Public Policy Associates
Public Policy Associates is a privately held, 35-year-old research, evaluation, and consulting firm headquartered in Lansing, Michigan, serving federal and state agencies, nonprofits, foundations, and educational institutions across Education, Justice, Healthy Communities, and Economic Development policy areas.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1991
- HeadquartersLansing, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Public Policy Associates does
Public Policy Associates (PPA) is a privately held research, evaluation, and consulting firm founded in 1991 and headquartered in Lansing, Michigan. The firm provides policy analysis, program evaluation, strategic planning, and technical assistance to federal and state government agencies, local governments, educational institutions, nonprofits, and philanthropic foundations. Its work is organized around four policy verticals: Education and Early Childhood, Healthy Communities, Justice, and Talent and Economic Development, with an explicit equity lens applied across engagements. PPA's client base includes the U.S. Departments of Education and Labor, the Bureau of Indian Education, multiple Michigan state departments (Corrections, Education, Health and Human Services, MiLEAP), universities, and major foundations such as the Annie E. Casey Foundation, W.K. Kellogg Foundation, C.S. Mott Foundation, and Michigan Health Endowment Fund.
PPA's delivery model is project-based professional services, with engagements typically initiated through RFP responses, direct outreach, or existing client relationships. The firm employs advanced methodological designs using rigorous experimental and quasi-experimental frameworks, and conducts primary data collection via online, telephone, and paper surveys; in-person, telephone, and online interviews; and in-person and Web-based focus groups and roundtables. Deliverables include reports, briefs, dashboards, case studies, literature reviews, planning documents, and presentations. Pricing is quote-based and project-specific, with no publicly disclosed pricing. PPA does not sell software products and does not operate through resellers or intermediaries; all engagements are managed directly by PPA staff and a roster of affiliated expert consultants.
The firm is independently owned by founding principals and shareholders, with no venture capital, private equity, or parent company affiliation. Leadership comprises CEO Rob Fowler (25+ years tenure), COO Colleen Graber, CFO Terry Gardner, and CSO Daniel J. Quinn. PPA operates across the Midwest, Southeast, Mid-Atlantic, and West Coast regions of the United States. In 2025, PPA formalized strategic partnerships with CityWise and Research to Practice Consulting, relocated to the Prudden Tech Center in 2026, and launched a Policy Brief Series in 2026 as part of expanded thought leadership activity.
Public Policy Associates firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Public Policy Associates
- Legal name
- Public Policy Associates
- Website
- https://publicpolicy.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1991
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Public Policy Associates is a privately held, 35-year-old research, evaluation, and consulting firm headquartered in Lansing, Michigan, serving federal and state agencies, nonprofits, foundations, and educational institutions across Education, Justice, Healthy Communities, and Economic Development policy areas.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Public Policy Associates industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Public Policy Research and Consulting
- NAICS
- Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (541720)
- SIC
- Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Policy, Regulatory & Public Affairs Research (BPAHALAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Public Sector & Policy Consulting (BPAHACAN), Research, Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning (MEL) Partnerships (EDADALAK)
Keywords
Where Public Policy Associates is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Lansing
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Public Policy Associates business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Research, Evaluation & Policy Analysis: Project-based consulting engagements for government agencies, nonprofits, foundations, and private sector clients. Services include in-depth analyses of existing programs and policies, evaluating effectiveness, efficiency, and overall impact to inform decisions about program improvements, resource allocation, and future policies.
- Strategic Planning & Implementation Support: Customized strategic planning and implementation support services, helping clients translate plans into action with ongoing consultation.
- Technical Support & Capacity Building: Technical support services including strategic planning and analysis, administrative and technical capacity-building, communications development and management, and meeting facilitation.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels6 records
Public Policy Associates product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Public Policy Associates conducts unbiased public policy research, program evaluation, and strategic consultation for government agencies, nonprofits, foundations, and educational institutions. Services span four policy areas—Education and Early Childhood, Healthy Communities, Justice, and Talent and Economic Development—using rigorous experimental and quasi-experimental designs, advanced statistical methods, and primary data collection. Engagements are project-based, producing reports, briefs, dashboards, case studies, and planning documents tailored to client contexts.
Product overview
Public Policy Associates (PPA) is a research, evaluation, and consulting firm that offers policy analysis and advisory services rather than a software product. The company provides a comprehensive suite of consulting services organized around evidence-based insights, strategic landscape analysis, advanced methodological design, impact and outcome optimization, performance analysis, economic and cost modeling, best practice benchmarking, strategic visioning and alignment, institutional capacity-building, and strategic coalition management. PPA's work spans four primary policy areas: Education and Early Childhood (including child care policy, child care market analysis, early childhood workforce, and quality research), Healthy Communities (encompassing food systems, housing, public health, and community economic development), Justice (covering criminal and juvenile justice, behavioral health, and reentry support), and Talent and Economic Development (including workforce development, higher education, and economic growth initiatives). The company's deliverables include reports, briefs, dashboards, case studies, literature reviews, planning documents, and presentations, but these are consulting outputs rather than distinct software products or modules.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Research, Evaluation and Policy Analysis Project-based consulting engagements providing in-depth analyses of existing programs and policies, evaluating effectiveness, efficiency, and overall impact to inform decisions about program improvements, resource allocation, and future policies. Targeted at federal/state/local government agencies, nonprofits, foundations, and private sector clients.
- Strategic Planning and Implementation Support Customized strategic planning and implementation support services, helping government, nonprofit, foundation, and educational clients translate strategic plans into action with ongoing consultation and stakeholder alignment.
- Technical Support and Capacity Building Technical support services for government and nonprofit clients including strategic planning and analysis, administrative and technical capacity-building, communications development and management, and meeting facilitation.
Quantifiable outcome
- 35 years of continuous operation with strong client retention - many clients return repeatedly for services
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Public Policy Associates
Customer profileNamed customers17 records
Segments10 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Public Policy Associates technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Public Policy Associates partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- CityWisecoreCityWise is a woman-owned consulting firm that works with public agencies and mission-driven organizations to design thoughtful, data-informed solutions to complex challenges. They bring expertise in strategic planning, policy development, evaluation, and community engagement, guided by a commitment to equity and impact. The partnership allows both firms to collaborate on targeted projects by leveraging their respective strengths and capabilities, expanding the reach, expertise, and experience of both organizations.
- Research to Practice Consulting (R2P)coreResearch to Practice Consulting (R2P) is a women-owned business specializing in project design and implementation. As experienced facilitators, problem solvers, and big thinkers, R2P fosters creativity, helps clients explore difficult problems, and works with teams to identify and implement actionable solutions. R2P's areas of expertise include maternal and infant health, early childhood education, workforce development, and population health.
- Michigan Department of Education, Office of Great StartcorePartner on Conditions for Change: Michigan's Great Start to Quality System project, examining the state's quality rating and improvement system for child care.
- Early Childhood Investment Corporation (ECIC)coreOngoing partner on early childhood policy research, including Great Start to Quality System evaluation and Year 2 Evaluation of Michigan's Provider-Driven QRIS.
- TalentFirstcorePartner on adult education research initiative 'Restoring the Promise of Adult Education' to make Michigan a leader in preparing adults to succeed in a knowledge-driven economy.
- Michigan Alliance for Student OpportunitycorePartner on State of the Educator Workforce in Michigan research, examining K-12 staffing challenges across the state.
- Michigan Higher Education Attainment Roundtable (MIHEART)corePPA facilitates expansion and strategic direction of MIHEART, advancing the Sixty by 30 initiative for higher education attainment in Michigan.
- Upper Peninsula Commission for Area ProgressminorPartner on Upper Peninsula Food As Medicine program evaluation and research initiatives.
- Feeding America West MichiganminorPartner on decision guide for designing a Food Is Medicine program to pilot in Michigan's Upper Peninsula.
- Michigan Farmers Market AssociationminorPartner on Produce Prescription Descriptive Assessment and Cost Study.
- ID VenturesminorPartner on Michigan Startup Evergreen Fund Landscape Scan examining early-stage venture capital and startup ecosystem.
- Council of Michigan FoundationscorePartner on 'Building an Equitable Future Together' initiative, providing consulting, facilitation, and policy analysis services.
- 1837 PartnersminorPartner on Child and Adult Care Food Program literature review alongside Michigan Health Endowment Fund and ECIC.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Public Policy Associates competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Mathematica: Large nonprofit policy research and evaluation firm that conducts rigorous program evaluations and policy analyses for federal and state agencies. Directly competes with PPA on federal RFPs across education, workforce, and social policy.
- Insight Policy Research: Policy research and evaluation firm delivering research, analysis, and technical assistance to federal, state, and local clients. Closely comparable to PPA in size, scope, and federal client mix; former employer of a current PPA staff member.
- MEF Associates: Research and evaluation firm focused on social policy, workforce, and economic mobility for federal and state clients. Similar scale and federal/state engagement mix to PPA; also a former employer of a current PPA staff member.
- MDRC: Nonprofit social policy research organization known for rigorous evaluations of education, workforce, and antipoverty programs. Competes with PPA on federal evaluation contracts using similar quasi-experimental methods.
- Child Trends: Nonprofit research organization focused on child and family policy research and evaluation. Directly comparable to PPA's Education and Early Childhood practice, with overlap on federal early childhood RFPs.
Broad incumbents
- RAND Corporation: Large, established policy research institution conducting analysis across defense, education, health, and justice. Often bids against PPA on federal contracts but at much greater scale and breadth.
- Abt Associates: Large research and consulting firm executing federal contracts in health, environment, education, and social policy. Overlaps with PPA on federal evaluation RFPs as a much larger incumbent.
- Urban Institute: Major economic and social policy research organization. Competes with PPA in education, housing, justice, and workforce evaluation work for federal and foundation clients, but at significantly larger scale.
- Westat: Large research firm providing statistical research, evaluation, and survey services to U.S. government agencies. Directly comparable methods (surveys, statistical analysis) but operates at far larger scale on federal contracts.
- RTI International: Large nonprofit research institute providing scientific research, evaluation, and technical assistance across education, health, and social programs. Frequent federal competitor with substantially greater bench depth than PPA.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Public Policy Associates social profiles
Digital presencePublic Policy Associates financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Public Policy Associates leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
Public Policy Associates funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Public Policy Associates M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Public Policy Associates
What does Public Policy Associates do?
Public Policy Associates conducts unbiased public policy research, program evaluation, and strategic consultation for government agencies, nonprofits, foundations, and educational institutions. Services span four policy areas—Education and Early Childhood, Healthy Communities, Justice, and Talent and Economic Development—using rigorous experimental and quasi-experimental designs, advanced statistical methods, and primary data collection. Engagements are project-based, producing reports, briefs, dashboards, case studies, and planning documents tailored to client contexts.
Is Public Policy Associates a public or private company?
Public Policy Associates is a private company. It is classified as management employee owned and is currently operating.
When was Public Policy Associates founded?
Public Policy Associates was founded in 1991. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Public Policy Associates based?
Public Policy Associates is headquartered in Lansing, United States, in the North America region.
How does Public Policy Associates make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Research, Evaluation & Policy Analysis are the primary driver. The others are strategic Planning & Implementation Support and technical Support & Capacity Building.
Who are Public Policy Associates's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Mathematica, Insight Policy Research, MEF Associates, MDRC and Child Trends. Broad incumbents are RAND Corporation, Abt Associates, Urban Institute, Westat and RTI International.
Does Public Policy Associates have an API?
No public API is recorded for Public Policy Associates.
What industry is Public Policy Associates in?
Public Policy Associates's product category is Public Policy Research and Consulting. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHALAF, Policy, Regulatory & Public Affairs Research, with a secondary code of BPAHACAN, Public Sector & Policy Consulting. Its NAICS code is 541720 and its SIC code is 8742.