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Capabilities Brochure | PDF
Community Profile Brochure | PDF
CGR at 100: A Remarkable Story | PDF
Our Distinguished History
Founded in 1915, CGR has been delivering expert support to the public, nonprofit and private sectors for a century. Originally, we were incorporated as the Rochester (NY) Bureau of Municipal Research, and were established by founder George Eastman with a mandate to “get things done for the community” we call home. Although our passion for delivering promising solutions has never changed, both the geographic area and clients we serve have broadened dramatically. Today we have a national reach and can be found working with a diverse range of agencies, organizations and communities.
Why Nonprofit?
In an arena served almost exclusively by for-profit consultancies, CGR stands apart. Since our founding, we have operated as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, a status that insulates us from political bias and holds us accountable to our clients’ true shareholders – the communities they serve – positioning them as more desirable places to live and work.
Just like our clients, we’re in the business of making a difference.
David A. Riley, M.U.P.
Associate Principal
David A. Riley is a researcher and former journalist who brings an urban planner’s perspective to his work. He contributes to CGR’s analyses of government services, operations and finances; municipal reorganization; inter-governmental cooperation and shared services; planning initiatives for governments, nonprofits and funders; and other research projects.
Since joining CGR in 2018, Mr. Riley has led studies of regional code enforcement in Tioga County, NY; regional management of public records in Broome County, NY; operational and facility needs in Grand Island, NY; and apartment vacancies in Kingston, NY, among other projects. He co-authored studies of municipal dissolution in Massena, NY and South Nyack, NY, and provided analysis for financial and operational studies of Syracuse, NY and Yonkers, NY. He has contributed to several studies of fire protection and emergency medical services. Mr. Riley also leads analysis of land use issues in CGR’s work, as needed, and has worked on models of the fiscal and economic impacts of development. In his work with nonprofits and funders, he co-facilitated a strategic planning process for PathStone Corp.; co-authored a community needs assessment for the Foundation for MetroWest (MA); and conducted a housing needs survey for several nonprofits in the Rochester, NY area.
Prior to joining CGR, Mr. Riley was a journalist with more than a decade of experience reporting on government and public policy. While pursuing his graduate education, he conducted community-based research on public engagement in planning processes. He is a candidate for American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) certification and an officer of the Genesee / Finger Lakes Section of the American Planning Association New York Upstate Chapter.
He holds a master’s degree in urban planning from the University at Buffalo, where he studied community development and innovative approaches to public engagement.
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