RAND

What RAND does

RAND Corporation is a nonprofit, nonpartisan research organization founded in 1948 and headquartered in Santa Monica, California, with operations in the United States, the United Kingdom (RAND Europe, Cambridge), and Australia (RAND Australia, Canberra). It employs between 1,001 and 5,000 staff organized into seven U.S. research divisions (Army Research Division, Education Employment and Infrastructure, Global and Emerging Risks, Health, Homeland Security Research Division, National Security Research Division, and Project AIR FORCE), two international divisions, and the RAND Graduate School of Public Policy. RAND delivers objective research, policy analysis, and evidence-based recommendations to government agencies, foundations, and private-sector clients across topics including national security, healthcare, education, environment, technology, and international affairs.

RAND's core outputs are research publications, policy reports, and analytical frameworks — not commercial software — distributed through RAND.org, the Policy Currents newsletter, and the Policy Minded podcast. The organization has invested in proprietary AI/ML capabilities that distinguish it within the think tank sector, including the Integrated Strategic Forecasting (ISF) system for geopolitical conflict prediction, a Predictive War Index built with Verisk, an LLM Policy Report Benchmark using six truthfulness categories, and an AI-enabled biological design risk-scoring tool for biosecurity risk assessment. It also produces domain-specific frameworks such as a tailored Risk Management Framework for the U.S. Coast Guard, climate resilience tools for the EPA's Chesapeake Bay program, and AI data center power demand projections.

RAND generates revenue primarily through research contracts and grants from U.S. federal agencies (Department of Defense, Department of Energy, EPA, Coast Guard), state governments (California, Indiana), philanthropic foundations (Markle, FORE, Fairbanks, Sloan), and select private-sector clients. Reported annual revenue was $461 million for 2024. On October 21, 2025, RAND conducted a workforce reduction of 192 employees — over 11% of its global workforce — to realign staffing with changes in the research funding environment, indicating a recent contraction in operating capacity even as the organization continues to publish and expand into adjacent AI safety and Indo-Pacific defense advisory areas.

Name

RAND

Legal name

RAND Corporation

Website

https://rand.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1948

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

RAND Corporation is a 1948-founded nonprofit, nonpartisan research organization headquartered in Santa Monica that delivers objective policy analysis, research reports, and proprietary AI-driven forecasting and risk-scoring tools to U.S. federal and state agencies, foundations, and international clients across national security, health, education, and technology.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Santa Monica

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Research Contracts and Grants: RAND generates revenue primarily through research contracts with government agencies (federal, state, local), foundations, and private sector organizations. The organization reported annual revenues of $461 million for 2024.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

RAND Corporation is a nonprofit, nonpartisan research organization that produces objective research reports, policy analysis, and analytical frameworks across domains including national security, health, education, environment, infrastructure, and international affairs. It secures research contracts and grants from federal and state government agencies, foundations, and private sector clients, and delivers outputs through dedicated U.S. and international research divisions and the RAND Graduate School of Public Policy.

Product overview

RAND Corporation is a nonprofit, nonpartisan research organization that develops objective analysis and policy solutions across a broad portfolio. Its primary 'products' are research publications, policy reports, and analytical frameworks rather than commercial software. The portfolio includes AI and technology-focused research products such as the Integrated Strategic Forecasting (ISF) system for geopolitical conflict prediction, LLM benchmarking tools for evaluating how well AI models process technical policy documents, and AI-enabled biological design risk-scoring tools. RAND also produces sector-specific research products including climate resilience tools for stormwater management, U.S. Coast Guard waterways safety risk assessment frameworks, AI energy capacity evaluations, supply chain risk analyses, and space traffic management frameworks. These research outputs are distributed through RAND's website and are organized across nine research divisions (U.S. and international) covering national security, health, education, environment, cyber sciences, law, and international affairs, complemented by the RAND Graduate School of Public Policy.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• RAND Research Publications and Policy Analysis

Quantifiable outcome

• U.S. Poison Centers save $3.1 billion annually due to RAND-commissioned research demonstrating their value
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability9 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Markle FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 June 2026The Markle Foundation, in partnership with Aspen Digital and RAND, launched the AIDE initiative to help state and local emergency managers adopt practical AI tools for disaster preparedness and response. The initiative has conducted approximately 35 workshops with nearly 100 organizations.
• Paralyzed Veterans of AmericacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 March 2026Paralyzed Veterans of America announced a partnership with RAND for a research study on VA care for veterans with spinal cord injuries. This research partnership supports PVA's mission while utilizing RAND's research capabilities.
• Foundation for Opioid Response Efforts (FORE)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 March 2024FORE announced a grant to RAND to study the impact of post-COVID Medicaid policy changes on access to buprenorphine treatment for opioid use disorder. The project analyzes Medicaid disenrollment effects and aims to inform policymakers on reducing barriers to treatment access.
• Aspen DigitalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAspen Digital partnered with Markle Foundation and RAND on the AIDE initiative for AI tools in emergency management.
• Pacific Century InstituteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPacific Century Institute co-invited former President Moon Jae-in to the United States along with RAND for discussions on inter-Korean relations and global issues.
• Japan Ministry of DefensecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJapan's Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi met with RAND Corporation among other U.S. companies (Neros, Palantir, Hawkeye360) in January 2025 to explore partnerships for drone production, AI decision support, and multi-domain sensing capabilities as Japan expands defence industrial cooperation with the U.S.
• Swords to PlowsharescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSwords to Plowshares released interim findings from a California statewide pilot evaluating enhanced permanent supportive housing for veterans, with independent evaluation conducted by RAND. RAND found strong outcomes including 98% housing retention and 60% reduction in emergency room visits.
• Global Initiative on Loneliness and Connection (GILC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGILC is hosting the 2026 Global Connection Forum featuring panels with practitioners from RAND Corporation alongside organizations including More in Common US and Search for Common Ground.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Urban Institute: Nonprofit research organization delivering evidence-based insights on social and economic policy. Comparable in mission, funding mix, and federal/state/foundation contract model.
• Brookings Institution: Major U.S. nonprofit, nonpartisan think tank producing public policy research across economics, foreign policy, and governance. Closely comparable in mission, scale, funding model, and federal/foundation client mix.
• MITRE Corporation: Federally funded R&D center operating multiple FFRDCs for the U.S. government, conducting systems engineering, policy analysis, and applied research. Comparable in serving federal sponsors with multidisciplinary research talent.
• Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS): Nonpartisan policy research organization focused on defense, security, and international affairs. Direct competitor for government-funded defense and national security research contracts.
• Institute for Defense Analyses (IDA): Federally funded research center serving the Office of the Secretary of Defense and other DoD agencies with scientific and policy analysis. Direct peer in defense-focused research delivery model.
• Carnegie Endowment for International Peace: Nonprofit, nonpartisan think tank conducting international affairs and policy research. Comparable in mission, nonprofit funding model, and global policy focus.
• Atlantic Council: Nonpartisan think tank focused on international affairs, with programs spanning geopolitics, defense, energy, and technology policy. Competes for similar government and foundation research mandates.
• Council on Foreign Relations (CFR): Nonprofit, nonpartisan membership organization focused on U.S. foreign policy and international affairs. Comparable in producing high-quality policy analysis for government and institutional audiences.
• RTI International: Independent nonprofit research institute delivering scientific and policy research to government and commercial clients. Directly comparable in scientific research services, federal contract model, and scale.

Broad incumbents

• Booz Allen Hamilton: Large public management and technology consulting firm with substantial federal defense, intelligence, and civil agency practices. Competes for adjacent federal research and analytics contracts at larger scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/RANDCorporation
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/TheRANDCorporation
• Facebookfacebook.com/RANDCorporation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rand-corporation
• Instagraminstagram.com/randcorporation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Subsidiaries10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors2 records

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about RAND