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.
impact - June 2024
CUF report inspires City Council hearing on improving outcomes for CUNY transfer studentsA recent CUF report on improving outcomes for CUNY’s transfer students directly inspired a City Council hearing held by the Committee on Higher Education. CUF Editorial and Policy Director Eli Dvorkin provided lead testimony, recommending new and baseline investments in CUNY’s transfer student initiatives.
impact - May 2024
CUF research sparks state policy changes to tuition assistance program (TAP)The state's FY 2025 budget formally authorizes the expansion of the tuition assistance program (TAP) to part-time students, which CUF has recommended for more than a decade. The state also increased income thresholds for TAP, which the Center has recommended in several publications over the years.
impact - April 2024
CUF Inspires Key Proposals in City Council’s FY2025 Budget ResponseIn April, the City Council released its FY2025 budget response. Several of the Council's proposals align with recent research and recommendations from the Center for an Urban Future, including investments in CUNY Reconnect and CUNY ACE, training teachers in computing education, increasing support for underresourced entrepreneurs, and bolstering adult literacy and older adult services.
impact - April 2024
CUF report inspires major new state investment in the artsNew York State's FY 2025 budget includes a $40 million increase in grantmaking funds for the New York State Council on the Arts and implementation of three new arts-and-culture programs. CUF's report on the creative economy in upstate New York put forward the very same proposals.
impact - March 2024
CUF’s research influences new workforce RFI to support New Yorkers with disabilitiesThe Mayor's Office for Economic Opportunity announced a Request for Information (RFI) for a new initiative to “co-design and pilot new workforce development programs for New Yorkers with disabilities." This initiative was significantly influenced by the Center for an Urban Future’s research and various publications on New Yorkers with disabilities.
impact - March 2024
Council Speaker Proposes to Redevelop Libraries Into Affordable Housing, Echoing CUF RecommendationDuring her 2024 State of the City address, City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams announced that the City Council is committing to an initiative to develop affordable housing on existing library branches, mirroring CUF's recommendations across a series of publications.
impact - December 2023
CUF sparks the expansion of CUNY 2X TechMayor Adams announced $10 million in funding to expand CUNY 2X Tech to five new campuses at the City University of New York. A pair of reports published by CUF called to expand this critically important program in order to boost CUNY’s effectiveness as a springboard into technology-powered careers.
impact - June 2023
DOT Expands Micromobility to Queens, Echoing CUF RecommendationsThe city’s Department of Transportation announced that the successful e-scooter sharing program piloted in the Bronx will expand to eastern Queens. CUF's recent commentary on expanding micromobility in all five boroughs called for the expansion of the Bronx e-scooter pilot to less transit-rich neighborhoods in Queens.
impact - May 2023
CUF Sparks Start-up Competition for NYCHA EntrepreneursA report CUF published outlining the need for more support for entrepreneurs living in NYCHA has inspired a new start-up competition explicitly for public housing residents. Additionally, CUF's report influenced nine major proposals from the Council Speaker and a bill recently introduced by the City Council to support NYCHA entrepreneurs.
impact - March 2023
Council Speaker’s State of the City Proposals Echo CUF RecommendationsCity Council Speaker Adrienne E. Adams delivered her second State of the City address in March 2023, in which she highlighted two important proposals sparked by research from CUF: one on expanding economic opportunity for minority-owned businesses and another focused on boosting support for NYCHA entrepreneurs.
impact - January 2023
CUF Inspires Mayor’s Proposals in State of the City AddressMayor Adams delivered his second State of the City address and announced three key proposals to help New Yorkers get ahead that were directly inspired by the Center for an Urban Future’s recent research and policy recommendations, including launching an Apprenticeship Accelerator, expanding CUNY 2X Tech, and connecting New Yorkers with disabilities to jobs.
impact - January 2023
CUF shapes new efforts to fix city’s broken capital construction processThe Adams administration’s Capital Process Reform Task Force released detailed recommendations, which drew heavily from the ideas and policy recommendations in the Center’s previous three reports calling attention to the city’s delay-ridden and overly costly capital construction process.
impact - January 2023
CUF’s Research Helps to Spark Inclusion of CDFIs in NYC Small Business Opportunity FundIn January, Mayor Adams announced the launch of a $75 million Small Business Opportunity Fund, that will tap the city's nonprofit Community Development Financial Institutions as lending partners, mirroring the Center’s recommendations for the city to make CDFIs a key partner in efforts to strengthen under-resourced small businesses.
impact - December 2022
CUF inspires new bills to expand job opportunities for New Yorkers with disabilitiesIn late December, the City Council passed two bills that would expand employment opportunities for people with disabilities, inspired by research and recommendations from CUF’s March 2022 Access Opportunity report.
impact - December 2022
CUF influences the mayor and governor’s New New York reportIn December, Mayor Adams and Governor Hochul released the recommendations of the "New" New York Panel. Three recommendations were directly inspired by CUF's research, including: modernizing libraries to support remote work; reducing employment barriers for people with disabilities; and creating workforce infrastructure to connect New Yorkers with good jobs.
impact - October 2022
NYC invests in teen library spaces, echoing CUF’s recommendationsMayor Adams announced a $15-million investment in dedicated teen spaces and programs across New York City’s public libraries, reflecting key recommendations from CUF's history of research on libraries.
impact - September 2022
CUF report influences City Council bill to create Small Business Digitization TeamCouncil Member Julie Menin introduced a bill to establish an Office of Small Business Digitalization to help many more small businesses in the city get online. This initiative follows CUF's event on how to help more minority-owned businesses get online and our report No Small Relief, which included recommendations for city leaders to help small businesses adapt to the digital world.
