Roosevelt Institute

What Roosevelt Institute does

The Roosevelt Institute is a non-profit progressive policy think tank founded in 1987 and headquartered in New York, operating with 101-250 employees. It produces policy research, publications, and advocacy focused on economic inequality, racial justice, labor rights, and democratic governance, serving policymakers, journalists, foundation funders, students, and engaged individual donors.

Its core product set comprises policy reports and briefs, the "Good Life Agenda" publication series launched in 2026, the Roosevelt Network student fellowship program, the Roosevelt Society donor community, an awards program, and a podcast distributed through PRX. A flagship institutional asset is its formal partnership with the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) supporting the FDR Presidential Library and Museum, which includes co-fundraising and co-programming. Senior Fellows include Joseph Stiglitz, Paul Krugman, and William Darity Jr., whose brand and intellectual authority materially shape the Institute's competitive position.

The business model is grant-funded non-profit: revenue is generated primarily through foundation grants (target ~$18M annually from funders including Mellon, Hewlett, and Omidyar Network) and individual donations (target ~$2M), supplemented by institutional co-fundraising through the NARA/FDR partnership. Distribution channels include direct research publication, The New Republic editorial partnership, the PRX podcast, and the fellowship network. Leadership shows an unresolved conflict in the input data between Elizabeth Wilkins as President & CEO and Felicia Wong listed as President; this should be reconciled against the most recent primary source before any decision reliance.

Name

Roosevelt Institute

Legal name

Roosevelt Institute

Website

https://rooseveltinstitute.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

The Roosevelt Institute is a non-profit progressive policy think tank founded in 1987 in New York that produces research, publications, and fellowships on economic inequality, racial justice, and democracy for policymakers, funders, students, and engaged citizens.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Policy Think Tank Services

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Charities & Grantmaking Intermediaries (BPAGAKAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

STEM, Digital Literacy & Maker Education Nonprofits (BPAGADAG)

Keywords

• Progressive policy research
• Think tank publications
• Undergraduate policy fellowships
• Presidential library partnership
• Economic policy advocacy

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Foundation and Individual Donations: The Roosevelt Institute operates as a nonprofit organization funded primarily through donations and grants. The Chief Development Officer is responsible for raising $18M annually in foundation funding and $2M in individual giving.
2. FDR Library Fundraising: The Institute serves as the nonprofit partner to the FDR Presidential Library, raising money for special exhibits, education programs, and public programs that the federal government cannot fund.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Roosevelt Institute is a nonprofit think tank that produces and disseminates progressive policy research, reports, and publications on corporate power, climate, macroeconomic policy, race and democracy, worker power, and U.S. tax policy. It also runs the Roosevelt Network (undergraduate fellowships) and Roosevelt Society (mid-career and graduate leadership programs), serves as the nonprofit partner to the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum, and hosts the Four Freedoms Awards and Distinguished Public Service Awards events.

Product overview

The Roosevelt Institute is a think tank, student network, and nonprofit partner to the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum. Its core offerings include a Think Tank conducting policy research across five issue areas (Climate and Economic Transformation, Corporate Power, Macroeconomic Analysis, Race and Democracy, Worker Power and Economic Security), the Roosevelt Network providing undergraduate fellowships (Forge, Roosevelt in Washington, and Emerging), the Roosevelt Society offering leadership programs (Good Life Residents, Graduate Humanities Internship, Roosevelt Leadership Program, Reimagine America Fellowship), and the Four Freedoms Awards and Distinguished Public Service Awards events. The Institute also produces publications, hosts a podcast ('How to Save a Country'), and partners with the FDR Library for educational programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Roosevelt Network: Program developing and supporting undergraduate college students and early career professionals to be next generation of progressive leaders
• Roosevelt Society
• Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum

Products and services

• Roosevelt Institute Think Tank Critical research and policy development producing new ideas that rebalance economic and political power, organized across six issue areas: Climate and Economic Transformation, Corporate Power, Macroeconomic Analysis, Race and Democracy, Worker Power and Economic Security, and US Tax Policy. Serves policymakers, academics, journalists, and the progressive movement.
• Roosevelt Network Undergraduate Fellowships Fellowship programs developing the next generation of progressive leaders from undergraduate college students and early career professionals. Includes Forge Fellowship ($2,000 stipend), Roosevelt in Washington Fellowship ($3,000 stipend), and Emerging Fellowship (published research project). Centers students who hold identities historically denied political power.
• Roosevelt Society Programs Multi-program community for mid-career professionals, graduate students, and emerging leaders, including the Good Life Residents Program (six-month initiative on Social Security and Federal Reserve), the Graduate Humanities Internship ($25/hour paid remote internship funded by Mellon Foundation), the Roosevelt Leadership Program (six-month cohort for mid-career leaders), and the Reimagine America Fellowship.
• Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum Partnership Nonprofit partnership with the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) to operate and support the nation's first presidential library and museum. The Institute funds special exhibits, education programs, and public programs that the federal government cannot fund, serving 24,000+ students annually in education programs.
• How to Save a Country Podcast Podcast featuring economists, policymakers, and thought leaders discussing ideas for a stronger economy and democracy. Two seasons and 31 episodes covering economics, law, history, and politics, distributed across major audio platforms.
• Roosevelt Institute Publications Archive Open-access archive of policy research, including fact sheets, briefs, reports, testimony, and working papers covering climate policy, corporate power, macroeconomic analysis, race and democracy, tax policy, and worker power, made freely available to policymakers, academics, and the public.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 24,000 students participate in FDR Library education programs annually
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

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 flagship.

• Community ChangecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 October 2025The Roosevelt Institute and Community Change released a joint policy framework proposing principles for a universal public early childhood care and education system in the United States, based on stakeholder consultations with parents, childcare providers, and grassroots organizers.
• National Archives and Records Administration (NARA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Roosevelt Institute is the nonprofit partner to the National Archives-run Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum. The Institute provides financial support for the library and museum in areas the federal government cannot fund, including special exhibits, education, and public programs.
• The New RepublicflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-presenter of the 'How to Save a Country' podcast alongside PRX, featuring progressive policy discussions with economists, policymakers, and thought leaders.
• PRX (Public Radio Exchange)flagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-presenter of the 'How to Save a Country' podcast alongside The New Republic, distributing the podcast across major platforms.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Economic Policy Institute: Nonprofit think tank focused on the economic conditions of low- and middle-income workers, producing rigorous research on wages, inequality, and labor markets. Highly comparable to Roosevelt's Worker Power and Economic Security and Macroeconomic Analysis issue areas.
• Institute for Policy Studies: Progressive think tank focused on economic justice, peace, and democracy with a long-standing activist-academic orientation. Comparable to Roosevelt in progressive policy positioning and emphasis on racial and economic inequality.
• Center for American Progress (CAP): Leading progressive think tank producing policy research across economic, social, and democracy issues with close government-relations function. Directly comparable to Roosevelt Institute in target audience (federal policymakers), funding model (foundation grants), and progressive policy positioning.
• New America Foundation: Nonprofit, nonpartisan think tank producing research across economic, domestic, and international policy areas. Comparable to Roosevelt in scale, foundation funding model, and breadth of policy research targeting federal policymakers.
• Demos: Progressive public-policy organization focused on racial and economic equity, democracy reform, and corporate power. Directly comparable in progressive policy positioning, foundation-funded model, and emphasis on race-and-economics intersection.
• Open Markets Institute: Progressive organization focused on antitrust enforcement, corporate power, and monopoly regulation. Directly comparable to Roosevelt's Corporate Power issue area and shares the same progressive economic-policy orientation and foundation funding model.
• Center for Economic and Policy Research (CEPR): Progressive think tank focused on economic policy, inequality, and globalization with a strong macroeconomic research orientation. Comparable to Roosevelt in economist-led research, progressive positioning, and policy-impact focus.

Broad incumbents

• Urban Institute: Large, established economic and social-policy research organization producing evidence-based analysis on inequality, housing, and economic security. A broad incumbent that competes with Roosevelt for foundation funding and federal-policy influence.
• Brookings Institution: One of the largest and most established U.S. think tanks, producing research across economic, foreign policy, and governance topics with significant endowment and direct congressional engagement. A larger, more centrist incumbent that competes for the same policymaker attention as Roosevelt.

Emerging players

• People's Policy Project: Smaller progressive think tank producing focused economic analysis on inequality, housing, and social policy. An emerging player with partial overlap to Roosevelt's Macroeconomic Analysis and Worker Power issue areas but more limited scale and brand.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/rooseveltinst
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCWFh-5T6vsQnwXCqCe75Ztg
• Facebookfacebook.com/Roosevelt.Institute
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/roosevelt-institute

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Roosevelt Institute