Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars

What Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars does

The Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars is a congressionally chartered, nonpartisan policy research organization founded in 1968 in Washington, DC, operating as a living memorial to President Woodrow Wilson. The Center produces nonpartisan research, analysis, and convening on global affairs for a primary audience of U.S. policymakers and Congress, with secondary reach into the academic, media, and informed-public communities. Its core offerings include a quarterly publication (The Wilson Quarterly), a Digital Archive of more than 27,000 insights and analyses, three tiers of fellowships (Distinguished, Research, Visiting), hundreds of public events and congressional briefings annually, and thematic programs spanning Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, North America, Russia/Eurasia, and polar regions. The organization is led by a Board of Trustees and operates under a President & CEO model, with a recent leadership transition noted at the top executive role.

Name

Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars

Legal name

Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars

Website

https://wilsoncenter.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1968

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

The Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars is a congressionally chartered, nonpartisan policy research organization in Washington, DC that produces global-affairs analysis, fellowships, and congressional briefings for U.S. policymakers, academics, and the informed public.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Policy Research and Analysis

NAICS

Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (54172), Periodical Publishers (51312)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Scholarly Society & Association Publishing (EDAGAFAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

Conference Proceedings & Research Reports Publishing (EDAGAFAL)

Keywords

• Policy research
• Nonpartisan analysis
• Congressional education
• Fellowship programs
• Global affairs 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, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Grants: The Wilson Center is funded by foundations, corporations, and individual donors. The 2023 Donors page lists over 200 donors including corporations like Chevron, BP, ExxonMobil, Google Inc, Hyundai Motor Company, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, JPMorgan, as well as foundations like Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, and individuals.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Wilson Center is a congressionally chartered, nonpartisan policy research institution that produces scholarly research and policy analysis on global affairs. Its offerings include a quarterly publication (The Wilson Quarterly), a Digital Archive of 27,000+ insights, fellowship programs for experts, hundreds of public events and briefings, and direct congressional education services. The Center convenes 160+ experts to provide nonpartisan analysis to policymakers, scholars, and the informed public.

Product overview

Wilson Center operates as a single unified platform providing nonpartisan policy research and analysis, rather than a commercial product with modules. The organization offers content-based products including The Wilson Quarterly publication, a Digital Archive of 27,000+ insights, fellowship programs (Distinguished, Research, and Visiting Fellowships), events programming, and an Insights and Analysis library. These offerings work together to fulfill the Center's mission of bridging scholarship and policy to help policymakers navigate global challenges.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• The Wilson Quarterly
• Digital Archive
• Research Fellowships
• Events and Conferences
• Insights and Analysis
• Congressional Education Services

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.

• U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUSAID co-sponsored the Water @ Wilson event series celebrating 50 years of water research, bringing together experts from government, NGOs, and academia to discuss global water challenges and policy responses.
• World Wildlife FundcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorld Wildlife Fund co-sponsored the Water @ Wilson event series, contributing expertise on environmental sustainability and water resource management.
• Kem C. Gardner Policy InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute at the University of Utah co-leads the Olympic Research Center for Societal Impact, studying economic, environmental, and social dimensions of hosting large-scale sporting events.
• Wilkes Center for Climate Science & PolicycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Wilkes Center for Climate Science & Policy co-leads the Olympic Research Center for Societal Impact at the University of Utah, working on interdisciplinary climate and policy research.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• RAND Corporation: A much larger policy research organization with deep government and defense research contracts. Comparable as a producer of nonpartisan research across global policy domains, though broader in scope and significantly larger in scale and budget.

Direct peers

• Carnegie Endowment for International Peace: A global think tank with offices in Washington and major world capitals producing research on international affairs, democracy, and technology policy. Directly comparable as a research-publication-and-event-driven foreign policy institution.
• Atlantic Council: A foreign policy think tank promoting transatlantic cooperation and US international engagement. Comparable given overlapping focus on global affairs, prominent event programming, and active publication strategy.
• Hoover Institution: A Stanford-based public policy research center covering economics, foreign policy, and governance. Comparable as a multi-domain policy research organization producing publications, hosting fellows, and convening high-profile events.
• Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS): A bipartisan foreign policy and national security think tank based in Washington, DC. Directly comparable given overlapping coverage of international affairs, defense, and economic policy, with similar event programming and policy publication models.
• Brookings Institution: A leading Washington, DC-based nonpartisan policy research organization covering economics, foreign policy, and governance. Directly comparable as a fellow multi-issue think tank producing research, events, and publications for policymakers and the informed public.
• Council on Foreign Relations (CFR): A nonpartisan think tank specializing in US foreign policy and international affairs. Directly comparable given the Wilson Center's similar focus on global affairs, fellowship-style membership programs, and production of policy publications for senior decision-makers.
• Heritage Foundation: A major Washington, DC public policy think tank producing policy research and recommendations across domestic and foreign issues. Comparable as a high-volume policy research and publication operation targeting lawmakers and the public.
• American Enterprise Institute (AEI): A Washington, DC think tank conducting research across economics, foreign policy, and social policy. Comparable given its similar research-fellowship-publication model and direct engagement with Congress and executive branch policymakers.
• Center for American Progress (CAP): A progressive policy research and advocacy organization based in Washington, DC. Comparable given similar research output, event programming, and emphasis on translating policy analysis into actionable recommendations for government.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/thewilsoncenter
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/woodrowwilsoncenter
• Facebookfacebook.com/woodrowwilsoncenter
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/woodrow-wilson-international-center-for-scholars
• Instagraminstagram.com/thewilsoncenter

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars