impact - September 2026
CUF Directly Inspires New Pilot Program Offering Free OMNY Cards to CUNY StudentsFor nearly a decade, CUF has championed free transit cards for CUNY students as a step towards boosting upward mobility for New Yorkers. In September 2026, the city announced a new pilot program offering just that.
impact - April 2026
CUF Influences FY2027 City Council Budget ResponseThe City Council’s FY2027 budget response calls for investments in CUNY programs and new revenues streams to fund the city’s parks that CUF directly inspired.
impact - February 2026
CUF Report Sparks City Council Hearing on Boosting Workforce Development at CUNYThe City Council held a hearing in light of a recent CUF report where CUF editorial and policy director Eli Dvorkin testified on workforce development and CUNY.
impact - February 2026
CUF Report Sparks City Council Hearing on Affordability Challenges Facing ArtistsCUF’s report on the post-pandemic challenges facing the city’s creative sector directly led to a City Council hearing where CUF’s editorial and policy director spoke on the affordability crisis facing the sector.
impact - February 2026
“The think tank quietly influencing NY’s top officials”Crain's New York Business recently published this in-depth profile of the Center for an Urban Future (CUF), titled “The think tank quietly influencing New York’s top officials.” The article noted that “CUF has hit its stride in recent years, managing to catch the attention of powerful city officials with its brand of pragmatic, hyper-specific ideas for improving economic mobility.”
impact - January 2026
CUF Impacts Governor Hochul’s 2026 State of the StateEarlier this month, Governor Kathy Hochul delivered her State of the State address. Several policies in her agenda are directly inspired by CUF’s proposals to preserve arts spaces, expand New Yorkers’ access to college credentials, and address the affordability crisis increasingly faced by older adults.
impact - September 2025
CUF Report Spurs City and State Action to Close the Bronx Digital DivideSince the publication of CUF’s report highlighting the digital divide in the Bronx, both Mayor Eric Adams and Governor Kathy Hochul have launched new policies that echo our recommendations and aim to close the digital gap.
impact - July 2025
CUF Directly Inspires Launch of SUNY ReconnectFollowing CUF’s call to action, Governor Hochul announced the statewide launch of SUNY Reconnect—modeled on the successful CUNY Reconnect initiative—to help working-age New Yorkers return to college and earn degrees in high-demand fields.
impact - June 2025
CUF Influences New York City’s FY2026 BudgetNew York City adopted its FY2026 budget, which includes several restorations and investments inspired by the Center for an Urban Future’s research and recommendations to boost support for NYC’s minority-owned businesses and CUNY students.
impact - April 2025
CUF Inspires Key Proposals in City Council’s FY2026 Budget ResponseIn April, the City Council released its FY2026 budget response. Several of the Council's proposals align with CUF’s research, including investments in key programs for CUNY and small minority-owned businesses.
impact - April 2025
CUF Research Inspires City Council Hearing on Small Financial Barriers for CUNY StudentsCUF’s research on helping CUNY’s low-income adult learners prompted a City Council hearing concentrated on removing small financial barriers for CUNY students.
impact - March 2025
CUF inspires City Council proposals to bolster minority businesses & support CUNY’s adult learnersDuring her 2025 State of the City address, City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams announced four new policies directly inspired to boost support for the city's minority-owned businesses and adult learners at CUNY.
impact - February 2025
CUF Report Influences Allocation of State Funds to Decarbonize CUNY and SUNY CampusesGovernor Hochul announced $150 million from the 2022 Environmental Bond Act to decarbonize CUNY and SUNY campuses—an action spurred by CUF’s April 2024 report spotlighting CUNY’s aging infrastructure and urging the state to leverage these funds.
impact - January 2025
CUNY Creates New Initiative for Transfer Students, Echoing CUF RecommendationCUNY recently launched the CUNY Transfer Initiative to create a more seamless and less costly transfer process for students moving within the college system—echoing CUF’s recent research calling for strategic investments to improve student transfer outcomes.
impact - January 2025
CUF Research Inspires City Council Hearing on Pathways into the Creative EconomyCUF’s research on the underrepresentation of New Yorkers of color in the creative economy prompted a City Council oversight hearing, where Data Researcher Rachel Neches outlined the challenge and proposed an innovative solution.
impact - January 2025
CUF Catalyzes New Investment in CUNY ACEGovernor Hochul’s FY 2026 budget proposal includes $20 million to expand CUNY ACE and ASAP—college success programs that have been largely city-funded until now. This state investment reflects CUF’s research urging greater state support to scale these proven initiatives boosting graduation rates.
impact - September 2024
CUF Research Helps Spark New Online Funding Marketplace to Expand Reach of CDFIsNYC’s new Funds Finder platform, which has already disbursed $1 million in affordable capital, delivers on CUF’s 2022 call for a single tool to connect under resourced entrepreneurs with mission-driven lenders like CDFIs.
impact - September 2024
CUF called for a new university. Now one is coming.Earlier this year, the Center for an Urban Future argued that establishing a new top-flight undergraduate university in New York City should be a key part of efforts to keep the city competitive in the emerging post-pandemic economy. We were excited by Vanderbilt University’s announcement that it is planning to open a new campus in Chelsea—and thrilled to hear from university officials that our research contributed to their decision to expand.
impact - September 2024
CUF Sparks ESOL Investment in LibrariesNew York City’s public libraries received a $4 million grant from the Carnegie Corporation that will in part support English language and literacy programs for the asylum seeker population. Our recent report called for an increased investment in ESOL programs to prepare asylum seekers to enter the city’s workforce.
impact - July 2024
CUF Influences New York City’s FY2025 BudgetNew York City adopted its FY2025 budget, which includes includes several restorations and investments inspired by the Center for an Urban Future’s recent research and recommendations, including restoration of CUNY's budget and funding for key opportunity programs, establishing a human services-focused fellowship, restoring funding for adult literacy programs, including ESOL, and bolstering the capacity of CDFIs.
