UNC Charlotte Urban Institute

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

05/22/2026

The Charlotte City Council could resurrect Charlotte’s long-defunct red light camera
program amid rising traffic fatalities.

Red light cameras can greatly reduce the number of serious crashes at certain intersections, but state laws in North Carolina have complicated their implementation.

Read more about the possibility of reviving the red light camera program here: bit.ly/4nwGNW8

05/13/2026

✈️ New partnerships are taking off!

Charlotte Douglas International Airport - CLT and UNC Charlotte’s Aviation and Innovation Research Institute are steering the future of airport runways through a joint research program between the university and the airport. In the only project of its kind in the nation, the teams will study aviation infrastructure from the inside of the runway itself.

Read more about this partnership here: bit.ly/3ReXRnm

05/02/2026

Gun violence in Fayetteville is often spotlighted by headlines -- but the data tells a more complex story.

In 2024, the UNC Charlotte Urban Institute partnered with the City of Fayetteville, NC Government to take a closer look at gun violence by combining crime data, community voices and completing a cost analysis. The findings show some progress, with firearm incidents declining overall since 2022, though young adults ages 18 to 24 are more likely to be involved with gun violence.

The findings also highlight persistent challenges, including concentrated impacts in certain neighborhoods and a staggering $466 million cost in 2024 that was driven largely by quantifying the intangible costs associated with loss of life and the long-term effects on victims, families and communities.

The report underscores that young adults are both at the center of risk and key to prevention. It also reveals a critical gap between perception and reality -- one that can shape investment, opportunity and ,ultimately, outcomes.

Reducing gun violence requires more than enforcement. It calls for early intervention, stronger data systems, community partnerships and a shift in how we understand and talk about violence.

A more informed, community-centered approach can help Fayetteville build on progress while addressing the conditions that drive it.

Read more here: bit.ly/4t1XtpB