Cincinnati Research Institute conducts public policy research and outreach programs. We empower our communities to make policy decisions that are based on sound data and objective facts. We are a non-partisan, non-profit think-tank serving the Greater Cincinnati region and beyond. Our goal is to elevate policymaking above talking points, soundbites, and political party agendas.
Our interests extend beyond the City of Cincinnati, but we are currently focusing on a 100-year Retrospective of Cincinnati Government. In 1924, Cincinnati voters adopted sweeping changes, switching to a city manager form of government and proportional representation (PR) elections of council and mayor (PR is an older version of rank choice voting.) These changes were transformative, but not popular with everyone. In the intervening 100 years, PR was eliminated, and the city manager form of government has been replaced with a hybrid “stronger mayor” structure. In 2024 and 2025, CRI will be exploring the legacy of these decisions through research, and engaging the public in discussions about how our history can inform our future.
Past work of CRI includes providing Cincinnati City Council’s Charter Reform Task Force (CRTF) with self-generated and third-party professional research that enabled the CRTF to make public recommendations that were adopted by overwhelming majorities of voters in elections from 2024 through 2022.
In our current work and beyond, CRI will continue to facilitate public engagement and provide research into regional public policy, always striving to build the best possible communities within the Greater Cincinnati region.
