Institute for Policy Studies

What Institute for Policy Studies does

The Institute for Policy Studies (IPS) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit progressive policy research organization founded in 1963 in Washington, D.C. by former Kennedy administration officials Marcus Raskin and Richard J. Barnet. IPS operates as a community of organizers and scholars that links peace, justice, and the environment, working at the intersection of policy research, advocacy, and grassroots activism across five issue areas: Peace & Foreign Policy, Economic Justice, Climate Justice, Racial & Gender Justice, and Leadership Programs. Its work targets federal, state, and local policymakers, social movements, grassroots organizers, and the general public. The organization maintains five wholly-owned media and research properties that distribute analysis nationally and globally — Inequality.org (since 2002), Foreign Policy In Focus (since 1997), National Priorities Project (since 2017), and OtherWords (op-ed syndication to U.S. heartland newspapers) — alongside its flagship ips-dc.org site, eight newsletter products, and an active social media presence across X, Facebook, Instagram, and Bluesky.

The organization is led by Executive Director Tope Folarin (a former Newman Fellow, 2010-2011) with a named staff of roughly 21 people across program leadership, communications, research, and operations. IPS produces reports, books, articles, op-eds, podcasts, and video content; convenes signature annual events including the Letelier-Moffitt Human Rights Awards (now in its 50th year), the Henry A. Wallace Symposium, and the Marcus Raskin Award; and runs a portfolio of paid fellowship programs (Henry A. Wallace, New Mexico, Carol Jean and Edward F. Newman, Michael Ratner Middle East).

IPS's revenue model is entirely philanthropic, explicitly excluding government and corporate funding to preserve independence. Revenue streams include foundation grants, individual donations (one-time and recurring monthly giving), planned giving/bequests through the Next Generation Legacy Society, workplace giving via the Combined Federal Campaign, and endowment income. Distribution is digital-first and free at point of use — no fees are charged for research, publications, or services. The organization maintains a 4-star Charity Navigator rating and has been recognized with the 2008 Sidney Hillman Foundation Prize for journalism on extreme inequality.

Name

Institute for Policy Studies

Legal name

Institute for Policy Studies

Website

https://ips-dc.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1963

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Institute for Policy Studies is a 501(c)(3) progressive policy research organization founded in 1963, linking peace, economic justice, climate, and racial/gender justice through independent research distributed freely to movements, policymakers, and the public.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Policy Research and Advocacy

NAICS

Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (54172), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133)

SIC

Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721), Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Alternative/Independent Newsweeklies & Opinion Press (MPAJADAH), Politics, Current Affairs & Social Commentary Publishing (MPAJAAAM)

Keywords

• Policy research services
• Social justice advocacy
• Progressive policy analysis
• Think tank research
• Movement building support

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, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Foundation Grants: IPS is sustained by nonprofit foundations that support their progressive policy work. They do not accept government or corporate funding to maintain independence.
2. Individual Donations: Supported by individual donors who contribute one-time or recurring gifts. The organization offers monthly giving programs and accepts stock donations.
3. Planned Giving/Bequests: Legacy gifts through estate planning that support the organization's long-term sustainability. Members of the Next Generation Legacy Society have committed planned gifts.
4. Workplace Giving: Federal employees can donate through the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) using code 12787. Also accepts employee-directed contributions and donor-matching funds.
5. Endowment Income: Endowments help sustain the organization and mentor next-generation activists and scholars, with special focus on those from historically marginalized communities.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Institute for Policy Studies conducts independent progressive policy research and disseminates it free of charge through reports, articles, books, and four independent media outlets (Inequality.org, OtherWords, Foreign Policy In Focus, National Priorities Project). It convenes social movements, trains the next generation of progressive scholars through fellowship programs (Wallace, Newman, Ratner, New Mexico), and hosts annual awards and symposiums to advance peace, economic justice, racial/gender justice, and climate action.

Product overview

Institute for Policy Studies is a nonprofit policy research organization offering a portfolio of research publications, independent media outlets, and leadership development programs. Its core offerings include published research reports, articles, and books across five issue areas (Peace & Foreign Policy, Economic Justice, Climate Justice, Racial & Gender Justice, and Leadership Programs). The organization operates four independent media properties (Inequality.org, OtherWords, National Priorities Project, and Foreign Policy In Focus) that distribute analysis on inequality, progressive commentary, military spending, and global affairs. IPS also administers several fellowship and internship programs including the Henry A. Wallace Fellowship Program, New Mexico Fellowship, Carol Jean and Edward F. Newman Fellowship, and Michael Ratner Middle East Fellowship. Annual events include the Letelier-Moffitt Human Rights Awards, Marcus Raskin Award, and Henry A. Wallace Symposium.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Henry A. Wallace Fellowship Program: Paid 10-week summer internship program for young activists training in public scholarship
• New Mexico Fellowship
• Carol Jean and Edward F. Newman Fellowship
• Michael Ratner Middle East Fellowship

Products and services

• Inequality.org Independent media portal providing facts and analysis on wealth and income inequality, serving students, advocates, researchers, and the general public. Managed by IPS since 2002.
• OtherWords
• National Priorities Project Research initiative producing original analysis on U.S. military spending and how to reprioritize people and the planet in the federal budget. Joined IPS in 2017.
• Foreign Policy In Focus (FPIF) Independent media portal offering analysis from experts and activists on U.S. foreign policy and the full range of global issues, with contributors from the global South.
• Letelier-Moffitt Human Rights Awards Annual awards program celebrating unsung human rights defenders in the Americas, memorializing Orlando Letelier and Ronni Karpen Moffitt. Past awardees have become progressive presidents in Brazil, Colombia, and Chile.
• Marcus Raskin Award for Civic and Intellectual Courage Award program jointly run by IPS and the Raskin Family that recognizes an individual who exemplifies Marc Raskin's legacy of speaking truth to power across peace, social reconstruction, art, and politics.
• Henry A. Wallace Symposium Annual symposium bringing together progressive voices to discuss challenges confronting American democracy and to envision an equitable, sustainable, and peaceful future.
• Henry A. Wallace Fellowship Program Paid 10-week summer fellowship offering young activists training in public scholarship, connecting policy research with grassroots activism. Previously known as the Next Leaders Program.
• New Mexico Fellowship State-based fellowship cultivating promising young leaders in New Mexico, providing policy knowledge development and connections to local organizations.
• Carol Jean and Edward F. Newman Fellowship Endowed career fellowship providing young scholars and leaders an opportunity to delve into public scholarship and the progressive movement.
• Michael Ratner Middle East Fellowship Mid-career fellowship focused on peace in the Middle East, conducted in conjunction with the New Internationalism project.

Quantifiable outcome

• Founded in 1963, partnered with virtually every major social justice movement
• +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

17 partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Alabama ArisecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 June 2026Collaborative partnership on public transit and economic development research. Alabama Arise and IPS co-authored the 'Alternate Route' report on public transit funding in Alabama, detailing how state investment can address workforce shortages.
• Āina Aloha Economic FuturescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 May 2026Co-produced the comprehensive report 'The True Cost of the Military in Hawaiʻi' examining economic, environmental, strategic, and social impacts of U.S. military presence.
• The Costs of War ProjectcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 May 2026Partnered on the Hawaiʻi military costs report, contributing expertise on the economic and social impacts of military spending.
• Sierra Club of Hawai'icoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 May 2026Environmental partner in the Hawaiʻi military costs report, examining the ecological impacts of military presence on the islands.
• Īlioʻulaokalani CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 May 2026Indigenous advocacy partner in the Hawaiʻi military costs report, representing Native Hawaiian interests in land and resource protection.
• Transition Security ProjectcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 May 2026Security policy partner in the Hawaiʻi military costs report, providing analysis on military strategy and regional security implications.
• Public CitizenmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 July 2025Co-hosted the 2025 Wallace Symposium on 'Bold Ideas for a New Progressive Majority' addressing authoritarianism and progressive alternatives.
• The NationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-host of the annual Henry A. Wallace Symposium, bringing together progressive voices to discuss democracy and policy alternatives.
• We Build ProgressmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-host of the annual Henry A. Wallace Symposium focused on progressive policy and democratic renewal.
• National Priorities ProjectcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoined IPS in 2017; now serves as a social movement resource on federal budget tradeoffs between military spending and domestic needs.
• Congressional Progressive CaucusmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIPS played key role in convening the CPC and launching alternative State of the Union events; contributed to efforts behind Biden administration spending initiatives.
• Poor People's CampaignmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIPS serves as research arm for the Poor People's Campaign, producing reports like 'The Souls of Poor Folk' and 'A Moral Budget'.
• United for Peace and JusticemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIPS helped convene the formation of this coalition, the country's largest against the Iraq War. IPS served on the steering committee and produced policy documents.
• Transnational Institute (TNI)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSister organization of IPS; Orlando Letelier, head of TNI, was assassinated along with IPS colleague Ronni Moffitt in 1976. TNI continues international progressive research.
• Inequality.orgcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPremier portal for facts and analysis on wealth and income inequality, managed by IPS since 2002.
• Foreign Policy in Focus (FPIF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIPS project providing analysis on U.S. foreign policy and global issues with experts from the global South.
• OtherWordscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIPS editorial service syndicating free op-eds to newspapers across the U.S. heartland, reaching millions of readers with progressive commentary.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Center for American Progress: Large progressive multi-issue think tank in Washington, DC. Directly comparable in ideological positioning, multi-issue scope (economic, climate, racial justice, foreign policy), policy-research-led model, and movement partnerships, though it operates at significantly larger scale than IPS.
• Economic Policy Institute: Washington, DC-based nonprofit think tank focused on economic justice, inequality, and labor policy research. Closely aligned with IPS's Economic Justice issue area and shares the nonprofit, movement-adjacent research-and-publish model.
• New America: Nonpartisan public-policy institute that produces research across multiple domestic and international policy areas. Comparable to IPS in multi-issue research scope, fellowship programs, and digital publication footprint, though with a broader ideological reach.
• Demos: Progressive public-policy organization focused on racial and economic justice, with a strong research-and-advocacy model and movement partnerships. Closely comparable to IPS on Economic Justice and Racial Justice issue areas.
• Roosevelt Institute: Progressive think tank producing economic-policy research and convening scholars, with comparable focus on inequality, power, and democracy. Similar in scale and movement-tied operating model to IPS.
• Public Citizen: Progressive consumer-advocacy nonprofit producing research and running campaigns on economic justice, trade, and democracy. Comparable movement-partner model and an existing IPS collaborator (co-hosted the 2025 Wallace Symposium).
• Transnational Institute: International progressive research and advocacy organization based in Amsterdam and a self-described sister organization of IPS. Closely aligned in multi-issue framing, movement partnerships, and publication-based research dissemination model.
• Center for Economic and Policy Research: Progressive economic-policy think tank producing research on inequality, labor, trade, and foreign policy. Comparable in mission, ideology, and small-team research-publication model.

Broad incumbents

• Brookings Institution: One of the largest and most established U.S. policy-research organizations covering economics, foreign policy, and governance. Overlaps IPS's multi-issue research remit but operates at materially greater scale and with a more centrist orientation.
• RAND Corporation: Major nonprofit policy-research institution conducting work across domestic and international issues. Overlaps IPS in foreign policy and economic research production but operates as a much larger, contract-driven research organization.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/IPS_DC
• Facebookfacebook.com/InstituteforPolicyStudies
• Instagraminstagram.com/ips_dc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/institute-for-policy-studies

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Institute for Policy Studies