Kinder Institute for Urban Research

The Kinder Institute for Urban Research builds better cities and improves lives through data, research, engagement and action.
An interdisciplinary research organization at Rice University in Houston, the institute’s vision is prosperity for all, where everyone has an opportunity to contribute to Houston’s success and share in its opportunities.

The institute focuses on the intersecting issues of housing, education, economic mobility, health and population, with initiatives housed under five research centers. Using a research-practice partnership model, the institute advances the public good by working with government agencies and social services organizations to solve critical challenges facing the nation’s fifth-largest and most diverse metropolitan area. Projects are jointly developed with long-term partners who contribute their insight and expertise.

Founded in 2010, the Kinder Institute was endowed with a $15 million gift from Houston philanthropists Richard and Nancy Kinder.