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.
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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.
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.
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.
Concerned that the economic distress of the pandemic might lead to an increase in the number of Home Equity Conversion Mortgages (HECM), the Abell Foundation funded The Reinvestment Fund to do an analysis of HECM originations in Baltimore City.
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.
Header photo courtesy of Venture for America.
