Initiatives & Projects

Through our research on the state of global coal, CGS conducts analysis on the trends of global coal power -- leveraging and building on new global datasets to paint a global and country-specific picture of coal power worldwide.

• Explore:
• Center for Global Sustainability
• Sustainability

How can policymakers tackle governance challenges in the face of rapid technological change?

• Explore:
• Center for Governance of Technology and Systems
• International Policy
• Science & Technology Policy Initiative

After the U.S. withdrew from the Paris Agreement in 2017, CGS led the analysis of commitments from the more than 4,000 cities, states, businesses, universities, communities of faith, and more who pledged to support the goals of the Paris Agreement in their own capacity. Since the U.S. officially rejoined the Paris Agreement in March 2021, CGS has continued working with U.S. subnational and international partners to deliver analysis that informs how an "all-of-society" ambitious and achievable U.S. climate strategy can drive actionable and feasible policy. CGS informs U.S. climate policy from the local to global through developing integrated modeling and climate scenarios for the federal government, advising on international discussions to ramp up ambition, and collaborating from the bottom-up to move the resources necessary to set and achieve ambitious climate goals.

• Explore:
• Center for Global Sustainability
• Sustainability

Successfully addressing the climate crisis while achieving sustainable development goals will require carefully constructed strategies to enact rapid economic transitions to a cleaner economy—tailored to national circumstances and priorities. The Center for Global Sustainability has deep expertise in country-specific analytical and policy approaches across key sectors and in support of a 1.5°C-pathway.

• Explore:
• Center for Global Sustainability
• Sustainability

As violent conflict shifts markedly from the inter-state arena to civil wars, the need for sustained global engagement to foresee, mediate, and prevent civil conflict grows.

• Explore:
• Center for Intl. & Security Studies at Maryland
• International Policy

Our overall goal is to foster and sustain a dynamic and interdisciplinary culture and infrastructure at the University of Maryland that promotes intellectual exchange and collaborative research and training with the aim of increasing the pipeline of researchers and policymakers focused on reducing and eliminating health inequities through effective social, environmental and health policy.

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• Social Policy

A collaborative space on campus that supports and helps to scale up students' innovative solutions to our world's most pressing challenges.

The Accelerator plays host to a number of training, development and networking opportunities to enable promising nonprofits, projects and socially-minded businesses the chance to grow their reach and impact.

• Explore:
• Do Good Institute
• Philanthropy & Nonprofit

Share your social impact and compete for a chance to win a share of more than $20,000

Students from across campus spend the year advocating, fundraising, volunteering and developing solutions for pressing social issues. The Challenge culminates in a Finals event where six teams pitch their project or venture and the impact they've made for the chance to win a share of more than $20,000.

• Explore:
• Do Good Institute
• Philanthropy & Nonprofit

The Do Good Faculty Fellows program supports faculty members as scholars, teachers, advisors, and educational leaders who want to explore social innovation broadly and deeply. Fellows will consider how students can engage in social innovation in its various forms (e.g. service-learning, civic engagement, philanthropy) and how they can engage students in their courses to address social problems. During the program, the Do Good Faculty Fellows will propose, and ultimately implement, an innovative Do Good course or curriculum within their respective specializations, departments, colleges, schools, or units.

• Explore:
• Do Good Institute
• Philanthropy & Nonprofit

Propose and receive funding for your social impact initiative 

Do Good Mini-Grants provide funding for student-led and student-run projects, ventures, or events that aim to create a positive social or environmental impact. Receive up to $750 to support your efforts to do good on or off campus! 

• Explore:
• Do Good Institute
• Philanthropy & Nonprofit

The Center for Global Sustainability focuses on policies that can help in accelerating the development and deployment of clean energy technologies. This includes assessment of emerging technologies, institutional structures and policies, and financing models both in the United States and in diverse global contexts.

• Explore:
• Center for Global Sustainability
• Sustainability

How do multi-stakeholder governance initiatives form? What drives or impedes cross-sector cooperation? And when are multi-stakeholder approaches most effective?

• Explore:
• Center for Intl. & Security Studies at Maryland
• International Policy

A unique feature of our work is a global philanthropy and NGO leadership effort. This growing area immerses and engages graduate and undergraduate students in major international philanthropic and NGO leadership issues throughout the world. Through a variety of learning and development experiences, students are equipped to make a significant difference around the globe. The program offers multiple compelling field-based abroad experiences offered through the School of Public Policy.

• Explore:
• Do Good Institute
• International Policy
• Philanthropy & Nonprofit

Minimizing the most serious forms of cyber attack, espionage, and crime without hindering beneficial uses of information technology requires skillful multi-stakeholder governance. 

• Explore:
• Center for Intl. & Security Studies at Maryland
• International Policy

In today’s security environment, civil conflicts, mass migration, climate change, epidemics, and other emergent phenomena create multiple, often overlapping, instabilities that exacerbate human insecurity.

• Explore:
• Center for Intl. & Security Studies at Maryland
• International Policy

Government, at all levels, spends trillions of tax dollars each year on goods and services.  The increasing complex interplay of acquiring, maintaining, and securing these goods and services remains a fundamental supporting activity. To do so government acquisition must be managed and secured in an effective and efficient manner throughout the entire acquisition cycle, from requirements development, through sustainment and disposal.

• Explore:
• Center for Governance of Technology and Systems
• Leadership & Management
• Cyber Policy Initiative

The mission of The Closing the Investment Gap Initiative (CIG) is to develop a country-led, facilitated approach to close this investment gap. This approach involves the governments of developing countries working with investors and financial sector representatives to prepare key projects so that they are well aligned with the criteria of private capital.

• Explore:
• Center for Global Sustainability
• Sustainability

Achieving nuclear security requires fundamental changes in international relationships, the reduction of risks associated with nuclear weapons programs, and new systems to manage and secure civilian nuclear materials and facilities.

• Explore:
• Center for Intl. & Security Studies at Maryland
• International Policy

The Pizzigati Initiative builds a pipeline of informed, effective advocates through teaching, training and applied research

• Explore:
• Social Policy

CGS is working to demonstrate new ways that universities can serve their states and communities as research and innovation hubs, and as neutral state conveners for policy discussions, providing the basis for deep collaboration for their regions, states, and businesses.

• Explore:
• Center for Global Sustainability
• Sustainability

Even in non-democracies, public attitudes matter. So what does the public think?

• Explore:
• Center for Intl. & Security Studies at Maryland
• International Policy

Technological and geopolitical developments underscore the need to balance a desire to preserve complete freedom of action and widely accepted governing rules as the basis for space operations. 

• Explore:
• Center for Intl. & Security Studies at Maryland
• International Policy

CGS is working from the top down and bottom up to designing equitable solutions and implementing climate adaptation efforts, through analysis and research into priority areas, financing opportunities, and comprehensive long-term resilience planning.

• Explore:
• Center for Global Sustainability
• Sustainability

Improving U.S. and European security policy making toward Iran requires increasing public and official understanding of the concerns and perspectives of Iran’s leaders and citizens.

• Explore:
• Center for Intl. & Security Studies at Maryland
• International Policy

CGS is exploring how universities can harness their natural, neutral convening power to drive cross-sector, collaborative policy making and serve as a test-ground for ambitious policy and ideas.

• Explore:
• Center for Global Sustainability
• Sustainability

How can the United States and Russia build a more constructive, cooperative international security relationship?

• Explore:
• Center for Intl. & Security Studies at Maryland
• International Policy

The Fellowship Program is tailored to support undergraduate and graduate students passionate about exploring racial and/or social equity within public leadership.

• Explore:
• Institute for Public Leadership
• Leadership & Management