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: License to Work

    Thousands of Baltimore jobseekers struggle to secure and retain employment because they do not possess reliable personal transportation. This report examines how barriers, such as driver’s license requirements, vehicle ownership costs, and spatial employment and transit patterns, prevent Baltimore residents from accessing stable employment opportunities.

    Abell Report: Beyond the Headlines

    As the city celebrates historic reductions in gun violence, the media continues to broadcast headlines warning of crime by city youths ages 17 and younger. This report analyzes data available from key entities engaged with crimes charged to young people.

    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.

    Publications Library

    Supporting Executive Function in Schools: A Look at Three Promising Program Models

    Executive Function (EF) is important for success in school and in life. This Abell Report digs into the research on EF and explores three programs operating in Baltimore and nationwide.

    Public Health and Cannabis Legalization

    As Maryland lawmakers consider the legalization of recreational cannabis, this Abell-funded report by the Maryland chapter of the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD-Maryland) considers the implications for public health policies. How have other states navigated these policies? What can be learned from their experiences?

    Advancing and Sustaining the Community Health Worker Workforce in Baltimore

    Community Health Workers (CHWs) are frontline public health personnel who are making a difference in Baltimore City. This Abell Report examines funding strategies to sustain their work.

    Protecting Baltimore’s Water Supply from “Forever Chemicals”

    This Abell Report outlines how the federal and state governments can mitigate the threat of “forever chemicals” in our drinking water.

    Cooling Cities, Slowing Climate Change and Enhancing Equity

    With funding from the Abell Foundation, the Smart Surfaces Coalition analyzed the costs and benefits of adopting “smart surfaces” in neighborhoods of Baltimore City where a high proportion of residents have low incomes.

    Header photo courtesy of Venture for America.