REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS:
Local Government Lab 2024

The Rockefeller Institute is seeking proposals for its annual forum for New York State researchers, practitioners, and policymakers

Conference to be held on Friday, April 26, 2024 at the Institute

The Rockefeller Institute of Government is seeking proposals for individual and full-panel presentations of completed and in-progress work for its annual one-day gathering of researchers, practitioners, and policymakers engaged in applied local government work or research. Projects may include empirical analysis or applied research, case studies, and innovative projects involving one or more local governments, school districts, or other special-purpose governments.

We welcome research on a wide array of topics, including local government reorganization, policy development, citizen participation, finance, management, service delivery and service costing, competitiveness, employment, pensions, regionalization, federalism, home rule, local government in the courts, service delivery innovation, intergovernmental management or service delivery, new or innovative information technology, innovations in regional and state programs, and outreach to local governments.

For 2024, organizers are particularly interested in research or projects that address the following policy issues:

  • Housing
  • Transportation
  • Environment
  • Marijuana policy
  • Public health
  • Immigration and migration policy in local governments
  • Municipal service and budgeting
  • Cyber security and AI
  • Large employers arriving or leaving a community (ex: semiconductor factories or college closures)

We welcome proposals from university faculty and professional staff, state and regional professionals who study and work with local governments, practitioners, or members of the consulting community.

Past presentations and programs can be found on our Local Government Lab webpage. Reports and presentations may be selected, with author permission, for posting on the Rockefeller Institute website as a presentation or working paper.

By Friday, March 1, 2024, please submit a brief abstract (between 150-500 words) of your proposed paper presentation. Full panel submissions should include the panel title, paper abstracts, and a short biographical summary for each participating panelist. Selected presenters will be notified by mid-March. Submission of a proposal assumes that one of the authors will attend and present in person at the conference hosted by the Rockefeller Institute of Government in Albany, NY. Presentation materials and papers for those selected will be submitted electronically by April 19, 2024.

Submit your abstracts here. Please send any questions to conference organizer Lisa Parshall at Lisa.Parshall@rock.suny.edu.