Research and Results
May 10, 2012 - From the field
Most Young Adults Receive Significant Financial Assistance from Family
Research finds that most young adults receive financial assistance from their family and that the average annual transfers is roughly $7,500. More
May 8, 2012 - From the field
Smarter Nets Equal Bigger Fish, Higher Income
Study shows modifying gear size allows smaller fish to escape resulting in more profitable catches for poverty-stricken fisheries in Kenya. More
May 4, 2012 - Publication
Protected Areas in Africa’s Albertine Rift Continue to Support Wildlife
A new book produced by the Wildlife Conservation Society and Albertine Rift Conservation Society, both MacArthur grantees, finds that strong management of the areas has preserved regional wildlife. More
April 27, 2012 - Publication
Reports Find Job Creation Potential in Energy Efficiency
Two recent studies by the Institute for Market Transformation, a MacArthur grantee, predict that new energy disclosure policies will drive competition to improve buildings’ energy ratings, leading to more jobs. More
April 5, 2012 - Publication
Public Housing Transformation and Crime in Atlanta and Chicago
study More
March 26, 2012 - From the field
Even Brief Fishing Season Can Prove Long-Term Detriment to Protected Marine Areas
A study by MacArthur grantee the Wildlife Conservation Society and other partners found that the opening of a protected Fijan coral reef for a brief fishing season significantly depleted wildlife in the area. More
March 21, 2012 - From the field
Study Maps Networks on Russian Twitter
A new report from Harvard University’s Berkman Center for Internet and Society delineates several networks within Russia’s Twitter ecosystem centered on topics ranging from politics to music to geographical position. More
March 8, 2012 - Publication
Demographic Challenges and Opportunities for U.S. Housing Markets
A new report identifies dwindling rates of homeownership, especially among African Americans and Hispanics. More
March 7, 2012 - From the field
Research Papers Focus on Bullying and Digital Citizenship
Harvard University’s Berkman Center for Internet and Society and Lady Gaga’s Born This Way Foundation, both MacArthur grantees, published a series of working papers on issues affecting young people. More
March 6, 2012 - From the field
Movements of Chicago's Public Housing Residents Providing Mixed Results
Two new pieces of research from the MacArthur-supported Mixed-Income Development Study examine the movements of Chicago’s public housing residents over the past decade. More
March 2, 2012 - From the field
In Russia, Online Speech Remains Free from Government Control
A new report examines the Russian blogosphere, Twitter, and other media sources and finds vibrant and diverse discourse on Russian political and social issues. More
February 27, 2012 - Press release
Online, Young People Also Develop Learning Skills
A study from the Berkman Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University, a MacArthur grantee, examines how young people seek out and evaluate information online. More
February 27, 2012 - Publication
Report Calls for More Adaptive Conservation Management
In a MacArthur-supported paper, the Environmental Law Institute notes an inability on the part of nature system managers to adjust to the threats posed to biodiversity by climate change. More
February 27, 2012 - Publication
Report Suggests Options for Managing Protected Marine Areas in Madagascar
A study by MacArthur grantees the University of California, Berkeley and the Wildlife Conservation Society uses a new methodology to suggest several options for managing marine life protection on Madagascar's west coast. More
February 25, 2012 - From the field
More Households Dealing with Heavy Burden from Housing Prices
In its annual Housing Landscape report, the MacArthur-supported Center for Housing Policy found increases in stress from housing costs for employed home owners. More
January 26, 2012 - From the field
Report Projects Up to $3.4 Billion Savings for Apartments Upping Energy Efficiency
More partnerships between building owners and utilities companies are necessary, as is regulatory policy that supports the alignment of efficiency standards with utility business models. More
January 23, 2012 - From the field
UN's Ban Ki-moon Says "Responsibility to Protect" Works
At a MacArthur-supported conference on the doctrine of the Responsibility to Protect (R2P), United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon voiced his strong support for R2P. More
January 11, 2012 - Press release
Nuclear Materials Security Index Released
MacArthur grantee the Nuclear Threat Initiative released the first-of-its-kind, public baseline assessment of the status of nuclear materials security conditions in 176 countries More
January 10, 2012 - From the field
Report on Preventing Nuclear Terrorism
The report calls for a stronger International Atomic Energy Agency, more comprehensive security standards for nuclear states, and more. More
January 4, 2012 - From the field
Voices of Change in African Higher Education
MacArthur grantee Institute of International Education has published a new book, Weaving Success: Voices of Change in African Higher Education. More
January 3, 2012 - From the field
Mekong Governments Delay Xayaburi Dam
International Rivers and other MacArthur-supported groups provided research on the potential environmental risks posed by hydropower dams in the region. More
January 3, 2012 - From the field
Research to Aid in Caribbean Reef Restoration
A 14-year, MacArthur-supported study in Belize has found that fishing closures produce encouraging increases in populations of predatory fish species but only a minimal increase in herbivorous fish. More
December 8, 2011 - Commentary
MacArthur's Jorgen Thomsen on Addressing Environmental Challenges of 21st Century
In a post on the Re:Philanthropy blog, Thomsen states that "The conservation of ecosystems is one of the most compelling environmental challenges of the 21st century." More
December 6, 2011 - From the field
Foundations Unite to Protect the Amazonian Rainforest
MacArthur hosted the Funders of the Amazon Basin, a group composed of six foundations working to address increasing rainforest degradation in the Amazon. More
November 29, 2011 - From the field
Study Details Homelessness, "Doubling Up" Among Low-Income Children
About 10% of children in low-income families reported at least one homeless episode – and an additional 24% had at least one episode where they lived "doubled up" with relatives, friends or other families – before age 6. More
November 18, 2011 - From the field
Study Links Weak Economy to Shortage of Affordable Rental Housing
The need for affordable rental housing in Cook County has increased substantially in the last decade and is expected to continue growing, according to a study by the Institute for Housing Studies at DePaul University. More
November 4, 2011 - From the field
Book Confronts Challenges Posed by Climate Change
Adapting to a Changing Environment: Confronting the Consequences of Climate Change provides governments, scientists, and managers with a framework for tackling the subject. More
November 4, 2011 - From the field
Advancing Accountability for Atrocity Crimes in Latin America
George Washington University’s National Security Archive was featured on PRI’s The World to discuss the progress being made to advance accountability for atrocity crimes in Latin America. More
October 25, 2011 - From the field
Survey Shows Strong Support for Juvenile Rehabilitation
Findings from a 1,000 person national survey about adults’ attitudes on juvenile services showed strong support for a system realigned around rehabilitation. More
October 19, 2011 - Press release
Moving to Low-Poverty Neighborhoods Lowers Risk of Diabetes
The study was the first to employ a randomized experimental design to learn about the connections between neighborhood poverty and health. More
October 12, 2011 - From the field
Technology Supports Better Forest Management
MacArthur grantee the Carnegie Institution for Science's imaging spectrometer has proven successful in instantly gathering a vast amount of information about unexplored tracts of tropical rainforest. More
October 11, 2011 - Press release
Large Shift in U.S. Immigrant Makeup Projected
The percentage of foreign-born U.S. residents with deep roots in the country is rising and will continue to soar in the coming decades, according to a new MacArthur-supported report by the Population Dynamics Research Group. More
October 4, 2011 - Press release
Coral Collapse Preventable With Newly Identified Process
Using data from coral reef systems across the western Indian Ocean, MacArthur grantee Wildlife Conservation Society and others have identified how overfishing creates a series of big changes on reefs that precipitate a final collapse. More
August 21, 2011 - Publication
Global Compact on Learning
A report by the Brookings Institution calls for a global policy on access to quality education and learning for youth in the developing world, especially poor girls who are often left behind and disadvantaged. More
August 12, 2011 - Press release
Map on Coral Reef Systems Bolsters Conservation Efforts
Working in collaboration with other organizations, MacArthur grantee the Wildlife Conservation Society mapped coral systems and their exposure to stress factors. More
August 12, 2011 - Publication
New Data on Coral Reef Systems Bolster Conservation Efforts
This report, produced in part by MacArthur grantee the Wildlife Conservation Society, studies the exposure of the world's corals to stress factors and identifies areas where those factors can be locally managed. More
August 8, 2011 - From the field
Study Shows Significant Economic Value of Jamaica’s Threatened Coral Reefs
Tourism, fisheries, and shoreline protection represent just three of the many culturally and economically important services reef ecosystems provide in Jamaica, according to a MacArthur-supported report. More
July 21, 2011 - Press release
Report Finds Lack of Utility Usage Data Weakens Efforts to Reduce Energy Consumption and Housing Costs
Living Cities, an innovative philanthropic collaborative of 22 of the world’s largest foundations and financial institutions, today formally announced the release of a study analyzing whole building utility usage databases for the nation’s multifamily housing stock. More
July 20, 2011 - From the field
Results Show Clean Economy Contains Significant Number of Jobs
The clean economy — a sector that produces goods and services with an environmental benefit — encompasses some 2.7 million jobs in establishments spread across a diverse group of industries. More
July 7, 2011 - Press release
Research on Benefits of Medicaid Enrollment
New research finds that expanding low-income adults’ access to Medicaid substantially increases health care use, reduces financial strain on covered individuals, and improves their self-reported health and well-being. More
June 23, 2011 - Publication
Modern Fish Communities Live Fast and Die Young Due to Overfishing
Fishing pressures have created fish communities that contain more species with shorter life spans, faster growth rates, smaller average sizes, and fewer top predators, according to a new MacArthur-supported study by the Wildlife Conservation Society that compared the remains of fish from ancient Swahili refuse heaps in Kenya with data from recently caught fish. More
June 14, 2011 - Publication
"Foreclosure Belt" Destabilizing Vulnerable Neighborhoods in Chicago
A new report by the MacArthur-supported Lawyers' Committee for Better Housing finds that the foreclosure crisis continues to affect tenants, particularly renters in low-to-moderate-income African American and Latino/Hispanic community areas in Chicago, and that banks and other lending institutions are making the problem worse by willfully ignoring tenants rights More
June 14, 2011 - From the field
Improving Cross-Taiwan Strait Relations
With MacArthur support, an academic dialogue seeks to help governments and societies of Mainland China and Taiwan improve communication, stabilization, and progress in cross-Taiwan Strait relations. More
June 1, 2011 - Publication
Increasing Female Teachers in Africa
This literature review examines empirical evidence that shows how increasing female teachers in primary education may improve girls’ educational achievement and attainment. More
March 31, 2011 - Publication
Harnessing Corporate Philanthropy to Educate the World’s Poor
A report by the Center for Universal Education at Brookings suggests specific opportunities to achieve greater impact in educating the world’s poor through corporate philanthropy. More
March 1, 2011 - Publication
Report Notes Mexico’s Changing Approach to Immigration Law
A report by two researchers at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, a MacArthur grantee, reviews Mexican immigration policy of the past 35 years and compares the country’s regulations to those of the U.S. More
February 23, 2011 - Press release
Does the Internet make for more engaged citizens?
Youth who pursue their interests on the Internet are more likely to be engaged in civic and political issues, according to a new study of student Internet usage by a group of civic learning scholars. More
January 1, 2011 - From the field
PBS Documentary Looks at How Digital Media Transforming the Way Young People Learn
Digital Media: New Learners of the 21st Century, a MacArthur-supported PBS documentary, looks at how digital media is transforming the way young people learn. More
December 1, 2010 - Press release
Many Vulnerable Chicago Public Housing Residents Enjoy Better Health, Housing, and Employment, but Youth Still Distressed
November 23, 2010 - From the field
Opportunity Chicago Helps 5000 CHA Residents Find Jobs
Opportunity Chicago, a MacArthur-supported workforce development initiative for Chicago public housing residents, has helped more than 5,000 people find employment, according to a new report. More
November 16, 2010 - Press release
New Poll: Voters Want Congress to Act to Reduce the National Debt
More than 70 percent of mid-term voters polled in a post-election survey say it is "very important" that Congress takes steps to reduce the national debt. More
October 7, 2010 - Press release
New MIT Report Shows Gradual Improvements in Chicago's Transformation of Public Housing
After a rocky start, Chicago's controversial efforts to overhaul its public housing have showed gradual improvement, according to a new report by researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. More
September 29, 2010 - Publication
A Decade of Improvement in African Higher Education
This report highlights improvements in African higher education over the past decade, which stemmed from a $440 million investment by seven American foundations. More
August 11, 2010 - Press release
Former Residents of Chicago’s Madden/Wells Public Housing Now Live in Better Housing, Safer Neighborhoods
August 3, 2010 - Press release
Research Documents Human Toll of Violence in Central African Republic
Human rights researchers based at the Human Rights Center at the University of California, Berkeley have systematically canvassed nearly 2,000 households in the Central African Republic, carefully documenting violence in the country. More
July 29, 2010 - Press release
Report Examines Behavioral Health Needs in the Illinois Juvenile Justice System
A new report by Illinois Models for Change outlines the challenges and makes recommendations to improve behavioral health services for youth in the state's juvenile justice facilities. More
April 29, 2010 - From the field
Report Highlights Affordable Rental Housing Progress in Cook County
A new report identifies some positive outcomes of the Preservation Compact, a MacArthur-supported affordable housing preservation initiative in Cook County. More
March 14, 2010 - From the field
Conservation & Sustainable Development White Papers
A collection of research, the white papers below cover a broad spectrum of work conducted within the conservation & sustainable development program. More
February 22, 2010 - Press release
The Civic Federation Releases Fiscal Rehabilitation Plan for Illinois
The Civic Federation, a 116 year-old government research organization, released today its plan to salvage the State of Illinois’ finances. More
January 13, 2010 - Press release
New Report on "Choosing the Nation's Fiscal Future"
A new joint report from the National Research Council and the National Academy of Public Administration offers U.S. leaders ways to address the nation's fiscal problems and confront its rapidly growing debt. More
December 14, 2009 - Press release
Research Predicts Longer Life Expectancy for Americans, Higher Outlays for Medicare and Social Security
Current government projections may significantly underestimate the future life expectancy of Americans, according to research from the MacArthur Research Network on an Aging Society. More
December 9, 2009 - Publication
The Benefits of Risk Factor Prevention in Americans Aged 51 Years and Older
Article by Network members examining how investments in preventive care for older Americans could reduce long-term health care costs for the nation. More
December 9, 2009 - Press release
Report Finds No Benefit to Sending Juvenile Offenders to Expensive Institutional Placements
As many states face budget shortfalls, a new report on youth convicted of serious offenses finds that stays in expensive institutional placements produced no measurable results. More
September 1, 2009 - Publication
Aging in America in the Twenty-first Century: Demographic Forecasts from the MacArthur Foundation Research Network on an Aging Society
May 1, 2009 - Press release
Study Underscores Importance of Web 2.0 for Learning
The MacArthur Foundation funded a study released today by the Consortium for School Networking (CoSN), which found that school district administrators understand the significance of Web 2.0 for teaching and learning, More
November 20, 2008 - Press release
Study Shows Time Spent Online Important for Teen Development
The MacArthur-supported study shows that America’s youth are developing important social and technical skills online, often in ways adults do not understand or value. More
November 10, 2008 - Press release
Code Outlines Five Principles of Fair Use for Teachers & Students
Thanks to a coordinated effort by the media literacy community, supported by experts at American University and grantee Temple University, teachers and students have a guide that simplifies the legalities of using copyrighted materials in an academic setting: More
November 6, 2008 - Press release
Supportive Housing Does Not Hurt Home Values, According to Study
A new study by New York University’s Furman Center for Real Estate and Urban Policy, a Foundation grantee, finds that supportive housing does not depress property values in surrounding neighborhoods. More
September 16, 2008 - Press release
Study Shatters Stereotypes About Teens and Video Games
The first national survey of its kind finds that teens' gaming experiences are rich and varied, with a significant amount of social interaction and potential for civic engagement. More
September 1, 2008 - Press release
About the How Housing Matters to Families & Communities Initiative
June 26, 2008 - Press release
Keeping Youth Out of Adult Courts Better for Children, Safer for Communities, According to Study
The 2005 repeal of a state law that once forced children accused of drug offenses into adult criminal courts has not compromised public safety and, instead, has provided hundreds of Illinois youth a greater opportunity to turn their lives around, More
April 30, 2008 - Press release
Mortgage Turmoil Contributes to Rental Affordability Woes, According to Harvard Report
The current mortgage turmoil reaches deep into rental markets, according to new research on rental housing market dynamics released today by Harvard University’s Joint Center for Housing Studies. More
February 29, 2008 - Press release
2008 WOLA Report Shows Anti-Drug Fumigation in Colombia Failing
Intensive aerial herbicide spraying of coca crops in Colombia has backfired badly, contributing to the spread of coca cultivation and cocaine production to new areas of the country and threatening human health and the environment More
December 11, 2007 - Press release
Public Willing to Pay More for Rehabilitation of Juvenile Offenders
Polling data released today by the Center for Children’s Law and Policy (CCLP) show that more than 70 percent of the general public agree that incarcerating youthful offenders without rehabilitation is the same as giving up on them. More
September 25, 2007 - Press release
Study Shows Teacher Copyright Confusion Causes Students to Lose Out
September 7, 2007 - Press release
Grantee Report Finds Economic Benefits to Improving Health of Great Lakes
May 17, 2007 - Press release
Survey of Government Internet Filtering Practices Indicates Increasing Internet Censorship
April 17, 2007 - Press release
Report from the University of California-Irvine Shows Impact of One-Child Policy in China
Population control polices in China that strictly limited couples to one child have proven effective, according to the first systematic study of the one-child policy by researchers at the University of California at Irvine. More
February 12, 2007 - Press release
MacArthur Foundation Supports Brookings Institution Study on the Implications of Service Offshoring for Metropolitan Economies (February 12, 2007)
September 1, 2006 - Craft paper
Resilience in Foundation Strategy
A foundation that seeks to bring about improvements in policies and institutions faces a daunting task. More
March 8, 2006 - Press release
MacArthur-Funded Rental Housing Report Reveals 200,000 Affordable Units Lost Each Year
June 16, 2005 - Craft paper
Value-Added, Comparative Advantage, and Diminishing Returns: A Framework for Critical Deliberation
June 24, 2003 - Publication
Creating, Changing, and Closing Areas of Philanthropic Activity
This paper provides a basis for discussing the choices MacArthur makes about its grantmaking—about how new initiatives are created, how they change, and how they are closed. More