UNC Charlotte Urban Institute

10/03/2026

This Saturday, we bring you a very stinky throwback...

On October 2, 2025 a few of us from the Charlotte Urban Institute visited Cadavera, the co**se flower in bloom at the UNC Charlotte Botanical Gardens.

The co**se flower, or Titan Arum, only blooms every 3-5 years and lasts about 12-24 hours before closing again. For this reason, we were so excited to have the opportunity to witness this rare event --- smell included.

We looking forward to seeing --- and smelling --- the next co**se flower to bloom!

09/26/2026

We are excited to announce the release of the third annual State of Our Data Report!

This report provides the Charlotte Regional Data Trust Board of Directors, alongside communities, partners and stakeholders, with an annual update and summary of our community data ecosystem. It also provides a public record of how our community data ecosystem grows and evolves to better meet the needs of our communities.

This report documents data and work during calendar year 2025. Curious about our data landscape? Learn more and read the full report here: bit.ly/4xFeXKL

09/12/2026

📷Let's take a moment to experience McCrorey Heights on film.

On August 21, the Charlotte Urban Institute's Director of Research Translation and Engagement, Asha Ellison, and her associate Bianca Bagley, alongside former research assistant Fatima Rodriguez Caba got the opportunity to explore McCrorey Heights while guided by a longtime resident.

🌳The walk, documented for a community-engaged learning module for new UNC Charlotte students, highlighted changes experienced during the neighborhood's lifetime, the stories behind each and every home, and notable neighbors of the past and present.

Many thanks to Fatima Rodriguez Caba for the wonderful photos and Sean Langley for the incredible tour.

08/21/2026

On Monday, the Charlotte Urban Institute's Community-Engaged Research and Learning team, hosted its annual Community Engagement Orientation which brought new faculty and senior staff together for a dynamic morning of partnership, collaboration, and conversations about community impact across Charlotte-Mecklenburg.

The event featured a networking breakfast, remarks from UNC Charlotte Chancellor Sharon L. Gaber, a showcase of community engagement occurring across campus and a discussion panel with Charlotte-area community leaders. The morning provided an opportunity to connect, learn and deepen understanding of how UNC Charlotte works alongside communities to create meaningful impact.

To learn more about the Institute's community-engaged research and learning, click here: bit.ly/4za47hI

08/14/2026

"When you think of Charlotte-area industries, farming might not be the first thing that comes to mind. But there are about 9,000 farms operating across 14 counties in the region. That number is getting smaller, though, even as the farms that remain are getting bigger and increasingly concentrated in fewer hands. That’s according to a new report by the Charlotte Urban Institute."

Thank you to WFAE for discussing with Roland McReynolds of the Carolina Farm Stewardship Association what a new report on shrinking farms by the UNC Charlotte Urban Institute's very own Kailas Venkitasubramanian, director or research analytics, means for our region. Read more and listen here:

Farms are shrinking in number but growing in size across the 14-county Charlotte region, according to a new report from the Charlotte Urban Institute. We talk with Roland McReynolds, executive director of the Carolina Farm Stewardship Association, about what that means for local agriculture.

08/07/2026

We're Flashing back this Friday to June 10, 2026, when we celebrated a transition of leadership on the Charlotte Regional Data Trust Board of Directors.

Please join us in congratulating Jamaal Kinard, executive director of Lakeview Neighborhood Alliance, and Kathryn Firmin-Sellers, president and chief executive officer of United Way of Greater Charlotte, as they step into their new roles as Board President and Vice President, respectively.

We're also grateful to Bank of America's Jenny Ward, past president, for her outstanding leadership and lasting contributions to the Institute and Data Trust.

Thank you, Jamaal, Kathryn, and Jenny, for your continued leadership, service, and commitment to our community! 👏

06/22/2026

Led by Travis Mayo, chief operating officer at Housing Collaborative, this FREE Wednesday, June 24, 2026 webinar introduces participants to the world of intangibles and shows how they can be observed, tracked and integrated into compelling stories about impact.

Drawing from Human-Centered Evaluation, and using real world examples, participants will learn how they function as core drivers within a theory of change, and how nonprofits can begin integrating them into data, learning and communication. The session will help practitioners understand why intangibles are often the missing link in their ability to tell a clear, holistic story about their work. Registration required.

Date: Wednesday, June 24
Time: 11 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.
Register here: https://lnkd.in/e_CvsVh8

06/11/2026

Nonprofits can count services delivered, but the deeper shifts that drive real change are harder to capture.

Join us on Wednesday, June 24, 2026 from 11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. for a FREE "Making the Invisible Visible: How Intangibles Strengthen Your Impact Story" webinar with Travis Mayo of Housing Collaborative. The webinar introduces participants to the world of intangibles and shows participants how they function as core drivers within a theory of change, and how nonprofits can begin integrating them into data, learning and communication. Register here: bit.ly/4ojuhcJ

06/06/2026

Have you ever wondered if you're represented in the Charlotte Regional Data Trust data? You may be, because our data ARE people.

In fact, over a million Mecklenburg County residents are a part of the Data trust. Your deidentified data provides valuable insight on problems related to quality of life in Charlotte and supports appropriate solutions.

Want to learn more about the Data Trust? Read more here: bit.ly/3RratrL

05/30/2026

Charlotte is moving onward and upward.

Recent census data displays positive growth for our metropolitan area, with the Queen City becoming an increasingly popular destination for domestic and international migrants alike. In fact, the Charlotte metropolitan area was named one of the top five metro areas in terms of growth between July 2024 and July 2025.

What else does this new census data tell us about Charlotte’s growing and changing population, and how can we use it to make more intentional planning and policy decisions?

Read more about what census data tells us about Charlotte's shifting landscape here: bit.ly/4f2UNoj