About Us

Pratt Center works with community partners to create research tools tailored to the unique challenges that communities of color, low- and moderate-income communities and small businesses face—and to identity opportunities for overcoming them. Our research services include:

• Geospatial Analysis
• Quantitative Data Analysis
• Demographics Analysis
• Data visualization
• Qualitative Surveys
• Participatory Action Research
• Ethnography 
• Focus groups

Rooted in the practice of community-based planning, Pratt Center provides technical assistance to neighborhood organizations, grassroots groups, and local coalitions through holistic cross-issue physical and social planning with particular expertise in:

• Sustainability Planning 
• Revitalizing Retail Corridors
• Reuse of Brownfields
• Climate resiliency
• Parks & open space
• Land use & zoning

We develop, co-convene, and facilitate creative community engagement processes. These include in-person and virtual workshops with diverse groups of local stakeholders to identify communities’ needs and aspirations and to collaboratively craft solutions. Types of engagement include: 

• Visioning workshops
• Large and small group facilitation
• Planning charrettes
• Intergenerational activities
• Data collection, creation and mapping 
• Participation parties
• Train the facilitator 
• Multimedia interactive experiences
• Conflict mediation 
• Best practices in multilingual settings
• Best practices in online settings

Pratt Center provides campaign planning and strategy support to community-based organizations. We also support CBOs through staff capacity building, leadership and board development, and internal strategic assistance.

• Organizational development strategy support
• Organizing and campaign strategy support

Pratt Center enlists the creative expertise of Pratt Institute to design and facilitate learning opportunities and provide creative services to guide New York City manufacturers towards smarter marketing strategies, practices, and outputs: These services include:

• Made in NYC Learning Lab
• Industrial business networking events
• Local branding & promotional campaigns

Pratt Center offers education and training programs to groups and organizations on a variety of topics related to community, economic and environmental development. Our education and training services include:

• Train the trainer workshops
• Popular education materials/curriculum development
• Data, mapping & visualization trainings
• Cohort learning experiences
• Special topic interactive workshops

Pratt Center has a distinguished track record of launching innovative community development programs that have had a substantial impact in the New York region and beyond. We work with a variety of groups on:

• Program model development
• Pilot testing and implementation
• Participant experience and engagement
• Scaling models for impact

Pratt Center’s policy priorities are shaped by our on-the-ground work with New Yorkers in all five boroughs. We develop pragmatic public policy recommendations, and work with citywide and community-based coalitions to advocate for these and other initiatives that advance community-driven solutions.

• Policy Research
• Policy Development
• Policy Advocacy