Research and Consulting Services for Advancing Resilience and Sustainability
Our partnerships are guided by our mission: creating solutions that are sustainable—respectful of ecological and planetary boundaries—equitable, and focused on long-term human thriving.
How We Help Our Partners
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Turn Ideas into Action
We guide projects and programs from concept to launch, including grant writing partnerships and custom micro-teaching on sustainability topics. We help define problems within a systems framework and create actionable plans that move initiatives from good intentions to measurable progress.
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Stakeholder Engagement
We facilitate and convene diverse voices and guide productive conversations toward action. We bring together communities, organizations, local government, and decision-makers to find common ground and collaborative pathways forward.
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Data Analysis and Visualization
We turn overwhelming information into actionable insights — handling the technical heavy lifting through custom visualizations, interactive dashboards, StoryMaps, and GIS mapping so partners can focus on the patterns and solutions that matter.
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Strengthen Community Resilience and Sustainability
We provide support to help communities adapt and thrive. Whether it’s protecting farmland, improving mobility, or addressing displacement, we work alongside you to center community needs and long-term sustainability.
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Custom Tools and Applications
We create custom web applications and mapping tools that put powerful analysis capabilities directly into community hands, enabling data-driven decision-making at the local level.
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Grant and Funding Collaboration
Great work requires resources. We partner with organizations to identify funding opportunities and develop compelling proposals, bringing academic research experience and technical expertise to help turn promising projects into funded ones.
Ready to learn more?
Every project starts with a conversation. Whether you have a well-defined project or just an idea, tell us what you’re working on and let’s see what’s possible together.
Featured Projects
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Putting a Data Dashboard to Work for Greenville’s Transit System
Greenville County’s transit system provides 750,000 rides a year—workers, students, and residents who depend on it to reach jobs, healthcare, and opportunity. A custom dashboard built by the Shi Institute is giving advocates the data and tools they need to make the case for a stronger, more connected county.
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Extreme Heat Is a Health Crisis. The Hard Part Is Knowing Exactly Where
South Carolina already endures about 15 days a year above 95°F—and that number is expected to grow dramatically. Extreme heat kills, worsens chronic illness, and strains communities in ways that vary dramatically from block to block. The Shi Institute is helping municipalities see exactly where the threat is greatest, and act on it.
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What Will the Upstate Look Like in 2100? We Have a Choice.
The natural spaces that define our region could vanish within decades – or they could thrive for generations. Our modeling reveals how smart decisions today can preserve the Upstate for future generations.
Who We Are
The Shi Institute integrates research and action by working alongside partners to co-create and implement practical, evidence-based solutions to complex social and environmental challenges. Grounded in local communities, our work combines lived experience with interdisciplinary expertise to advance a more equitable and resilient future.
The Shi Insitute for Sustainable Communities is part of Furman University in Greenville, SC.