Public Policy
The Gardner Institute provides data-driven, context-specific insights about public policy in Utah. We prepare in-depth quantitative and qualitative studies on key Utah issues in partnership with private-sector stakeholders and state and local government. Our research provides vital information decision-makers and the public use to help Utah prosper.
Great Salt Lake Data and Insights Summary (January 2025)
In 2024, Great Salt Lake continued to rise from the record-low elevation reached in 2022, aided by two years of above-average precipitation and the adaptive management berm.
Utah Informed: Visual Intellection for 2025
In Utah Informed, we share 80 pages of compelling charts, quotes, maps, phrases, and schematics that help us better understand our changing state, nation, and world. We call it “visual intellection” and invite you to consider how this information can help.
Driving Towards an Electric Future: Utah’s Clean Transportation Workforce
Increased adoption of electric and other alternative-fuel vehicles is changing Utah’s transportation sector, requiring a growing workforce trained on clean vehicles.
Utah Innovation Ecosystems
Utah's higher education institutions, well-trained workforce, collaborative atmosphere, and culture of innovation contribute to the state's strong innovation ecosystems.
Tourism, Recreation, and Restaurant Taxes in Utah
Tourism in Utah generates significant tourism-specific and other taxes, but regional differences in local revenues and tourism impacts can pose challenges.
Salt Lake County’s Life Sciences and Health Care Innovation Industry
Life sciences and health care innovation plays a vital role in Salt Lake County’s economy, supporting employment, generating earnings, and boosting GDP.
The Evolving Landscape of Utah’s Short-Term Rental Market
Short-term rental (STR) growth accelerated dramatically across the United States as the COVID-19 pandemic shifted consumer behaviors, thus increasing their market demand. This report summarizes the recent trends in the growth of STRs across Utah and how this growth relates to the total housing supply.
Utah Small Area Diabetes Risk Profiles
The Utah Small Area Diabetes Risk Profiles are based on the Health Improvement Index (HII), 2022, and is a measure of health equity developed by the Utah Department of Health and Human Services. Areas with high and very high HII scores are characterized by social and economic disadvantage.
Navigating Utah’s Demographic Dip: Strategically Positioning Utah Higher Education Amid College-age Population Declines
Pending college-age population declines provide opportunities for state and institutional policymakers to strategically transform, conserve, and realign.
The State of Utah’s Travel and Tourism Industry, 2024 (Tri-Fold Brochure)
Visitors spent a record $12.71 billion in Utah’s economy in 2023, generating 159,800 total jobs and a record $2.35 billion in state and local tax revenue.