Strong Cities Initiative – Building Research-Informed Local Prevention Ecosystems

The Strong Cities Network, supported by DHS, is leading a two-year initiative to help five small and mid-sized U.S. cities—Albuquerque (NM), Athens (OH), Chattanooga (TN), Overland Park (KS), and Stamford (CT)—address rising hate, polarization, and targeted violence. A concept note outlining the project and potential collaboration opportunities is available here. The project aims to develop local prevention frameworks grounded in a public health approach and tailored to each community’s specific needs.

Key Activities to Date:

• Established multi-disciplinary Local Leadership Groups
• Conducted community needs assessments and surveys
• Drafted local prevention frameworks outlining goals such as:
  • Safe reporting of bias incidents
  • Community awareness and resilience-building
  • Cross-sector coordination (social services, schools, local government)
  • Sustainable local funding strategies

Call to Action: Research Partnerships

The Strong Cities Network is inviting researchers and academic institutions in public health, violence prevention, behavioral science, and related fields to collaborate in the pilot cities. Opportunities include:

• Monitoring & Evaluation: Help assess local prevention efforts
• Data Collection & Analysis: Lead surveys, focus groups, or incident tracking
• Student Practicum Projects: Engage students in hands-on city-based work
• Community-Engaged Research: Co-develop projects with local stakeholders
• Comparative Studies: Analyze trends across multiple cities

📣 Interested in collaborating?
Reach out to Jordan Reimer at jr@strongcitiesnetwork.org to explore how your research can support evidence-informed solutions to hate and targeted violence in U.S. communities.