The Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute

What The Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute does

The Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute, founded around 2015, is Utah's premier economic, demographic, and public policy research institute and a unit of the David Eccles School of Business at the University of Utah. It is a nonprofit organization headquartered in the Thomas S. Monson Center at 411 E South Temple, Salt Lake City, with approximately 50 staff spanning leadership, professional researchers across demographics, economics, public finance, health, education, housing, tourism, and natural resources, plus graduate assistants. Its research outputs include the annual Economic Report to the Governor (now in its 38th edition), the Utah 2065 long-term population and economic projections, Utah Population Committee estimates, the Zions Bank Consumer Sentiment Survey, the Utah Informed annual publication, industry-specific economic impact studies (defense and aerospace, education, health care and life sciences, tech and fintech, travel and tourism, energy and natural resources, and housing and construction), and special initiatives such as the Great Salt Lake Strike Team and the 2034 Olympic Research Center for Societal Impact.

Its underlying technology stack centers on the proprietary Utah Demographic and Economic Model (UDEM), designed and maintained by Senior Demographer Dr. Mike Hollingshaus, which projects population, employment by major industry, and economic trends at state and county levels. Supporting infrastructure includes downloadable datasets in Excel/CSV formats, Tableau-based dashboards (e.g., State and County Estimates, County Tourism Dashboard, Redistricting Data Dashboard), and structured data products such as subcounty population estimates using housing unit methods. The institute is Utah's designated State Data Center coordinator with the U.S. Census Bureau.

The business model is a nonprofit, university-affiliated research model. All publications, reports, fact sheets, and datasets are provided free of charge to serve Utah decision-makers and the public. Funding derives from three streams: (1) institutional support from the University of Utah's David Eccles School of Business; (2) a tiered Corporate Partnership Program with Legacy Partners (The Gardner Company, Intermountain Health, Larry H. Miller Companies, Mountain America Credit Union, Zions Bank, WCF Insurance, University of Utah Health), Executive Partners (The Boyer Company, Clyde Companies), and Sustaining Partners (Enbridge, Salt Lake Chamber, Staker Parson Materials and Construction, Wells Fargo); and (3) client-sponsored research with state and local government and private-sector stakeholders. Go-to-market is event- and community-led, distributed through the website, email newsletter, YouTube channel, X (@KemGardnerInst), public radio program "Both Sides of the Aisle" on KCPW, in-person and virtual Societal Impact Seminars featuring national thought leaders, and a Speakers Bureau.

Name

The Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute

Legal name

Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute

Website

https://gardner.utah.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute is the University of Utah's premier economic, demographic, and public policy research institute, producing nonpartisan research for the State of Utah, local governments, the business community, and the public, anchored by the Economic Report to the Governor and the Utah Demographic and Economic Model.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Policy Research

NAICS

Marketing Research and Public Opinion Polling (54191)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Policy, Regulatory & Public Affairs Research (BPAHALAF), Public Sector & Policy Consulting (BPAHACAN)

Keywords

• Public policy research
• Economic forecasting
• Demographic analysis
• Public finance research
• Industry impact studies

Headquarters

HQ city

Salt Lake City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. University of Utah Institutional Funding: As part of the David Eccles School of Business at the University of Utah, the institute receives institutional funding and support from the state's flagship university.
2. Community Partnership Program: Funding support from Legacy Partners (The Gardner Company, Intermountain Health, Larry H. Miller Companies, Mountain America Credit Union, Zions Bank, WCF Insurance, University of Utah Health), Executive Partners (The Boyer Company, Clyde Companies), and Sustaining Partners (Enbridge, Salt Lake Chamber, Staker Parson Materials and Construction, Wells Fargo).
3. Client-Sponsored Research: Prepares in-depth quantitative and qualitative studies on key Utah issues in partnership with private-sector stakeholders and state and local government. Research provides vital information decision-makers use to help Utah prosper.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute is a university-based public policy research institute that produces data-driven economic, demographic, and public policy research for the state of Utah. It offers economic forecasts, population estimates and projections, public finance and tax analysis, industry studies, and policy briefs free of charge to government, business, and civic decision-makers. The institute distributes outputs through publications, downloadable datasets, annual reports, and signature programs such as the Economic Report to the Governor, Utah Informed, and Utah 2065 long-term projections.

Product overview

The Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute is Utah's premier economic and public policy research institute housed in the David Eccles School of Business at the University of Utah. It functions as a research organization offering a portfolio of research products and programs rather than a software product platform. The institute provides Utah-focused research across five main areas: Utah Economy (including economic indicators, forecasts, and industry studies), Public Finance (tax, budget, and expenditure analysis), Demographics (population estimates and projections), Public Policy (issue-specific research), and Industry Studies (sector-specific economic impact analysis). Supporting products include the Utah Informed annual publication, Utah 2065 long-term projections, data downloads, the Informed Decision Maker of the Year Award, Societal Impact Seminars, and Impact Scholars program. The institute does not offer technology products, APIs, or AI-powered solutions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Informed Decision Maker of the Year Award: Annual award honoring individuals and entities that contribute to Utah's prosperity through informed decision-making
• Societal Impact Seminars
• Utah Informed
• Impact Scholars

Products and services

• Economic Report to the Governor Annual comprehensive economic report on the state of Utah covering economic indicators, industry performance, fiscal conditions, and outlook, produced for the Utah Governor and state decision-makers.
• Utah 2065 Long-Term Planning Projections Four-decade demographic and economic projections covering population growth, age, employment, and growth at state and county levels for Utah through 2065.
• Utah Informed Annual visual publication offering comprehensive data-driven insights on Utah's economic landscape, demographics, public finance, real estate, health, education, and other key topics through charts, maps, and analysis.
• Zions Bank Consumer Sentiment Survey Monthly longitudinal survey tracking Utah consumer sentiment, providing regular economic indicators for the state in partnership with Zions Bank.
• Utah Economic Dashboard Online dashboard tracking key Utah economic indicators and forecasts maintained by the institute for public use.
• Data Downloads Downloadable datasets including population estimates, projections, census data, and economic indicators in Excel, CSV, and other formats for public use.
• Societal Impact Seminars In-person and virtual speaker series bringing national thought leaders, scholars, and innovative thinkers to Utah decision-makers, hosted in partnership with the Hinckley Institute of Politics.
• Impact Scholars Program Distinguished scholars and public intellectuals program contributing to student experience, policy engagement, joint research, and consultation with university leadership.
• Informed Decision Maker of the Year Award Annual award program honoring individuals and entities that contribute to Utah's prosperity through informed decision-making and community service.
• Industry Impact Studies Sector-specific economic impact studies covering defense and aerospace, education, health care and life sciences, tech and fintech, travel and tourism, energy and natural resources, and housing and construction.
• Travel and Tourism Annual Reports Annual comprehensive reports examining Utah's tourism sector, including visitor spending, economic impacts, and employment contributions, produced in partnership with the Utah Office of Tourism.

Quantifiable outcome

• 38th annual Economic Report to the Governor (2026) serves as preeminent source for Utah economic data
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

21 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.

• The Gardner CompanyflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerLegacy partner and namesake contributor. Kem C. Gardner and his partners developed over 33 million square feet of commercial real estate. The company provides ongoing support for the institute that bears Gardner's name, supporting the mission of informed research and decision-making.
• Intermountain HealthflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerLegacy partner providing institutional support. Collaborative research on healthcare policy, health economics, and the economic contribution of healthcare to Utah's economy.
• Zions BankflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerLegacy partner supporting the Zions Bank Consumer Sentiment Survey, a monthly longitudinal survey tracking Utah consumer sentiment and providing regular economic indicators for the state.
• Larry H. Miller CompaniesflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerLegacy partner through the Larry H. & Gail Miller Family Foundation, supporting the institute's mission to provide informed research for Utah decision-makers.
• Salt Lake ChambercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSustaining partner. Co-producer of Utah Informed annual publication with 80 pages of data-driven insights. Director Natalie Gochnour serves as chief economist for the Chamber. Partnership supports economic research serving the business community.
• University of Utah HealthflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerLegacy partner providing institutional support. Collaborative research on economic contribution of University of Utah Health to Utah's economy and public well-being through patient care, workforce training, research, and community engagement.
• Salt Lake City CorporationflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerLegacy partner representing public sector support. Provides data and research for Salt Lake City demographics, economics, and community characteristics.
• Salt Lake CountyflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerLegacy partner representing public sector support. Collaborates on community characteristics research and regional economic analysis.
• The Boyer CompanycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerExecutive partner providing significant institutional support for the institute's research and programming.
• Clyde CompaniescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerExecutive partner supporting the institute's work in providing economic and policy research for Utah's prosperity.
• Wilkes Center for Climate Science & PolicyflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-leads the Olympic Research Center for Societal Impact with the Gardner Institute, studying economic, environmental, and social dimensions of hosting the 2034 Winter Games. Interdisciplinary collaboration on large-scale sporting event impacts.
• Governor’s Office of Planning and BudgetflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partner on Utah Economic Council, preparing quarterly forecasts for selected economic and business indicators. Joint endeavor of David Eccles School of Business and the Governor's Office.
• Hinckley Institute of PoliticscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHosts Societal Impact Seminars in partnership with the Hinckley Institute of Politics under the direction of President Taylor Randall. Seeks to magnify exchange of ideas and create maximum societal impact.
• U.S. Census BureaucoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState Data Center partner providing Census data, products, and programs. The institute serves as Utah's State Data Center coordinator, with Director Mallory Bateman chairing the national State Data Center Steering Committee.
• Utah Population CommitteeflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerProduces annual state and county population estimates and long-term planning projections. The institute's Emily Harris serves as technical lead and researcher on methodological innovations for the committee's estimates.
• Utah Office of TourismcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProduces annual State of Utah's Travel and Tourism Industry report, county tourism profiles, and resident opinion surveys. The institute authors leading travel and tourism research in Utah.
• UNITE (Dignity Initiative)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partnership on the Dignity Initiative, co-founded by Dr. Tim Shriver. Develops annual report on dignity in America and conducts Dignity Index research, measurement, and evaluation activities.
• Mountain America Credit UnionflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerLegacy partner providing institutional support for the institute's research and economic analysis mission.
• WCF InsuranceflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerLegacy partner providing institutional support. Ray Pickup serves on the Advisory Board representing WCF Insurance.
• Wells FargocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSustaining partner providing institutional support for the institute's research and programming.
• EnbridgecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSustaining partner supporting the institute's energy and natural resources research.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Pew Research Center: Nonpartisan research organization producing demographic analysis, public opinion polling, and longitudinal surveys. Comparable in conducting recurring consumer-sentiment-style polling (akin to Zions Bank Consumer Sentiment Survey), Census-related demographic research, and free public distribution of data products.
• Council of State Governments: Bipartisan, interstate organization serving all three branches of state government through research, policy analysis, and training. Comparable in serving state legislatures, governors' offices, and state agencies with demographic, economic, and fiscal research supporting decision-making.
• Bipartisan Policy Center: Washington-based nonprofit producing analysis on economic, demographic, energy, housing, and health policy. Comparable in nonpartisan research positioning, advisory council structures involving former senior government officials, and focus on actionable state and federal policy recommendations.
• Utah Foundation: Utah-focused independent public policy research nonprofit producing reports on state economic, demographic, and fiscal issues. Directly comparable as a same-state policy research competitor; Gardner Institute Director of Public Policy Research previously served as Research Director there.
• Tax Foundation: Independent tax policy nonprofit producing research on state and federal tax systems, budget analysis, and fiscal policy. Directly comparable in public-finance research focus area, including state tax portfolio design and budget stress testing, which mirror Gardner Institute's Public Finance portfolio.
• Milken Institute: Nonprofit economic think tank conducting research on regional economies, industry studies, and capital markets. Comparable in producing state-and-region economic impact studies, demographic projections, and free-access research publications for public and policy audiences.

Emerging players

• W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research: Nonpartisan, nonprofit research organization conducting studies on employment, workforce, and local economic development. Comparable in producing state-and-region workforce and economic impact analyses, though narrower in scope to labor-market issues.

Broad incumbents

• Brookings Institution: Premier Washington-based think tank conducting economic, demographic, and public-policy research. Comparable in research methodology, nonpartisan positioning, and government-affiliated advisory structures, though operating at national scale with broader issue coverage.
• RAND Corporation: Nonpartisan policy research institution producing economic, demographic, demographic, and public-policy analysis. Comparable as a major nonpartisan think tank serving government decision-makers, though operating at far larger national and federal scale than the Gardner Institute.

Regional players

• Pacific Research Institute: West Coast-based free-market think tank producing state-level economic and public-policy research. Comparable as a regional state-focused policy research nonprofit, though primarily California-rooted rather than Utah-focused.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks1 record

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/KemGardnerInst
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCOIjcxNxU9P_fWqofrc-z4w

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 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 The Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute