View recent projects, publications, and presentations by the UNO Center for Public Affairs Research on topics including digital equity, economic development, rural transit, rural youth and young professional surveys, and voter turnout.
Access Census data for your Nebraska county in an easy to view and compare format.
Greater Omaha Chamber Survey Reveals 88% of Respondents are Satisfied with Overall Quality of Life in Omaha9/30/2024 | UNO CPAR collaborated with the Young Professionals Council and CODE (Commitment to Opportunity, Diversity, and Equity) of the Greater Omaha Chamber to conduct a survey to explore the quality of life and workplace culture in the Greater Omaha region. The focus of the survey derived from previous survey efforts which identified the importance of job opportunities and growth to young professionals’ decisions to move away from the Greater Omaha region. View highlights in the summary and results from all questions, as well as comparisons by age, gender, sexual orientation, and race and ethnicity, in the report. Media Mentions:
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Nebraska's Second Congressional District4/26/2024 | As Nebraska gets closer to its 2024 Primary, KETV Investigates took a closer look at how the state's Second Congressional District has changed since the last presidential election year. "Redistricting is a constitutional requirement that after every census, we try to make voting areas as equal in population as possible so we really live up to the idea of one person, one vote," said Josie Schafer, director of UNO CPAR. |
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CPAR Partners with UNO Department of Gerontology to Conduct Focus Groups on Digital Equity for Statewide Digital Equity Plan11/2/2023 | CPAR partnered with faculty in the UNO Department of Gerontology to conduct four focus groups on digital equity for the Nebraska Information Technology Commission to inform the creation of a statewide digital equity plan. Focus groups were conducted with specific covered populations across Nebraska, including older adults, individuals from low-income households, rural residents, and individuals with limited English proficiency. Read the report to learn more. The draft State Digital Opportunities Plan is now available. |
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CPAR Partners with Do Space Library to Evaluate Tech Pack Program10/6/2023 | CPAR partnered with the Do Space Library in Omaha to conduct a longitudinal evaluation of its Tech Pack Program. Do Space received funding from the Emergency Connectivity Fund from the Federal Communications Commission to conduct the Teck Pack Program in Omaha, Nebraska, between June 30, 2022 to June 29, 2023. As part of the Tech Pack Program, 945 Omaha residents received a computing device and free internet access for one year. Review the report to understand the broad impact of the Tech Pack Program in promoting digital equity for Omaha residents. Learn more about the Tech Pack Program. Media Mention: |
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Faces of Transit in Nebraska Video Series Creating Awareness of Available Services Statewide10/2/2023 | For many in rural communities, transit is a lifeline. Rural transit agencies connect people to healthcare, work, education, and civic life. As a result, public transportation in Nebraska is vital to the state’s economic prosperity and future. Many agencies in Nebraska are doing new things like starting up new service in an unserved area, building bus barns to house their vehicles, and holding open houses to educate the public about their services. The Faces of Transit in Nebraska video series explores who the agency serves and where they take their passengers, so others understand how the service works. The Nebraska Public Transit team partnered with White Shutter Media to create this video series as part of efforts to grow rural transit options in Nebraska. |
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2023 Greater Nebraska Youth Survey Data Affirms Young Nebraskans’ Preference for Small Communities8/7/2023 | CPAR Director Josie Schafer has partnered with the Nebraska Community Foundation for four years to produce the Greater Nebraska Youth Survey for the Nebraska Community Foundation. This data has informed projects and partnerships throughout the state. Read the 2023 Greater Nebraska Youth Survey report. Media Mentions:
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Greater Omaha Chamber Young Professionals Survey of Nebraska Residents and Why They Moved Away4/17/2023 | Just before the pandemic, CPAR worked with the Greater Omaha Chamber Young Professionals to conduct a survey of former residents of Nebraska about why they moved away. Insights for the report have been receiving attention and we wanted to share the report in full. View a recent Lincoln Journal Star editorial about this topic. |
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Driver Recruitment and Retention Survey for Public Transit Agencies3/2/2023 | Driver recruitment and retention continues to be a challenge for many transit agencies across Nebraska. In an effort to address this problem, CPAR partnered with the Nebraska Safety Center at the University of Nebraska at Kearney to conduct a survey of drivers across the state. This project is part of our ongoing partnership with the Nebraska Department of Transportation to support more efficient and effective rural public transit in Nebraska. View the Recruitment and Retention of Nebraska's Transit Drivers report. transit manager wages benefits dispatcher driver |
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CPAR Director Receives CUMU-Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia Research Fellowship2/13/2023 | CPAR Director Josie Schafer has been named the 2023 Coalition of Urban and Metropolitan Universities–Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia Research Fellow to explore and explain variations in the economic impact of anchor institutions. housing need income rent affordability access community |
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Impact of Nebraska Community Foundation Youth Survey Data12/13/2022 | CPAR Director Josie Schafer has partnered with the Nebraska Community Foundation for three years to produce the Nebraska Youth Survey. This data has informed projects and partnerships throughout the state. Check out all the great work from the Nebraska Community Foundation in their 2022 annual report and their 2022 Connect video. |
View additional materials on the following Nebraska By The Numbers topics:
- Data for policy and decision makers including housing, poverty, and demographic dashboards by county in Nebraska.
- Workforce access and equity including details on occupations, incomes, remote work, and entrepreneurship in Nebraska.
To view past projects visit the #NebraskaByTheNumbers Archive.