Former Philadelphia Mayor Michael A. Nutter Launches Public Service and Policy Initiative at University of Pennsylvania

April 13, 2026

Current Themes

A research initiative to increase economic and social mobility expands its scope to cultivate former and future civic leaders.

Philadelphia, PA—The Penn Institute for Urban Research (Penn IUR), in partnership with the University of Pennsylvania Stuart Weitzman School of Design, is launching the Public Service and Policy Initiative (PSPI). Founded by former Philadelphia Mayor Michael A. Nutter, PSPI applies rigorous academic research, the experience of former local public executives, and human-centered solutions to combat economic hardship in Philadelphia. The Initiative reinforces Penn’s commitment to design as a tool for public good by bringing together research, civic leadership, and community partnerships.

“The Public Service and Policy Initiative is a natural partner for Penn IUR,” said Eugénie L. Birch, Co-Director of Penn IUR and Lawrence C. Nussdorf Professor of Urban Research and Education at Weitzman. “Its mission aligns directly with our commitment to interdisciplinary urban scholarship and the cultivation of informed, effective urban leadership to advance sustainable development.”

Bridging Research, Leadership, and Practice

Municipal governments are on the front lines of responding to public needs more than ever—a trend likely to grow given the federal landscape. PSPI’s integrated model aims to disrupt the status quo, challenge the preconceived notions built into policy and investment with reliable, resident-informed data, and facilitate learning between experienced local public executives and aspiring ones.

“Design is fundamentally about improving the conditions of everyday life,” said Weitzman Dean and Paley Professor Fritz Steiner. “With PSPI, we are leveraging the Weitzman School’s strengths in urban planning and community engagement to better understand the realities of economic hardship in our city—and to translate that understanding into practical, scalable solutions.”

PSPI will advance three interconnected efforts: the ongoing Philadelphia Economic Equity Project (formerly housed at the School of Social Policy & Practice at Penn), as well as two additional programs in partnership with Penn IUR—the Impact Scholars and the Public Service Pipeline.

The Philadelphia Economic Equity Project (PEEP) generates key data to help shape scalable solutions to economic hardship and mobility through a longitudinal, neighborhood-level survey of Philadelphia residents.
The Impact Scholars program will provide a platform for former local public executives to advance unfinished projects, share insights with current leaders, researchers, and students, and help bring tested strategies to other American cities.
The Public Service Pipeline program will create learning opportunities and career-pathway exposure for undergraduate and graduate students at Penn by providing access to the real-world, practical experiences of former public executives.

Together, PSPI’s programs will create a holistic platform for exploring and designing strategies that keep people and communities healthy, safe, and economically thriving.

A New Model for Local Data and Policy Insight

PSPI originated in 2022 with its research arm, PEEP, which integrates academic research with the lived experiences of Philadelphia residents and the expertise of public-sector leaders. Adapted from Columbia University’s New York City Poverty Tracker, PEEP is designed to focus specifically on the experiences and insights of Philadelphians, building a hyper-local information system that captures how residents interact with city, state, and federal services.

In the fall of 2023, PEEP launched its initial longitudinal panel survey with over 2,400 Philadelphia residents participating in a comprehensive study of employment, housing, income, benefits use, and life experiences. The intentional use of strategies to reach hard-to-engage communities, such as offering materials in multiple languages and modes, and enhanced participation incentives, resulted in panel enrollment that surpassed the initial target sample size by 25 percent. By combining longitudinal surveys with interviews and administrative data, PEEP provides a rare level of specificity that can better target solutions to the needs of Philadelphians.

Looking Ahead

The first cohort of PSPI’s Impact Scholars will be invited in the coming months and announced preceding the Fall 2026 semester. New PEEP research insights, including white papers and briefs to inform local decision-making and investments, will be released throughout the year.

“I am excited and honored to join both the Weitzman School of Design and Penn IUR in launching the Public Service and Policy Initiative,” said Nutter, a senior executive fellow and PSPI’s managing director. “The future of local governance relies on us strengthening cities, listening and responding to community members experiencing hardship, and inspiring and preparing the next generation of local public servants. We are committed to developing strong leaders and advancing solutions that help communities truly prosper—and there is no better place to start than Philadelphia.”

For more information about PEEP and PSPI, please visit www.peep.design.upenn.edu and www.design.upenn.edu/pspi.

About the Penn Institute for Urban Research

The Penn Institute for Urban Research is a university-wide initiative dedicated to advancing cross-disciplinary urban scholarship, fostering inclusive and sustainable cities, and bridging research with practice. Penn IUR convenes scholars, practitioners, students, and civic leaders to generate actionable knowledge that informs public and private decision-making and urban policy worldwide.

About the Weitzman School of Design

The University of Pennsylvania Stuart Weitzman School of Design prepares students to address complex sociocultural and environmental issues through thoughtful inquiry, creative expression, and innovation. As a diverse community of scholars and practitioners, we are committed to advancing the public good–both locally and globally–through art, design, planning, and preservation.