April 2025

Kristi Spalding, Spencer Reed, & Olivia Dillon

In partnership with Spacebar Arcade, this semester our interns Kristi Spalding, Spencer Reed, and Olivia Dillon conducted a comparative analysis of state liquor licensing laws. The project specifically focused on the economic, social, and community impacts of Idaho’s liquor license quota system on the restaurant and bar industry, market dynamics, and community well-being. 

Our report found that there are both benefits and drawbacks to Idaho’s current system; best practices and legislative changes in other states may provide a roadmap for potential options to improve Idaho’s liquor licensing system. 

SPARC Event

Our Director Vanessa Fry presented our team’s research, “Building Resilient Futures: The Health Impact of Permanent Supportive Housing,” on April 3rd at the Keith and Catherine Stein Luminary. Part of our collaboration with the City of Boise and New Path Community Housing, our team members Lantz McGinnis-Brown, McAllister Hall, Kristi Spalding, and Olivia Dillon also contributed to the research.

The kickoff event for Research and Creative Activity Month at Boise State University Research & Economic Development, Vanessa presented at the Showcasing Projects And Research Creativity (SPARC) Mixer. SPARC uses an interactive floor-to-ceiling touchscreen environment to present research in a way that engages the audience at every step. Thanks to all who attended!

March 2025 Market Update

Research Associate Maria Onaindia completed the March 2025 Market Update for Boise Regional Realtors. This month’s report includes data on Gem, Ada, Canyon, Elmore, Payette, Owyhee, Malheur, Washington, and Boise counties.

Osher Institute Survey Course

Survey Research Director Matthew May taught a course on the Annual Idaho Public Policy Survey for the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute on April 1st. The course provided an overview of the survey’s 30-year history, what goes into its planning each year, how it is fielded, and shared the results from its latest effort. It had 259 registered Osher participants, including a mix of in-person and online attendees.

CUPSO Conference

Vanessa Fry, IPI Director, attended the 2025 Annual Consortium of Public Service Organizations (CUPSO) conference in Wichita, KS. While there she led two panel discussions, both in the conference’s Organizational Excellence track. “Strengthening Our Institutes and Centers: Shaping a CUPSO External Review Service” brought together attendees to discuss designing a peer-driven process that would help institutes and centers assess effectiveness, mission alignment, organizational structure,  financial sustainability, and long-term impact. The second, “Resilient Revenue: Diversifying Funding for Long-Term Impact” brought together CUPSO directors from three different organizations to discuss how institutes and centers can diversify their funding in support of their work while remaining true to their organization and mission.

VIP Service Learning Exhibition

The Housing Opportunities for All Vertically Integrated Project class, co-lead by Vanessa Fry, participated in the 2025 VIP Service Learning Exhibition. Kristi Spalding, an IPI intern, and her classmates presented a poster on their work with the City of Boise’s Housing and Community Development division. This semester the students distributed a survey and conducted interviews and focus groups in order to learn about the housing needs of Boise residents.

Green Communities Leadership Institute Keynote

Early April brought the 2025 cohort from the Green Communities Leadership Institute to Boise State’s campus where experienced professionals in urban planning, stormwater management, municipal forestry, parks and recreation, city management, and other related fields come together to enhance their leadership skills. Vanessa Fry delivered this year’s Community Leadership Keynote where she discussed the importance of building trust with partners in order to address the most pressing challenges facing communities.

City Club Discusses Philanthropy in Idaho

Idaho’s nonprofits are facing increased pressure as the state and funding uncertainty grows. To examine this topic in more detail, Vanessa Fry, City Club Vice President, moderated a discussion with the Idaho Community Foundation and United Way of Treasure Valley about the state of philanthropy in Idaho and what can be done in the future to grow philanthropic investments in the state.

• A look into public’s opinion about this year’s legislative session, KTVB 7, April 10, 2025
• Research and creative activity Q and A Vanessa Fry of the Idaho Policy Institute, Boise State, April 14, 2025