For communities in southwestern Pennsylvania, visionary and strategic work often competes with day-to-day demands. Research is essential to diagnosing local issues, identifying best practices, and innovating solutions–but it can feel out of reach when capacity is tight. The Research Council was built to break down that barrier.

What is the Research Council?
The Research Council is a collaborative initiative designed to match the needs of local governments with the talent and resources of our regional universities. Our mission is to foster mutually beneficial partnerships that solve municipal challenges while providing students and faculty with high-impact, hands-on opportunities. To us, research is a hands-on, actionable means of co-producing solutions to real-world municipal needs like:

Identifying and Assessing Issues: Collecting and analyzing data to help municipalities understand and advocate for specific community problems and opportunities.

Synthesizing Best Practices: Gathering and summarizing case studies and scholarship to help municipalities make informed decisions based on proven models.

Creating New Solutions: Developing actionable plans, designs, and policy recommendations tailored to the needs of local communities.

Building Capacity: Bolstering strategic municipal activities like communicating with residents, navigating investment opportunities, and exploring strategic partnerships.