UDP is an independent non-profit research and educational organization that creates content in the public interest. At a time when other sectors lack the resources to conduct scholarly analyses of issues that require time, expertise or budget, we seek to fill this void. Our work focuses on social conditions, business trends, social and environmental needs and economic development. We identify topics of broad public interest, solicit research proposals from scholars and educational organizations, and support research professionals best qualified to carry them out. Founded in 2008, the UDP board meets annually to set goals, identify topics and to request proposals.

Why Now?

In recent years, the critical functions of nature, of business, and of government have had steadily increasing impacts on the lives of ordinary citizens. Yet, while changing economic, social and educational conditions incur ever greater effects on the public sphere, budget constraints and retrenchment have hampered agencies charged with a public affairs function. Reliable information sources are at a premium.

What We Do

Because we limit our efforts to the fair and factual interpretation and collection of hard-to-attain data, we direct donations – both capital and in-kind -- without deviation into large overhead expenses, into such projects. The alternative, generalist approach to media research, through the broad solicitation of grants, donations, or advertisements, is no longer an sufficient means of conducting institutional analysis.

We believe this structure permits the widest possible range of studies, with the shortest possible time-lag between subject determination and the study, giving the greatest chance of providing the best available such resources to the largest possible constituency in the most timely manner.

We aim to provide analyses of greatest need, when and where they may be most useful, in a style comprehensible both to readers of consumer media sources as well as the academic community. By seeking to achieve a reputation for quality analyses, competitive with much larger research organizations and think tanks, such needs may be fulfilled.

Only by carefully seeking the highest quality of scholarship, intellectual integrity and adherence to high standards of impartiality in our analyses, in a non-partisan and non-ideological manner, is our mission achieved.