MANBAT is a Jerusalem-based initiative founded in 2024 by young Jerusalemites to strengthen research, professionalism, and civil society capacity, with a particular focus on East Jerusalem. The organization responds to a critical gap in locally grounded data and research on Jerusalem’s diverse populations, a gap that continues to limit effective planning, advocacy, and service delivery across sectors. MANBAT’s activities focus on collecting, producing, and disseminating high-quality field research that generates practical insights for social and professional change. Using participatory and context-sensitive research approaches, MANBAT documents lived realities, identifies community needs, and transforms data into accessible knowledge that can inform policy, programming, and professional practice. In parallel, MANBAT designs and delivers targeted capacity-building programs for professionals and civil society organizations. These activities aim to strengthen research skills, analytical thinking, and professional standards, enabling local actors to use data more effectively in their work and advocacy efforts. A core element of MANBAT’s work is fostering cross-sector collaboration by creating spaces that bring together field researchers, NGOs, and practitioners from different disciplines. Through these collaborative efforts, MANBAT supports knowledge exchange, shared learning, and the development of collective responses to complex social and urban challenges in Jerusalem. Through this integrated approach that combines research, capacity building, and collaboration, MANBAT contributes to building a data-driven and resilient civil society that works to improve quality of life and advance sustainable social change in Jerusalem.