
The teacher recertification process costs significant time and money for individual teachers and the broader public. This Abell Report lays out the process involved, describes the lack of clear outcomes, and asks if there’s a better way.
How can we best support young students who are struggling to read in school? In the context of unprecedented disruptions to our educational system, this Abell Report summarizes the research, documents the current landscape of programs, and offers recommendations.
Medical debt can be crushing to families and result in lawsuits as hospitals seek to recover their costs. With support from the Abell Foundation, the Maryland Consumer Rights Coalition commissioned a study to understand the impacts of prohibiting Maryland hospitals from filing medical debt below a variety of thresholds.
With support from the Abell Foundation, the Attorney General’s COVID-19 Access to Justice Task Force brought together diverse leaders to confront the civil legal issues exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. This report captures their findings and recommendations.
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Header photo courtesy of Venture for America.
