Research Projects | Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy
Displaying 31 - 60 of 92
Program in Practical Policy Projects

Understanding the Risks of a Changing Climate for the Great Lakes

September 2021 - December 2021
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Delores Ami-Narh (MBA ‘22), Ryan Fogarty (MPA ‘22), Karissa Kresge (MPP ‘22), Max Shpilband (MPP ‘23)
The Great Lakes Commission’s Action Plan for a Resilient Great Lakes notes, “All members of the Great Lakes community have a role to play in securing a more resilient Great Lakes Basin.” One such role community members can play, and a stated goal across the Action Plan, was to connect existing knowledge on the Great Lakes Basin and ensure community expertise is available. Responding to this need in the community, the Great Lakes Commission (GLC), in partnership with Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy, sought to aggregate existing studies and assessments that identify risks related to...
Program in Practical Policy Projects

Training Future Policymakers

September 2021 - December 2021
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Mallak Beydoun (MPA '22), Justin Fisher (MPA ‘22), Jeffrey Pfeifer (MPA ‘22)
The team provided a framework and guide for future policy makers enrolled in the City of Detroit’s Executive Leadership Program. The presentation is divided into three categories: policy making process, influences on the policy making process, and limitation on influences/ethics.  There are six steps identified in the policy making process: proposing legislation; submitting legislation to City Council; public input; committee hearings; voting; implementation; and corporation council review. City Administration may also create regulations, decisions or executive orders. Policy can be...
Program in Practical Policy Projects

Economic Impacts of Resilient Investments in the Great Lakes

September 2021 - December 2021
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Nomindari Gousakoff (MPP ‘22), Robert Killeen (MS ‘22 SEAS), Yasin Shafi (MPP ‘22)
The team’s research evaluated the economic benefits of three city-government climate resilience projects implemented in the Great Lakes Region (GLR). The case studies are adaptation projects implemented in Toledo, Ohio, Two Harbors, Minnesota and Ann Arbor, Michigan.  The cases indicate climate-resilience focused interventions were cost-beneficial for Two Harbors and Ann Arbor and projected to be cost-beneficial for Toledo. The research illustrates the complexity of climate-resiliency projects and the economic considerations that exist within them. The report provides an overview of each...
Program in Practical Policy Projects

Food Security Landscape

September 2021 - December 2021
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Saba Ansari (MPH ‘22), Karina Hernandez (MPP ‘22)
Oakland County maintains a high standard of living, but food insecurity exists throughout pockets of the county.  For Oakland County to maintain and further strengthen its economic prosperity, community health, and workforce, it must reconsider its approach to meeting its communities' basic needs. In March of 2021, the American Rescue Plan (ARP) was signed into law, distributing money to states and counties to address urgent COVID-19 response efforts and the systemic public health effects that have contributed to the unequal impact of the pandemic. The students were tasked with identifying...
Program in Practical Policy Projects

Landlord Engagement and Best Practices

September 2021 - December 2021
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Mira Bader (BA ‘23), Lukas Hagen (MPP ‘23), Anna Kelly (MPP ‘23), Steve Knutson (MPP ‘23)
The Homeless Action Network of Detroit (HAND) is developing a coordinated approach to engage with landlords to rent to people experiencing homelessness in Detroit to ease coordination and communication by consolidating housing resources into one system-wide database. The researchers’ role focused on investigating housing databases and best practices, compiling contacts and resources for use in the database, conducting case studies of successful landlord engagement in comparable cities, and compiling a report of the findings. Their report provides HAND with the necessary information to...
Program in Practical Policy Projects

Scan of Cybersecurity Training Programs

September 2021 - December 2021
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Jasmine Kaltenbach (BA ‘21), Rachel McGivern (MPA ‘22)
The University of Michigan-Flint Office of Economic Development received a Cybersecurity Training Center designation and is interested in pursuing and implementing cybersecurity training in North Flint. The team recommended a cybersecurity training program, CyberStart America, and identified a community center, Berston Field House, to gauge community interest and discuss implementing this program. They also worked with Berston Field House to create a survey to be used to understand community interest, which can also be used as supporting documentation for future grant proposals by...
Program in Practical Policy Projects

Analysis of Political Reform Strategies for Michigan

May 2021 - July 2021
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Mandy Mitchell (MPP '22)
The research fellow investigated the likely impacts of adopting a nonpartisan primary with ranked choice voting in Michigan at the request of the Michigan Consensus Policy Project (MCCP). The MCPP is a bipartisan working group of former state officials that seeks to identify nonpartisan solutions to the state's most pressing...
Program in Practical Policy Projects

Policy Primer for Local Government Officials - Landscape Analysis

May 2021 - July 2021
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Nicholas Birdsong (J.D., MPP ‘22)
The research fellow worked with Detroit’s Civil Rights’ Inclusion and Opportunity (CRIO) Department to develop an advocacy primer for municipal officials. The primer laid out a framework for action and identified strategies for working at multiple levels of government to improve equity and inclusion in the city of...
Program in Practical Policy Projects

Soil Reclamation Best Practices Research Review

May 2021 - July 2021
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Sam Stragand (MPP ‘23)
The research fellow worked with the Michigan League of Conservation Voters to research “Soil Reclamation Best Practices” as part of a pro-environment legislative proposal to reform the regulation of aggregate (gravel) mining in the state of Michigan. The fellow’s research identified successful industry and government practices from around the world and analyzed the efficacy of those practices within the State of Michigan's regulatory...
Program in Practical Policy Projects

AHA Tobacco in School Elimination

May 2021 - June 2021
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Arron McDonald (BA ‘22), Brenna Goss (BA ‘22)
Two fellows were charged with researching current school policies throughout Michigan and the U.S. to identify best practices of reducing tobacco usage among student populations. The fellows were encouraged to identify policies that use a lesser or non-punitive approach in punishing offenders within a student body. Fellows used their findings to craft policy recommendations for current policies that could be adapted and provided research for the development of non-smoking/vaping social...
Program in Practical Policy Projects

Michigan Parenting Time Guideline – Accessibility and Usability Evaluation

May 2021 - June 2021
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Brenna Healy (BA ‘22), Gerald Sill (BA ‘22)
The fellows provided technical assistance to design the survey methodology for the State of the Court Administrative Office Friend of the Court Bureau’s Guideline revision project. Separate surveys were created for two distinct audiences of the Guideline users:  parents who have an existing custody, parenting time, and child support case; and legal/court professionals who work with parents to determine a parenting time schedule. The parents survey, in particular, explored the impact of a change in parenting time on payment of a child support...
Program in Practical Policy Projects

UM-Flint Office of Economic Development, Scan of Cybersecurity Training Programs

May 2021 - May 2021
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Molly Ryan (BA ‘22)
A PCLP fellow studied both the local cybersecurity training ecosystem and best practices in communities with demographics similar to Flint. Topics of interest included available types of training, cost, and delivery methods for high school students. Through virtual interviews with local stakeholders, the fellow learned if there was a demand for this type of training, and documented challenges and opportunities in communities that have been able to implement cybersecurity training programs. The research findings will be used to help inform UM-Flint’s Office of Economic Development, as well as...
Program in Practical Policy Projects

University Artic Institute Gap Analysis

January 2021 - April 2021
Students worked with the U.S. Department of Energy's Arctic Energy Office to create an “Arctic Research Resource Compendium,” which identified and cataloged university-based Arctic research institutes in the U.S. and Canada. The research resources included a list of Arctic and polar institutes, the focus of each of these institutes, and specific research projects of interest, particularly in the energy, environment and climate...
Program in Practical Policy Projects

2nd House District Water Infrastructure Funding

January 2021 - April 2021
The students developed a water infrastructure asset map that identifies stakeholders, agencies, and updates at every level of government that impact the area. Final deliverables also included information about funding opportunities for infrastructure repair from philanthropy and federal...
Program in Practical Policy Projects

Livonia Police Data Analysis

January 2021 - April 2021
This project involved an examination of diversity, equity, and inclusion policing issues in the city of Livonia, Michigan.  The student team examined the correlation between race and interactions with police in Livonia using criminal justice data, census information, and other available...
Program in Practical Policy Projects

Michigan Food Security Council Research Project

January 2021 - April 2021
COVID-19 has highlighted issues across Michigan’s food assistance programs. In order to better understand and rectify these inequalities, the Michigan Food Security Council’s Food Security Policy Workgroup and the Ford School conducted an environmental scan of food assistance and food security policies, and also completed a literature review that describes the effectiveness and requirements of various food...
Program in Practical Policy Projects

Michigan’s Task Force on Jail and Pretrial Incarceration

January 2021 - April 2021
The project involved research and writing policy recommendations related to Michigan’s Task Force on Jail and Pretrial Incarceration to build the power of individuals and families to challenge the root causes of poverty, advance justice, and promote human development through neighborhood-driven community organizing and civic...
Program in Practical Policy Projects

Active Transportation Pilot Project – Asset Mapping

December 2020 - April 2021
The City of Adrian, MI, Active Transportation Pilot Project with the Michigan Department of Transportation and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services regarding non-motorized trails and Complete Streets project.  The internship provided an asset mapping demonstrating where assets are in relationship to the current and planned trail/Complete Streets features locations.  The work may also involve additional surveying of the targeted population over time and designing an evaluation plan to assess the project’s...
Program in Practical Policy Projects

Workforce Development Research Assistant

December 2020 - April 2021
Student research assistant is helping with the design of a comprehensive, integrated service delivery system for workforce development by integrating workforce and essential skills...
Program in Practical Policy Projects

Resources for Southeast Michigan Micro-businesses

September 2020 - December 2021
The team of students provided a report for the New Economy Initiative to share with state and local policymakers and key stakeholder that includes a catalog of the resources and services available today to micro-businesses in Detroit and the metro area, and identified local and state policies/ ordinances/rules in peer regions that advance and/or hinder the growth of...
Program in Practical Policy Projects

Beneficial Uses for Coal Bottom Ash

September 2020 - December 2020
The project involved identifying, describing, mapping, and making recommendations about the myriad rules, regulations, and restrictions relating to the usage of coal bottom ash, an industrial byproduct, as well as how to transport the material in an environmentally safe...
Program in Practical Policy Projects

Communities of Interest Video

September 2020 - December 2020
The students worked with Voters Not Politicians (VNP) to create a video to raise awareness of Communities of Interest (COIs) to engage historically underrepresented and marginalized communities in the redistricting process.  The video is being used in VNP’s public engagement...
Program in Practical Policy Projects

Detroit Police and Community Relations

September 2020 - December 2020
Five students partnered with Peace and Justice in Detroit to support the organization’s grassroots efforts to improve police and community relations in the City of Detroit.  The students reviewed the Detroit Police Department’s policies and provided recommendations that included  the use of more intensive de-escalation and trauma training for both police officers and...
Program in Practical Policy Projects

Oakland County Schools DEI Research Project

September 2020 - December 2020
This project examined the connection between schools and the juvenile justice system that creates barriers to diversity, equity, and...
Program in Practical Policy Projects

Opportunities for Reforming Michigan Primary Elections

September 2020 - December 2020
To support Michigan reformers in their consideration of possibly adopting the top-two primary, the P3E student team conducted research and produced a report on the likely benefits and challenges of adopting the top-two primary in...
Program in Practical Policy Projects

Oakland County Schools DEI Research Project

July 2020 - August 2020
Summer fellows evaluated and challenged the barriers to equity faced by students in the Oakland County School District. Using data primarily from government and research institutions, the fellows analyzed discrepancies in schools based on factors such as race, income, and school budget, and made policy recommendations to the...
Program in Practical Policy Projects

Agrihood in Detroit with MUFI

June 2020 - July 2020
Students partnered with the Michigan Urban Farming Initiative to create a toolkit to assist with grant applications, brought together knowledge on “agrihoods,” and collected information to improve property maintenance code...
Program in Practical Policy Projects

COVID-19 and Nursing Home Policies

June 2020 - December 2020
The research fellow worked with the office of State Representative Kevin Coleman and conducted a 50 state feasibility study of nursing home responses to the COVID-19...