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

    Pediatric Asthma

    Pediatric asthma enacts an unequal burden on Baltimore’s children. This Abell Report documents the prevalence of pediatric asthma in Baltimore and calls for an equity-driven, multimodal, public health approach to addressing it.

    2019 Annual Report

    Our 2019 Annual Report highlights programs that are meeting the needs of Baltimore’s most vulnerable citizens, advocating for changes to structures and practices that undergird inequality, and supporting residents who are building stronger neighborhoods across our city.

    Overcoming Barriers to Homeownership in Baltimore City

    Could additional first-time homebuyer incentives and more flexibly underwritten loans reverse declining rates of homeownership in Baltimore? The short answer: not alone.

    Baltimore College Fact Book: Data Digest of College Access Outcomes

    With support from the Abell Foundation, the Baltimore Education Research Consortium (BERC) released a College Fact Book, a compendium of college access-related data that provides a detailed overview of Baltimore City Schools (City Schools) students’ experiences preparing for, enrolling in, and completing postsecondary education.

    Reforming Baltimore’s Mayoral Elections

    How can we increase electoral competition, raise participation, and improve political representation?

    Header photo courtesy of Venture for America.