Penn Institute for Urban Research Awarded Grant to Re-envision the University’s Role as an Anchor Institution

Penn Institute for Urban Research (Penn IUR) is proud to announce that its project, Penn as an Anchor Institution, has been selected for support through the University of Pennsylvania’s Draw Down the Lightning Grants. The grants are a new initiative of the Office of the President and Office of the Provost designed to advance bold, collaborative research.

Led by a distinguished, cross-disciplinary team—Eugenie L. Birch (Weitzman School of Design, Penn IUR), Patrick Brennan (Perelman School of Medicine, Penn Health System), Anthony Sorrentino (Office of the Executive Vice President), and Susan Wachter (Wharton School, Penn IUR)—Penn as an Anchor Institution aims to redefine and modernize Penn’s approach to its anchor responsibilities, exploring new strategies for institutional responsibility in the 21st century. These include long-standing commitments to economic development, community partnerships, and urban innovation in Philadelphia and beyond.

The project will explore how Penn, as a globally engaged university rooted in a dynamic urban setting, can develop a 21^st century framework based on understanding the roles and opportunities among universities and their health systems, governments, and communities that addresses the complex dynamics of land use and economic and community development. The initiative will:

• Survey current best practices among peer anchor institutions
• Convene roundtable discussions with stakeholders and partners
• Launch a new interdisciplinary course on anchor institutions
• Disseminate findings and recommendations through reports and publications

“Anchor institutions like Penn have a unique and powerful role to play. Beyond contributing to our communities, we must engage and learn from them, “Wachter said.

"This project is about deepening that commitment and understanding how institutions can better listen, respond, and lead in ways that are grounded in mutual benefit and long-term impact. The idea is to translate institutional presence into shared progress, ensuring that as we grow, we grow together."

This theme was echoed in the grant announcement by Provost John L. Jackson, Jr., who praised the initiative’s potential:

“Penn’s greatest resource is its thinkers and doers. These exciting projects speak to the strength and resilience of our academic community and the enthusiasm for collaboration and cross-disciplinary initiatives embodied in the strategic framework. Their passion and commitment to make progress on the world’s most important challenges are truly inspiring.”

The Draw Down the Lightning grants launched this year as part of In Principle and Practice—Penn’s recently adopted strategic framework—support interdisciplinary teams across the university committed to “planting seeds of change” through innovative, real-world solutions. Penn as an Anchor Institution joins a diverse cohort of projects tackling issues ranging from climate change and AI ethics to public health and community arts engagement.

For Penn IUR, the grant is a significant opportunity to further its mission to inform and advance sustainable, inclusive, and evidence-based urban policy. The project will help lay the groundwork for universities like Penn to serve their surrounding cities intentionally, transparently, and collaboratively.

To learn more about Penn IUR’s activities on anchor institutions, visit https://penniur.upenn.edu/initiatives/penn-iur-roundtable-on-anchor-institutions.