Projects

Teams of students from CT State Community College Capital and Trinity College have completed over thirty projects with community partners in the Liberal Arts Action Lab.

Fall 2026 Projects:

• Participatory Budgeting in Hartford with Hartford Decides: Hartford Decide$ builds an inclusive culture of community engagement in Hartford by giving residents direct decision-making power over part of the city’s capital budget. How can participation in participatory budgeting be increased? Help research resident engagement and barriers through comparative research, surveys and interviews with residents, volunteers, and city partners. Your work will contribute to tools, materials, and recommendations that inform future engagement strategies and expand community participation.

• Highway Impacts & Neighborhood Change with Northside Institutions Neighborhood Alliance (NINA): NINA works to revitalize Hartford’s Asylum Hill neighborhood through historic home rehabilitation and community development. How did the construction of I-84 in the 1950s impact Asylum Hill in terms of population loss, property values, and tax revenue? Help research historic demolitions, property records, and neighborhood changes. Your work will support databases, maps, and visual materials that quantify these impacts and inform future advocacy, helping Hartford residents understand and shape highway and development decisions.

• Housing Affordability in Hartford with Partnership for Strong Communities: Partnership for Strong Communities works to ensure safe, stable, and affordable housing in Connecticut. What barriers do Hartford residents face when finding rental housing, and how do costs, security deposits, and policies affect access? Help research available rentals, analyze affordability trends, and interview residents or landlords. Your work will produce visualizations, maps, and reports that guide policy and advocacy efforts to improve housing choice and equity in Hartford.