The University of Baltimore's expertise in evaluating data in a number of city investments intended to improve the quality of life in Baltimore is receiving praise from city officials. On May 14, the Mayor's Office of Recovery Programs (MORP) announced the release of several reports that consider the impact of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding decisions made by the city. Held up for praise in this assessment were the University's Baltimore Neighborhood Indicators Alliance (BNIA), part of the Jacob France Institute, and UBalt's Schaefer Center for Public Policy. The University, in partnership with MORP, examined data and reported on the relative effectiveness of various ARPA funding decisions that were part of Baltimore's recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Both entities worked with the MORP to evaluate the impact of ARPA funds directed toward initiatives in workforce development, economic opportunity, housing stability, public safety, and community well-being.
In its release on the interim reports, MORP said they will "serve as a baseline for measuring the long-term success of Baltimore's recovery efforts."
When the federal ARPA grant ends, the City will publish both an overall impact study and final reports on each area that received support.
Mayor Brandon M. Scott called the ARPA funding "one of the most significant federal investments in our city's history, and we've put every single dollar to good use."
He cited City Hall's investments in schools, parks, affordable housing, summer jobs programs for teens, and more as examples of ARPA funding.
BNIA Director Amanda Phillips de Lucas said the partnership between UBalt and city government showed that data analysis can be a cornerstone of assessment, and a way to determine public priorities going forward.
"Programs supported by APRA drove Baltimore's recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic," Dr. Phillips de Lucas said. "This significant investment produced change in our neighborhoods that will be felt by residents for year to come. These evaluations are a first step in tracing this impact and setting the stage to understand long term progress in the years ahead."
Dr. Ann Cotten, executive director of the Schaefer Center said, "The Schaefer Center team is proud to contribute our evaluation expertise to this research. The results will provide important feedback to Baltimore residents and elected officials and offer meaningful insights for other communities considering similar initiatives."
Learn more about the Baltimore Neighborhood Indicators Alliance, part of the Jacob France Institute, and the Schaefer Center for Public Policy.