Center for American Progress - CAP

What Center for American Progress - CAP does

The Center for American Progress (CAP) is an independent, nonpartisan 501(c)(3) policy institute and think tank headquartered at 1333 H St. NW in Washington, D.C. It produces policy research, reports, fact sheets, articles, and multimedia content covering five priority areas — Building an Economy for All, Restoring Social Trust in Democracy, Advancing Racial Equity and Justice, Tackling Climate Change and Environmental Injustice, and Strengthening Health — distributed in English and Spanish across 100+ policy topics and state-specific pages covering all 50 U.S. states and Puerto Rico. The organization's "products" are publications, expert commentary, and convenings rather than commercial software; its underlying technology stack is a content management and digital publishing platform supporting a website, email newsletters, virtual event infrastructure, and a broad social media footprint across Twitter/X, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, and BlueSky.

CAP's business model is donation-driven. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, it relies on contributions from individuals and foundations processed through ActBlue, supplemented by event ticket sales and sponsorships for flagship programming such as the annual IDEAS Conference (15th year in 2026). The organization operates without a parent company and is closely affiliated with the Center for American Progress Action Fund, a separate 501(c)(4) advocacy arm that translates research into political advocacy and campaign activity. Its customer base is not transactional but audience-based: policymakers, journalists, progressive advocacy organizations, and the general public engage with CAP's research as free public goods, while donor supporters fund the work.

Name

Center for American Progress - CAP

Legal name

Center for American Progress

Website

https://americanprogress.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Center for American Progress is an independent, nonpartisan 501(c)(3) policy institute headquartered in Washington, D.C. that produces research, reports, and analysis on economy, democracy, racial equity, climate, and health, serving policymakers, journalists, advocacy organizations, and the public.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Policy Research and Advocacy Services

NAICS

Business Associations (81391), Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (54172), Social Advocacy Organizations (81331)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Education Policy, Research & Advocacy Organizations (Nonprofit) (BPAGADAN), Education Policy Research Institutes & Think Tanks (EDADADAA), Government, Public Policy & Regulatory Congresses (THAHAJAF)

Keywords

• Policy research
• Think tank
• Policy advocacy
• Public policy analysis
• Progressive policy

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: CAP is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that relies primarily on donations from individuals, foundations, and supporters. The website prominently features a 'Donate' button and support our work section, indicating donation-based fundraising as a core revenue stream.
2. Events and Sponsorships: CAP generates revenue through event ticket sales and sponsorships for its signature events, including the annual CAP IDEAS Conference and various policy-focused webinars and discussions.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels12 records

Core offering

Center for American Progress is an independent, nonpartisan 501(c)(3) policy institute that produces and disseminates policy research reports, fact sheets, articles, and expert analysis across domestic and international policy areas. The organization convenes policymakers and thought leaders through events such as the annual CAP IDEAS Conference, and conducts advocacy work to influence policy debate, all supported primarily through donations.

Product overview

The Center for American Progress (CAP) is an independent, nonpartisan policy institute that publishes research reports, fact sheets, articles, and policy analyses on various topics including economy, climate, health, democracy, immigration, and education. CAP does not offer a traditional software product or platform. Its 'products' are policy publications, expert analysis, and advocacy content distributed through its website. CAP organizes its work into five priority areas: Building an Economy for All, Restoring Social Trust in Democracy, Advancing Racial Equity and Justice, Tackling Climate Change and Environmental Injustice, and Strengthening Health. Content is organized by topic areas covering over 100 policy issues.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Policy Research Reports and Analysis Evidence-based policy research reports, fact sheets, and analytical articles covering economy, democracy, climate, health, immigration, and other domestic and international policy issues, freely available to policymakers, journalists, advocacy organizations, and the general public.
• CAP IDEAS Conference Annual flagship conference convening thought leaders on the center-left to discuss policy solutions; the 2026 edition marks the conference's 15th year.
• Expert Commentary and Speaking Engagements CAP senior fellows and staff provide expert commentary for media, policy briefings, panels, and conferences on a range of policy topics.
• Event Space Rentals Rental of event space at CAP's Washington, D.C. headquarters for external events and gatherings.

Quantifiable outcome

• CAP's affordability agenda would save a typical family $4,133 per year across housing, health care, utility bills, and groceries
• +2 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• America's VoicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCAP partners with America's Voice on immigration policy advocacy and events. The two organizations co-host events on immigration policy and deportation issues, combining CAP's research with America's Voice's advocacy expertise to push for immigration reform.
• Center for American Progress Action FundcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCAP Action Fund is CAP's sister 501(c)(4) advocacy organization dedicated to improving the lives of all Americans. While CAP (c(3)) conducts policy research, CAP Action Fund (c(4)) engages in political advocacy and campaigns to advance the same progressive policy agenda.
• McCain InstituteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCAP collaborated with the McCain Institute to develop a national blueprint to end white supremacist violence, drawing on expertise across CAP and more than 150 conversations with diverse stakeholders.
• Various Coalition PartnersminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCAP works with coalition partners on specific campaigns and initiatives, including faith organizations (American Humanist Association, Americans United for Separation of Church and State, Interfaith Alliance) on religious liberty issues.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights12 records

Direct peers

• Brookings Institution: One of the largest and most cited U.S. think tanks, conducting policy research across economic, foreign policy, and domestic issues. Highly comparable to CAP in scale, DC footprint, and breadth of policy coverage, though Brookings positions itself as more centrist.
• Heritage Foundation: A leading conservative policy think tank with comparable national footprint, large staff of policy experts, extensive publication output, and a strong focus on influencing federal policymaking — a direct ideological mirror of CAP.
• American Enterprise Institute: A center-right public policy think tank based in Washington, D.C., with similar research depth, senior fellow model, media presence, and policy domain coverage in economics, foreign policy, and domestic issues.
• New America: A progressive-leaning think tank covering technology, education, economic policy, and international issues. Operates with a similar research-and-advocacy model and comparable DC presence to CAP.
• Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS): A major bipartisan foreign policy and national security think tank. CAP's National Security and International Policy department directly overlaps with CSIS's core portfolio, making them comparable in expertise and convening power.
• Council on Foreign Relations: A premier foreign-policy think tank with publications, expert briefings, and a national footprint. Comparable to CAP in its international-policy depth and role as a leading DC-based policy convener.
• Urban Institute: A nonprofit research organization focused on social and economic policy, with comparable scale, DC headquarters, and similar reliance on foundation and donor funding for evidence-based research.
• Third Way: A center-left policy think tank focused on moderate Democratic policy ideas. Comparable to CAP in progressive orientation, DC location, and policy-report-driven advocacy model.

Broad incumbents

• RAND Corporation: A larger, established research institution with deep policy analysis across defense, health, education, and economics. Comparable to CAP in research depth and policy influence, though RAND operates as a broader, more diversified institution.

Emerging players

• Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF): A nonprofit health policy research and news organization. KFF overlaps with CAP's Strengthening Health priority area and shares a similar model of publishing policy analysis free to the public.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/amprog
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/seeprogress
• Facebookfacebook.com/americanprogress
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/19230
• Instagraminstagram.com/americanprogress

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles24 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds5 records

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Center for American Progress - CAP