Page 3 - 2023 Annual Report

C HA I R O F T H E B O A R D

A N D E X EC U T I V E D I R ECT O R

Much has changed in Worcester since 1985 While all deserve our thanks, it merits mention that ƒ Visiting Worcester for the 2023 GRA conference
when the Worcester Regional Research Bureau the Bureau was proud this year to have significant has been an amazing experience… The city is
was founded, but we have had an unchanging levels of philanthropic support from the Barr interesting, beautiful, and jam-packed with
commitment to our mission, “to instruct the Foundation and the Alden Trust, and honored friendly people.
public as to the organization, activities, finances to have substantial in-kind support from PENTA It was also great to get to see some of the
and administrative or operational problems of Communications and Greenberg, Rosenblatt, Kull ƒ completed and up and coming development
Greater Worcester, through non-partisan, non- & Bitsoli P.C. projects around the city and get to hear from
political and impartial research.” The Bureau’s work also wouldn’t be possible Worcester’s government officials directly.
As the Bureau shared earlier this year in our without the cooperation and attention of public State and national attention to our work is
Reinventing Worcester report, the changes our agencies from within the City of Worcester, as welcome, and it underscores both the increased
community has been experiencing over the last well as the Worcester Public Schools, other value and need for the Bureau’s objective data-
thirty years are far greater and far deeper than municipal governments, regional entities, and based policy analysis. Our elevated perspective
the historic level of ongoing developments. While state officials. Our analyses and work depends from our new 19th floor office in one of the city’s
we’ve experienced dramatic population growth, upon the objective data provided from such top office buildings, the Mercantile Center, thanks
this has kept our median age below 35 and has sources, and has benefited from further to Chip Norton, provides the Bureau with high
led to expanded racial and ethnic diversity, with engagement with government on all levels. We visibility and modern amenities, with a view
increased educational attainment fueling shifts have been honored to have our research utilized on needs of our neighborhoods and Greater
by public agencies, and be asked to provide our
in our economy towards modern employers. expertise to a wide range of efforts, such as the Worcester.
As Worcester is evolving and growing, new Worcester Public Schools’ Strategic Planning
challenges and opportunities are arising that effort, the Worcester Now|Next master plan, We will continue tackling these complex and
demand public discussion and governmental the city’s Municipal Broadband Taskforce, the complicated issues by utilizing objective data,
attention, but that require rigorous objective Coalition for a Healthy Greater Worcester, the incorporating innovative online visualizations,
analysis. Center for Food Equity, UMass Chan Medical exploring substantive collaborations with funders,
Thanks to the vision of our founders, Greater School’s Prevention Research Center’s academia, media, community, and research
partners, and working with public agencies and
Worcester is fortunate to have The Research Community Advisory Board, the Massachusetts policymakers to achieve meaningful change.
Bureau serve the community by providing such Broadband and Digital Equity Working Group, Thanks to the support of so many across Greater
data driven objective analysis and research on and other state, local, and community initiatives. Worcester, the Bureau will continue ensuring that
a tremendous range of issues. As noted later The quality and impact of the Bureau’s work is we have a bright future by leveraging intelligence
in this report, the Bureau’s work has advanced not just being noted by policymakers however; for a smarter community.
understanding and informed responses to transit, this year, our research was highlighted on a
municipal budgeting, food security, elections, statewide and national level. Bureau staff spoke Sincerely,
climate, education, and many other issues. on our residential rents report at the Boston Area
Fulfilling the Bureau’s organizational mission Research Initiative’s Annual Conference, and
wouldn’t be possible without the governance we’ve worked with our statewide peers on a host
that has remained true since our founding. We of shared research priorities. The Federal Reserve
have benefited from the dedicated participation Bank of Boston has consulted with the Bureau
of business and community leaders on our Board on the needs of New England cities, and on their
of Directors and Executive Committee, which development of new initiatives such as a regional
has provided thoughtful direction and vision for income survey. Our higher education institutions FRANCIS W. MADIGAN, III
our work. Befitting the range of our work, our also have a strong interest in the Bureau’s work, Chair of the Board
Board is large, while our Executive Committee with our staff briefing classes on our research
is tremendously involved in setting the Bureau’s and participating in relevant efforts such as the
research agenda. Four members are stepping College of the Holy Cross’ “Worcester Initiative
down this year, due to term limits and professional for Sustainability and Engaged Research”.
changes, so we want to extend our thanks and Nationally, for the first time the Bureau hosted the
appreciation to those members – former Chair annual conference for the Governmental Research
John Spillane, Vice President for Finance Rick Association, which has served objective, non-
Powell, Todd Rodman, and Rita Smith. partisan policy researchers since 1914. While the
Beyond the Bureau’s governance remaining true to program details are covered later in this report,
our mission, our work simply wouldn’t be possible the response from our national peers was truly PAUL F. MATTHEWS
without the steadfast support of our region’s gratifying – Executive Director & CEO
employers and philanthropy. The resources that ƒ I gained a fresh perspective on the city and
are provided by these contributors and sponsors greater appreciation for the tremendous
– listed at the end of this report – demonstrate transformation Worcester has undergone in
their commitment to an informed public and the last ten years.
deliberative decision-making by our policymakers.

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