The Center for Urban and Regional Affairs (CURA) invites proposals for our Community Action Research Grant (formerly the Faculty Interactive Research Program, FIRP)for research related to the current U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Minnesota. This grant provides funding for up to $45,000 for applied, community-engaged research projects.

For this year’s funding, CURA invites proposals to research various aspects of “Operation Metro Surge,” the ICE Minnesota campaign. Research can be statewide or focused on specific communities either within the Twin Cities metro area or Greater Minnesota. We hope for…

CURA study shows Minnesota’s higher education in prison programs are on the path to success

Minnesota’s innovative higher education in prison programs are showing promising results, according to a new evaluation conducted by the University of Minnesota’s Center for Urban and Regional Affairs (CURA).

Lead researcher Shana Riddick notes that the study's findings reveal a wide range of benefits that extend beyond academic achievement—benefits that include personal growth and the strengthening of communities beyond prison walls.

The study is the first of its kind in…

For this month’s CURA Story, we are excited to share our 2024 Annual Report showcasing the impactful work of the Center for Urban and Regional Affairs over the past year.

This year's report highlights 141 projects across Minnesota, including 77 faculty/graduate student research projects, 21 community-based research initiatives, and 43 technical assistance projects. Our work has connected 214 student participants with 151 community and government organizations across 14 research areas—from housing and public policy to racial equity and environmental justice.…

CURA is pleased to announce the recipients of this year′s Fesler-Lampert Chair in Urban and Regional Affairs and Community Action Research Grant. 

J'Mag Karbeah from the School of Public Health is the 2025-2026 Fesler-Lampert Chair in Urban and Regional Affairs with this project, …

A part of the Thomas Scott Seminar series

About the seminar

In recent decades, American suburbs have undergone a so-called renaissance as multiple forces have transformed them into denser urban landscapes. Yet at the same time, suburban racial diversity, immigration, and poverty rates have surged. In this talk, Dr. Lung Amam will discuss her new book, The Right to Suburbia: Combating Gentrification on the Urban Edge. The book investigates how marginalized communities in the suburbs of Washington, DC—one of the most intensely gentrifying metropolitan regions in the United…

Authors

Kenton Card, Evan Davis, Edward Goetz

Center for Urban and Regional Affairs, University of Minnesota

Jeremy Schwartz

Sellinger School of Business and Management, Loyola University Maryland

Abstract

Professor Edward Goetz, director of the Center for Urban and Regional Affairs, has been selected to receive the 2025 Mary Helen Callahan Distinguished Service Award from the Urban Affairs Association (UAA).

This is the highest recognition granted by the UAA to individuals who have been inducted into the Distinguished Service Honor Roll and have continued to fulfill meaningful service roles within the organization. Recipients are selected based on exceptional service to the UAA, engagement outside academia, and distinguished professional service that advances the work of urban affairs practitioners.

Professor…

By Somayeh (Nikoo) Nikoonazari

A transformative project is underway at Theodore Wirth Regional Park in the heart of North Minneapolis. The Stories of Connection Project, led by the Loppet Foundation in partnership with the Center for Urban and Regional Affairs (CURA) Kris Nelson Community-Based Research Program, is working to bridge historical divides and create a more inclusive outdoor space for marginalized communities.

Uncovering Historical Barriers

The Stories of Connection Project emerged from crucial conversations with Black community elders in North Minneapolis. Despite…

The Center for Urban and Regional Affairs (CURA) is pleased to announce the competition for the 2025–2026 Fesler-Lampert Chair in Urban and Regional Affairs, and invites interested faculty from across the University of Minnesota to apply for this award.

The Fesler-Lampert Chair in Urban and Regional Affairs provides one year of support for the research activities of a University of Minnesota faculty member on a project related to urban and regional affairs in Minnesota. Previous holders of the chair have used this support to complete projects on urban environmental policy advocacy in the Twin Cities, employee turnover and retention…

By Cirien Saadeh, PhD

A Historic Policy Change

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