Research & Public Sector

The Conference Board Named Best Place to Work in NYC for 4th Year

New York City – September 24, 2026 -- The Conference Board has been named one of the Best Places to Work in New York City by Crain's New York Business, marking the fourth consecutive year the global think tank has earned the distinction.

Crain's ranking relies on employee surveys and employer data

The recognition, compiled in partnership with independent research firm Best Companies Group, is based on employee surveys and employer questionnaires assessing company culture, leadership, advancement opportunities, and benefits.

US Social Connection Survey Finds Persistent Loneliness, Weak Ties

Washington – September 24, 2026 -- Four in ten Americans report moderate to severe loneliness, according to the second annual Social Connection in AmericaTM survey, which found that key indicators of social connection weakened for a second consecutive year.

Nearly 70% of Americans see loved ones no more than once or twice a month

The survey, part of a 25-year national tracking initiative led by RAND and The Connection Institute with founding funder the Barnes Family Foundation, found that one in five Americans meet with people they care about only a few times a year or less. Time constraints are the top barrier to connection, cited by 30.6% of respondents, followed by distance (14.8%), effort (13.3%) and social anxiety (11.1%).

Accela, KCI Expand Partnership to Modernize Government Permitting Systems

San Ramon, Calif. – September 24, 2026 -- Accela and KCI Technologies announced an expanded strategic partnership to help state and local government agencies modernize permitting, licensing, inspections, and enterprise asset management through a connected cloud platform.

KCI ranks #50 on ENR's 2026 Top 500 Design Firms list and brings 20 years of Esri partnership expertise to the deal.

The partnership combines Accela's Civic Platform and Novotx Elements XS with KCI's government operations, GIS, and asset management capabilities. KCI is a 100% employee-owned engineering and technology services firm with a dedicated Land Management practice spanning nearly a decade and an asset management team certified by the Institute of Asset Management.

US Functional Unemployment Eases to 24.3% in August, LISEP Says

Washington, D.C. – September 24, 2026 -- The Ludwig Institute for Shared Economic Prosperity (LISEP) reported that its True Rate of Unemployment (TRU) fell 0.6 percentage points in August to 24.3%, down from 24.9% in July, partially reversing a four-month climb that began in March. The August reading still sits above January's 23.9%, following a 1.3-point rise between March and July. By contrast, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics headline unemployment rate held steady at 4.1% in August.

TRU Out of Population measure drops to 53.2%, tracking labor force participation gains

LISEP's TRU Out of the Population (TRU OOP)—which captures the share of the working-age population not functionally employed, including those who have exited the labor force—declined 0.6 percentage points to 53.2%. LISEP said the move aligns with the BLS-reported improvement in labor force participation.

Shanghai Forum Unveils Global Innovation Alliance, Names South Africa Honor Country

Shanghai – September 19, 2026 -- The 2026 Pujiang Innovation Forum, held in Shanghai from September 11 to 14, drew scientists, policymakers and industry practitioners from more than 50 countries and regions plus over 20 international organizations, producing a series of concrete cross-border initiatives in science and technology governance.

Shanghai and UNESCO launch a Global Innovative Cities Alliance to pool urban innovation strategy

The alliance is designed as a platform to coordinate cross-city collaborative innovation and support an open, sustainable global sci-tech ecosystem. The forum also released the 2025 World-Class Sci-Tech Journal Directory, an evaluation framework intended to give emerging-economy and newly launched academic journals a fairer footing in global assessment standards.

NY Plumbing Association Donates $121,500 to Feeding Families Foundation

New Haven, Conn. – September 18, 2026 -- Feeding Families Foundation has received a $121,500 donation from the Association of Contracting Plumbers City of New York Inc. (ACP), proceeds from the trade group's annual "Plumbing Industry Day" Charity Golf Outing at Old Westbury Golf & Country Club.

ACP's charity golf outing raises six-figure sum for hospital meal program

The event brought together members of New York's plumbing and contracting industry for a full scramble across the club's three nine-hole courses, followed by a cocktail reception, dinner and charity presentation. Robert Greenberg, President of ACP, said the association wanted to back an organization with "a clear mission and a proven ability to turn support into results."

St. Johns County Preps $191.6M Tax Revenue Hit From Amendment 3

St. Johns County, Fla. – September 16, 2026 -- St. Johns County has built a fiscal contingency plan around estimates showing property-tax revenue could fall by $68.3 million in Fiscal Year 2028, $136.1 million in FY 2029, and $191.6 million in FY 2032 if voters approve Property Tax Amendment 3 on Nov. 3, 2026. The projections, sourced from the Florida Office of Economic and Demographic Research, have driven a countywide budget review underway since May.

County identifies $108.6 million in spending for post-election reassessment

Staff flagged approximately $100 million in capital improvement projects for hold status, alongside $4 million tied to vacant positions, $2 million in unfunded FY 2027 roles, and $2.6 million in paused-but-recommended positions. County Administrator Joy Andrews said the approach lets officials avoid committing resources that may not be available later while protecting long-term financial stability.

AFSP Advocates Press Congress on $549.6M Lifeline Funding Push

Washington – September 16, 2026 -- Seventeen Volunteer Advocates from the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) will meet with members of Congress from September 16-18 to push for sustained federal funding and pending legislation on suicide prevention, arriving weeks after Congress passed the Youth Poisoning Protection Act (H.R. 1442/S. 289), which now awaits presidential signature.

Advocates from 14 states demand $549.6 million for the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline

The delegation, sponsored for a second year by AFSP's Illinois chapter during National Suicide Prevention Month, is lobbying for robust funding of the 988 Lifeline at $549.6 million, a $38 million allocation for the CDC's Comprehensive Suicide Prevention Program (CSP), and $2.548 billion for the National Institute of Mental Health.

CPSC Names Paul Brubaker Executive Director, Chief Operating Officer

Washington, D.C. – September 16, 2026 -- The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has appointed Paul Brubaker as its new Executive Director, installing him as the agency's chief operating officer over programmatic, operational, and administrative functions.

Brubaker takes charge of CPSC's regulatory portfolio and hazard-response operations

Brubaker will manage CPSC's regulatory portfolio and help direct efforts to identify and address consumer product hazards. He brings nearly four decades of public and private sector leadership in technology, cybersecurity, data analytics, organizational strategy, and federal management.

USFCR Named Federal Contracting Services of the Year 2026

Clearwater, Fla. – September 16, 2026 -- US Federal Contractor Registration (USFCR) has been named Federal Contracting Services of the Year 2026 by the Editorial Board of Gov Business Review, a recognition dated August 2026 that credits the firm's model for preparing businesses to compete in the federal marketplace.

Gov Business Review ties the award to a structured index of contractor performance

The publication determined the recognition through its Government Business Performance and Value Index, combined with independent editorial research, subscriber nominations and industry input. Evaluation criteria included government use-case alignment, execution in regulated contracting environments, measurable public sector impact and institutional confidence.