Coro conducts research to advance our mission of preparing individuals, groups, and communities for ethical and effective leadership.  Research differs depending on whether it is informative, applied, or evaluative in nature.

Informative research at Coro seeks to understand how civic and political engagement can improve communities, how people get engaged, and what the trends are in Pittsburgh and comparison cities. Past research topics have ranged from describing the race, gender, and age distribution of public officials in Allegheny County, to examining the benefits of building communities where members are well connected to one another, to exploring how trust affects nonprofit giving and volunteering. The results of Coro informative research are distributed through publications, conferences, and social networks. Additionally, Coro partners with other organizations to present findings and create discussion about them. Please view our publications page for past research studies.

Applied research at Coro emphasizes the use of scientific research methods to improve the effectiveness of collective decision-making. Community Conversations exemplifies this form of research. In a Community Conversation a broad cross section of the population gathers together to discuss and develop informed opinions about issues that impact their lives. Those opinions are then shared with policymakers who can take action based on them. A report is available from a South Pittsburgh Community Conversation organized by Coro in July 2007.

Evaluation research at Coro is designed to measure the outcomes of Coro leadership development programs. Coro utilizes the results of quantitative and qualitative measurement tools to build and modify new program modules. Each program is carefully designed to ensure that learning activities lead to measurable results for the individual and community.

Contact

Gregory J. Crowley, Ph.D.
Vice President, Program Development and Evaluation
Coro Center for Civic Leadership
33 Terminal Way
Suite 429-A
Pittsburgh, PA 15219
Phone: (412) 258-2689
Fax: (412) 201-0672
Email: gcrowley@coro.org