The University of Chicago Announces $1.5 Million Gift from Menard Family to Harris Public Policy

The Menard family has generously provided a gift of $1,500,000 to the University of Chicago to support Bruce D. Meyer, McCormick Foundation Professor, and his efforts to create a Comprehensive Income Dataset at the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy. Meyer, who was recently honored by the American Statistical Association for his work in linking data, is one of the foremost economists studying poverty and inequality in the United States. The Menard family owns and operates a home improvement business with 325 stores and 41 manufacturing facilities in 14 Midwestern states, including 60 stores and six manufacturing facilities in Illinois alone.

The Comprehensive Income Dataset project seeks to combine income data from a variety of sources including surveys, tax records, and other administrative data from government programs, into a standardized, broadly available dataset. In doing so, this dataset will overcome many of the limitations traditionally associated income and administrative data by linking demographic information to accurate tax and income information.

This first-of-its-kind dataset will transform our understanding of the distribution of income and how it is influenced by government programs and employment. Once completed, this dataset will help researchers explore the efficacy of various government programs, inform policymakers of program impacts, and alter the way the U.S. federal government collects data and produces statistics. In opening new frontiers in data standardization, evidence synthesis, and predictive analytics, this dataset will enable significant, impactful research that analyzes poverty, inequality, mobility, taxes and tax credits, and the effectiveness of government programs to better find and address holes in the safety net.

This gift will also establish the Menard Family Pre-Doctoral Fellows at Harris Public Policy, who will become part of a new cohort of economists and statisticians knowledgeable of the federal statistical system. These Fellows will work with Meyer in the data collection and merging process, assist on empirical research using the data, and develop new ways to improve the quality of national surveys. 

“To stay relevant, all of us need to embrace learning and new ideas so that we can create an America where nobody gets left behind,” said the Menard family. “We hope our support of Harris Public Policy, and Dr. Bruce D. Meyer, at the University of Chicago will enhance the educational experiences of students, preparing them for future success and offering them an opportunity to think about how they can add value to their communities and the country after graduation.” 

Read more about the Menard family’s commitment to higher education here.

“We are grateful to the Menard family for this generous gift,” said Katherine Baicker, dean and Emmett Dedmon Professor at Harris. “Their support will enhance the scope of Professor Meyer’s field-defining research on issues of poverty and inequality, which has been a long-standing focus of scholarship at our school. It will also establish new and transformative opportunities for students.”