Institute for Urban Policy Research

What Institute for Urban Policy Research does

The Institute for Urban Policy Research (IUPR @ UT Dallas) is a nonprofit research institute affiliated with the University of Texas at Dallas, founded in 2005 (originally as the J. McDonald Williams Institute) and rebranded under its current name in 2025. The Institute provides research and evaluation, education and outreach, and consulting services focused on urban policy challenges in North Texas, including children's health and wellbeing, domestic violence, sex trafficking, housing instability, and food insecurity. Its core products include longitudinal research reports (the Beyond ABC children's health series produced since 2010 with Children's Health System of Texas), needs assessments (sex trafficking, eviction protections), statewide program evaluations (BIPP outcomes study), interactive data tools (North Texas COVID Data Viewer, Dallas Community Data for Action), and a professional Certificate in Program Development and Design.

The Institute's methodology is mixed-methods, combining quantitative data analysis with qualitative stakeholder engagement, community surveys, and focus groups. It produces publications at no cost to the public and disseminates findings through media appearances, academic conferences, and direct partnerships with government agencies and nonprofit organizations. The Institute operates exclusively in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex and surrounding North Texas counties, with a headcount of 11-50 employees.

The Institute's revenue model is grant-funded through government agencies (Texas Department of Criminal Justice, Texas Department of Health and Human Services, City of Dallas, Dallas County) and nonprofit/foundation partners (Children's Health System of Texas, Texas Council on Family Violence, Texas Tenants Union). Services are provided as commissioned research rather than through direct commercial pricing, with deliverables funded on a project basis. The organization is a partner in the National Neighborhood Indicators Partnership (NNIP), providing access to a national network of data-informed community change organizations.

Name

Institute for Urban Policy Research

Legal name

Institute for Urban Policy Research

Website

https://urbanpolicyresearch.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Institute for Urban Policy Research is a nonprofit research institute at UT Dallas that provides research, evaluation, and consulting on urban policy issues including children's health, domestic violence, sex trafficking, and housing for North Texas government agencies and community organizations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Urban Policy Research and Program Evaluation

SIC

Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)

akta.pro primary industry

Policy, Regulatory & Public Affairs Research (BPAHALAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Think Tanks, Policy Research & Public Policy Institutes (BPAGAFAO), Urban & Regional Planning (Land Use, Zoning, Master Planning) (BPAIANAD), Urban/Metropolitan Public Research Universities (EDAHAAAH)

Keywords

• Urban policy research
• Community needs assessments
• Program evaluation services
• Nonprofit consulting
• Community data analytics

Headquarters

HQ city

Dallas

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Grant Funding: The Institute operates primarily through grant funding from government agencies and foundations. Examples include Texas Department of Criminal Justice Community Justice Assistance Division (TDCJ-CJAD) funding for BIPP study and Texas Council on Family Violence (TCFV) commissioned research.
2. Research Partnerships: Collaborative research arrangements with institutional partners such as Children's Health System of Texas, City of Dallas, Dallas County, and various non-profit organizations. Services provided in exchange for project funding.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Institute for Urban Policy Research is a university-affiliated nonprofit research organization that conducts mixed-methods urban policy research, program evaluation, and community needs assessments for North Texas. It produces annual research reports (such as the Beyond ABC children's health series and Domestic Violence Task Force reports), interactive data visualization tools (the North Texas COVID Data Viewer and Dallas Community Data for Action), and delivers a noncredit Certificate in Program Development and Design, with services funded through government grants and institutional partnerships rather than direct customer pricing.

Product overview

The Institute for Urban Policy Research is a research institute at UT Dallas offering a portfolio of research products and services focused on urban policy analysis and community wellbeing. The core offerings include the Beyond ABC report series (annual children's health reports since 2010 in partnership with Children's Health System of Texas), the North Texas COVID Data Viewer for pandemic data visualization, comprehensive needs assessments (such as sex trafficking and domestic violence studies), and the Certificate in Program Development and Design. The Institute provides research and evaluation services, education and outreach programs, and consulting and project guidance to inform community-focused organizations. These products collectively serve policymakers, community organizations, and researchers working to improve quality of life in North Texas communities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Beyond ABC: Growing Up in North Texas Report Annual research report series analyzing children's health, wellbeing, and quality of life indicators across the six-county North Texas region, produced in partnership with Children's Health System of Texas since 2010. Available as free download.
• Responding to Sex Trafficking in the Greater Dallas Area: A Needs Assessment Comprehensive needs assessment examining sex trafficking in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, using community surveys, focus groups, and stakeholder interviews to provide recommendations for combating trafficking and supporting survivors.
• Battering Intervention and Prevention Programs (BIPP) Outcomes Study Statewide analysis of BIPP efficacy examining over 1,600 program participants, survey data from 14 agencies, and criminal history records to evaluate program effectiveness in reducing offender recidivism. Commissioned by the Texas Council on Family Violence.
• Domestic Violence Task Force Reports Annual reports detailing domestic violence policy trends, victim services, batterer interventions, and offense, arrest, and prosecution statistics for the Dallas Domestic Violence Task Force.
• North Texas COVID Data Viewer Interactive data visualization tool providing policymakers and North Texas residents with access to the latest COVID-19 data, part of the North Texas COVID Resources initiative.
• Dallas Community Data for Action (DCDA) Data platform providing community-level data to inform decision-making for organizations focused on improving quality of life in North Texas communities.
• Certificate in Program Development and Design Three-day noncredit professional certificate program teaching the Deliberate Design process, including theory of change, logic models, accountability, and resource planning for professionals at community-focused organizations.

Quantifiable outcome

• Beyond ABC reports have tracked children's health across six North Texas counties since 2010
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Children's Health System of TexascoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2010Long-term partnership producing the Beyond ABC: Growing Up in North Texas report series. Since 2010, this collaboration has produced comprehensive assessments of children's health and wellbeing across six North Texas counties, making it one of the Institute's flagship ongoing projects.
• Texas Department of Health and Human ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommissioned comprehensive sex trafficking needs assessment for the greater Dallas-Fort Worth area. The Department requested collaboration between the Institute, City of Dallas, and Dallas Police Department to assess community strengths and opportunities to combat human trafficking.
• Dallas Police DepartmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated on sex trafficking needs assessment providing law enforcement perspective and data. Partnership involved DPD Vice Unit personnel in research methodology including interviews and focus groups.
• Dallas Domestic Violence Task ForcecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSince 2014, the Institute has worked closely with the Task Force to produce annual reports detailing domestic violence policy trends, victim services, batterer interventions, and offense statistics. The Task Force comprises elected officials, law enforcement, courts, corrections, and advocacy representatives.
• Texas Tenants UnionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to study eviction remediation programs in the City of Dallas, examining the impact of COVID-19 related protections on tenants.
• Texas Council on Family Violence (TCFV)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommissioned comprehensive statewide analysis of Battering Intervention and Prevention Programs (BIPPs) funded by Texas Department of Criminal Justice. The study represents one of the most comprehensive statewide analyses of BIPP outcomes to date.
• Dallas CountycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing data partnership providing case filing information for research on evictions, criminal justice reform, and demographic changes. The Institute works with Dallas County Justice of the Peace courts for eviction data.
• Community Council of Greater DallasminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in community-wide data initiative funded by Community Service Block Grant, working to understand how community organizations use data for decision-making.
• Parkland Center for Clinical InnovationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in community-wide data initiative alongside Community Council of Greater Dallas and DFW Hospital Council Foundation.
• National Neighborhood Indicators Partnership (NNIP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Institute is an NNIP partner, participating in the national network of organizations that use data to inform community change. This provides access to peer learning and national best practices in urban data systems.
• Dallas Fort Worth Hospital Council FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in community-wide data initiative working with community-based organizations and government on data usage for decision-making.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Child Trends: Nonprofit research organization focused on improving the lives of children and youth through rigorous research. Highly comparable on the Beyond ABC-style children's wellbeing research methodology and government/foundation funding model.
• Urban Institute: Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit research organization that produces evidence-based insights on urban policy, housing, health, and economic mobility. Directly comparable as a policy research institute producing data-driven reports for government and nonprofit clients, though at significantly larger national scale.
• MDRC: Nonprofit social policy research organization dedicated to improving programs that serve low-income populations. Comparable on government-commissioned program evaluation (similar to IUPR's BIPP study) and education/training content for practitioners.
• Measure of America (Social Science Research Council): Program producing human development index reports and community wellbeing data at state and local levels. Closely comparable to IUPR's Beyond ABC approach — building accessible data tools and reports on community-level wellbeing indicators.

Broad incumbents

• Abt Associates: Research and consulting firm focused on social and economic policy, health, and environmental issues for government clients. Comparable on commissioned research methodology and government-funded project execution, though at much larger commercial scale.
• RAND Corporation: Major nonprofit research institution producing policy analysis across urban issues, criminal justice, health, and education. Comparable as a policy research producer for government clients, though broader in scope and national/international in reach.
• Mathematica: Large nonprofit research and policy consulting firm conducting social policy, health, and education research for government agencies. Comparable methodology and client base (government commissions), though at substantially larger national scale with broader topic coverage.

Regional players

• Texas Public Policy Foundation: Texas-based public policy research organization producing reports on state and local policy issues. Comparable as a Texas-based policy research organization, though operating at state level with a different ideological orientation and broader geographic scope.
• Dallas Regional Chamber: Regional chamber of commerce and economic development organization serving the Dallas region, producing regional research and policy data. Comparable as a Dallas-focused organization producing regional research outputs for civic stakeholders.

Others

• National Neighborhood Indicators Partnership (NNIP): National network of organizations that use data to inform community change, of which IUPR is a partner. Comparable as a peer-learning ecosystem and indicator of best practices in local urban data systems — IUPR is an active member of this network.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/iuprdallas
• Facebookfacebook.com/iuprdallas

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Institute for Urban Policy Research