History

In the early 1980s, Worcester's civic leaders felt the need for an organization to conduct independent, non-partisan research on public policy, to assist Worcester’s City Manager with recommendations for more effective and efficient municipal government, and to monitor Charter changes on public policies and electoral politics. They decided to replicate the very successful Boston Municipal Research Bureau, which had been established by Boston's civic leaders in 1932.

With pledges of $40,000 and a commitment by Assumption College to house the new organization at a cost of $1.00 a year, Worcester Regional Research Bureau was born.  Roberta Schaefer was unanimously chosen as Executive Director from a national pool of over 50 applicants. She has served in that position ever since.

During the first month of the Bureau's operations, the Executive Director met with about two dozen public officials to introduce the Research Bureau to them and solicit their ideas for issues to be researched. To solidify a strong working relationship, the Research Bureau shares all draft reports for public officials’ comments prior to publication. The Research Bureau's Executive Committee reviews drafts as well.  The Research Bureau has published about 135 studies in all.

In 1987, when Tom Green, a distinguished civic leader, former Vice President of Norton Company, and a founder of the Research Bureau passed away, we honored his memory by establishing the Thomas S. Green Public Service Awards for outstanding public service by municipal employees. The first awards were bestowed in 1988. Since then, the Research Bureau has recognized the distinguished service of sixty-three public employees below the rank of department head. These are the City’s unsung heroes.

By 1989, Worcester's business climate, like that in many other cities, was changing. Banks were consolidating, home-grown businesses were being purchased by national or multi-national corporations, while other businesses closed or moved away. While the Research Bureau continued to receive annual dues from many businesses that remained, the Executive Committee was concerned about the solidity of its financial support. We established an endowment to support the public forums that had been initiated during the first year of operations. The endowment fund is maintained by the Greater Worcester Community Foundation, and the yearly interest plus corporate sponsorships provide support for the Research Bureau's forums. We have held 135 forums during the past twenty years.

The Research Bureau has grown gradually in size and stature from a one-person operation to a five-person staff with offices in the heart of downtown at Mechanics Hall. Our studies, which began by focusing solely on the City of Worcester, have broadened to include issues that affect the Central Massachusetts Region.  Often times, they have statewide ramifications as well. In addition to programs of research and community forums established twenty years ago, the Bureau is in the sixth year of administering a million-dollar-plus grant from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation to benchmark municipal and community performance in Worcester.

Each year, the organization also brings distinguished scholars and public officials to the area to illuminate current issues and enrich our public debate. Prominent speakers have included Governor Mitt Romney, noted political scientist James Q. Wilson, former Senate leader Tom Birmingham, and Secretary of Administration and Finance Eric Kriss.

The Bureau is known as a source of data, information and ideas for public officials both near and far, the media, businesses, community groups, students, and citizens concerned about issues of governance and public policy. Its work is covered regularly by the local media.  It has received national awards from the Governmental Research Association, and Pioneer Institute's Better Government Competition and national recognition from the Sloan Foundation which had the Bureau host and organize a two-day conference of all its recipients of grants to benchmark government performance. It has also caught statewide attention from the Boston Globe, The Beacon, a publication of the Massachusetts Municipal Association, and various statewide public policy research groups. In 2006, we attracted national attention with an article on our performance measurement work that appeared in Governing, a magazine widely read by state and local officials. We have also received inquiries to consult in areas where we have developed expertise.