While the work of the Urban Initiative never stops, May marks the end of the academic year at UMass Dartmouth. This means that students--including almost 30 who have worked on projects with or through the Urban Initiative this semester--are hurriedly wrapping up reports, a few of which we hope to feature in next month's newsletter. It also means that Hannah Colestock, the Urban Initiative's graduate research assistant for the past year, will be moving on to put her newly acquired Master's of Public Policy to use as the Executive Director of Girls on the Run - Rhode Island. Good luck, Hannah!

We are currently working on hiring a new grad assistant for the upcoming school year. In the meantime, we're excited to announce that UMass Dartmouth undergrad Evan Desrochers will be joining us for the inaugural year of our Urban Policy Summer Internship Program. Do you know a college student who might be interested in contributing their talents to the work of the Urban Initiative as an intern this summer? Please put them in touch!

• Today, the Urban Initiative is hosting nearly 20 of our local friends and partners on a visit to the Dudley Street Neighborhood Initiative (DSNI) in Roxbury, MA. DSNI is considered a model for sustainable, resident-driven neighborhood revitalization, a topic about which there has been considerable conversation in our region's cities. We expect that our group, which includes people with backgrounds in education, housing, the arts, and economic development, will come home with inspiration, information, and ideas for action. Keep an eye on our blog for a recap of this trip, and get in touch if you want to learn more about this effort! 
   
• Seekonk may not be 'urban,' but they offered us a project we couldn't refuse, because it centers around two things that are near and dear to our hearts: financial education and program evaluation. We'll be helping them track the outcomes of a two-year-long initiative called Dollars and Sense, which includes four semesters of financial education workshops for Seekonk women.  

Not (yet) a subscriber to our blog, Urban Update? Here's what you've been missing: 

• The just-released, street-by-street data from the 1940 Census holds a trove of information that will interest policy wonks and homeowners alike. Check out this post to get connected to the data, learn who used to to live in your neighborhood, and contemplate the many ways in which our economy has changed over the past 72 years.

• Tongue firmly in cheek, guest blogger Jen Gonet suggests that to make more money, New Bedford women with graduate degrees should move to Fall River. This data-rich post explores the gap between between men and women when it comes to earnings, highlighting a noteworthy point that in South Coast cities, an average woman needs a Bachelor's degree to earn more than an average man without even a high school diploma.   

•  Guest blogger and budget analyst Chris Nunes is back with a post that argues for a more transparent and detailed budgeting process in the City of New Bedford. He also recommends some steps for performance-based budgeting and using the city's website to promote better information-sharing.  

       

What: "Hands on Communications: Tools & Strategies for Sharing Your Story" Presented by Kath Connolly, the Director of Partnerships at The Learning Community, a high poverty high performing public charter school in Central Falls, RI.  Register here.

When: Friday 5/11 from 9:00-12:00p  

Want your upcoming event listed? Email us!