What The Brookings Institution does

The Brookings Institution is a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit public policy research organization founded in 1916 and governed under the laws of the District of Columbia as a 501(c)(3) entity. It conducts nonpartisan policy analysis organized across five major research programs — Governance Studies, Economic Studies, Foreign Policy, Global Economy and Development, and Brookings Metro — spanning topics including AI, education, climate, defense, international affairs, and the U.S. economy. The institution employs 251–500 staff and convenes 250+ leading experts drawn from government and academia.

The institution's core outputs are research publications, books (Brookings Institution Press), the Brookings Brief newsletter, and the Brookings Podcast Network (249+ episodes), all distributed primarily free of charge. A dedicated Government Affairs team delivers monthly "Brookings on the Hill" events, field hearings, expert congressional testimony, and direct policy mailers targeting U.S. federal policymakers. Distribution channels include the brookings.edu website, newsletters, podcasts, events, and an active social media presence on X, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Instagram.

Brookings is funded primarily through donations, foundation grants, and government contracts rather than product sales. Disclosed recent grants include $500,000 from the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation (2023), $1.5 million from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation (2022), and $1.69 million from the Sloan Foundation (2018). Specific revenue figures are not publicly disclosed. The institution maintains a global research footprint across six regions and an active 2026 partnership portfolio spanning AEI, Stanford HAI, the Center for Democracy and Technology, OECD, the Stockholm Environment Institute, and the American Indian College Fund. In March 2026, the U.S. Department of Defense removed Brookings from its approved list for military officer professional education programs.

Name

The Brookings Institution

Legal name

The Brookings Institution

Website

https://brookings.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1916

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Brookings Institution is a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit public policy think tank founded in 1916 that conducts nonpartisan research across governance, economic, foreign policy, and urban policy domains for U.S. government policymakers, academics, and the public.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Policy Research

NAICS

Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Grantmaking and Giving Services (8132), Book Publishers (513130), Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services (5416)

akta.pro primary industry

Think Tanks, Policy Research & Public Policy Institutes (BPAGAFAO)

Keywords

• Public policy research
• Nonpartisan analysis
• Policy think tank
• Economic studies
• Foreign policy research

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Brookings is a nonprofit institution that receives donations from individuals, foundations, and organizations. The website mentions options to donate and notes that donor information is protected under donor guidelines.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Brookings Institution is a nonprofit public policy research organization that produces nonpartisan, evidence-based research, policy analysis, and recommendations on national and global policy issues. It operates five major research programs covering governance, economics, foreign policy, global development, and urban policy, delivering outputs through reports, newsletters, podcasts, books, events, and direct engagement with policymakers.

Product overview

The Brookings Institution is a nonprofit think tank offering a portfolio of nonpartisan research products and services. The core offerings include the Brookings Brief flagship newsletter, the Brookings Podcast Network (with 249+ episodes), published books through Brookings Institution Press, short-form Government Affairs products (videos, mailers, podcasts), expert congressional testimony services, and nationwide events and conferences. Research is organized across five major programs—Governance Studies, Economic Studies, Foreign Policy, Global Economy and Development, and Brookings Metro—covering topics including Iran, education, artificial intelligence, foreign politics, elections, climate and energy, and various other policy areas.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Brookings Brief: Flagship newsletter delivering research on today's top issues.
• Brookings Podcast Network
• Brookings Institution Press

Products and services

• Brookings Brief Flagship newsletter delivering research and nonpartisan analysis on today's top policy issues to subscribers, providing ongoing coverage of complex policy challenges.
• Brookings Podcast Network Audio content network featuring policy podcasts including The Current (249 episodes), offering timely analysis on breaking news and current policy conversations for general and policy audiences.
• Brookings Institution Press Books In-depth book publications by Brookings experts providing comprehensive explorations of policy issues, including titles such as 'The Price of Democracy' and 'Black Power Scorecard', sold through standard retail channels.
• Government Affairs Products Short-form policy products including brief explainer videos, consolidated research mailers, and policy podcasts designed to help congressional and federal policymakers understand issues quickly.
• Congressional Testimony Services Expert testimony services in which Brookings scholars provide testimony before Congress on topics including AI strategy, pharmaceutical policy, Federal Reserve policy, and international affairs.
• Events and Conferences Monthly 'Brookings on the Hill' events bringing scholars and congressional staff together, plus public events, field hearings, briefings, and policy conferences held nationwide.
• Research Programs Organized research across five major programs — Governance Studies, Economic Studies, Foreign Policy, Global Economy and Development, and Brookings Metro — covering defense and security, education, climate, AI, and other policy areas.

Quantifiable outcome

• Brookings scholars testify before Congress on range of topics including AI strategy, China policy, Federal Reserve, and international affairs.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor and major.

• SEI (Stockholm Environment Institute)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 May 2026Co-authored a report on integrating North American carbon credit markets, finding them unnecessarily fragmented and recommending policy measures to drive private sector investment.
• American Enterprise Institute (AEI)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 April 2026The Brookings-AEI Commission on U.S. Rural Prosperity is a bipartisan commission co-facilitated by both institutions, conducting site visits to rural communities in North Dakota, Minnesota, and the Mississippi Delta to develop rural prosperity recommendations.
• Stanford HAI (Human-Centered AI Institute)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 April 2026Stanford HAI researchers presented findings from the 2026 AI Index Report at Brookings, examining the widening gap between AI capabilities and governance frameworks.
• American Indian College FundminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 March 2026Collaboration on the Meriam Report Initiative, scheduled for release in 2028 to mark the centennial of the 1928 Problems of Indian Administration report.
• Center for Democracy and Technology (CDT)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 January 2026Joint research analyzing the Hiroshima AI Process (HAIP) Reporting Framework, a G7 initiative for AI transparency, examining its first reporting cycle and providing recommendations.
• OECDminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 January 2026Brookings and CDT hosted discussions on the OECD's Hiroshima AI Process Reporting Framework, a voluntary mechanism for organizations developing advanced AI systems.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Carnegie Endowment for International Peace: Carnegie is a nonprofit foreign policy research center with global centers and a heavy emphasis on international affairs and economic policy — directly overlapping with Brookings' Foreign Policy and Global Economy and Development programs.
• Atlantic Council: Atlantic Council is a nonpartisan foreign policy think tank producing research on global economics, security, and technology policy — directly comparable to Brookings' Foreign Policy program and global economy work, with similar D.C. policy access.
• Urban Institute: Urban Institute is a D.C.-based nonprofit research organization focused on economic and social policy, with strong government and foundation funding — directly comparable to Brookings' Economic Studies and Brookings Metro programs in mission and funding model.
• Heritage Foundation: Heritage is one of the most influential U.S. policy think tanks, producing policy research and recommendations across the full policy spectrum — directly comparable to Brookings in scale, D.C. base, and congressional impact, though ideologically distinct.
• Center for Strategic and International Studies: CSIS is a bipartisan D.C. think tank focused on defense, security, and international policy, with strong ties to Capitol Hill and the executive branch — closely comparable to Brookings' foreign policy and governance programs in scope, distribution, and policymaker access.
• American Enterprise Institute: AEI is a D.C.-based public policy think tank conducting research across economics, foreign policy, and domestic policy. Brookings and AEI are explicitly peers and even co-host the bipartisan Rural Prosperity Commission, making AEI the closest ideological-rival peer.
• Hoover Institution: Hoover Institution is a Stanford-based public policy research center focused on economics, foreign policy, and political theory — directly comparable to Brookings in scholarly depth, policy research output, and influence on U.S. policy debates.
• Council on Foreign Relations: CFR is a U.S. nonprofit membership organization focused on foreign policy and international affairs, producing research, convening experts, and briefing policymakers — directly overlapping with Brookings' Foreign Policy program and global economy work.
• Wilson Center: The Wilson Center is a D.C.-based nonpartisan institution focused on independent research and dialogue on global issues — closely comparable to Brookings in scope (international affairs, governance, economic policy) and Congressional charter status.
• RAND Corporation: RAND is a nonprofit research institution producing rigorous policy analysis across defense, health, education, and international affairs — directly comparable to Brookings in mission, funding model (mix of government contracts and philanthropy), and audience of policymakers and academics.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/BrookingsInst
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/BrookingsInstitution
• Facebookfacebook.com/brookings
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-brookings-institution
• Instagraminstagram.com/brookingsinst

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds5 records

Investors3 records

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about The Brookings Institution