Waxman Strategies

What Waxman Strategies does

Waxman Strategies is a Washington, DC-based public affairs firm founded in 2013 by Michael Waxman, with former Congressman Henry Waxman joining as Chairman in 2015. The firm provides policy, advocacy, and communications services through three industry practice areas—Health, Environment, and Technology—serving foundations, nonprofit organizations, and mission-driven companies seeking to influence federal policy, regulatory outcomes, and public narrative on public-interest issues such as drug pricing, reproductive health, maternal health, climate change, clean energy, and climate technology.

Service offerings are organized into three cross-cutting lines: Policy (strategic counsel, subject-matter expertise, in-depth policy analysis, response to legislative and regulatory proposals), Advocacy (coalition building and management, policymaker relationship cultivation, investigative research, stakeholder pressure tactics), and Communications (messaging, thought-leadership positioning, media relations, stakeholder monitoring, visibility enhancement, and crisis communications). The firm's underlying capability is human expertise—former senior FDA, CMS, HHS, and EPA officials and Congressional staff—rather than any technology platform; technology is explicitly stated as not applicable to its operating model.

The firm generates revenue through professional services fees on ongoing advisory relationships and project-based engagements with foundations, nonprofits, and mission-driven companies; no pricing is publicly disclosed. The team of approximately 20+ professionals operates primarily from the firm's headquarters at 1150 Connecticut Avenue NW, with no disclosed parent company, subsidiaries, funding rounds, or M&A activity. The Waxman family maintains active leadership (Michael as President/CEO; Henry as Chairman), and the firm has received industry recognition including PRSA Silver Anvil and Thoth Awards, and a PR News Nonprofit PR Award.

Name

Waxman Strategies

Legal name

Waxman Strategies

Website

https://waxmanstrategies.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Waxman Strategies is a Washington, DC-based public affairs firm providing policy, advocacy, and communications services to foundations, nonprofits, and mission-driven companies across health, environment, and technology issues.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

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, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Policy and Advocacy Consulting Services: The firm provides strategic counsel, policy analysis, advocacy campaigns, and communications services to foundations, nonprofit organizations, and companies committed to public interest work. Revenue is generated through consulting fees for ongoing advisory relationships and project-based engagements.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Waxman Strategies is a public affairs and strategic communications firm that delivers policy, advocacy, and communications services to foundations, nonprofit organizations, and companies working on public-interest issues. Core services include strategic policy counsel, coalition building, lobbying and stakeholder engagement, media relations, and crisis communications, organized into three practice areas: Health, Environment, and Technology. The firm advances client objectives by leveraging deep government relationships, policy expertise, and strategic communications capabilities.

Product overview

Waxman Strategies is a public interest focused policy and communications firm offering services through three main practice areas: Health, Environment, and Technology. Their Health Practice advances policies on drug pricing, reproductive health, tobacco policy, health care access, public health, and disability equity. Their Environment Practice drives transformation toward a zero-carbon future through work on building electrification, electric vehicles, zero carbon fuels, decarbonization, renewable energy, and conservation. Their Technology Practice accelerates innovative tech solutions in renewable energy, electrification, innovative mobility, climate tech, health access and telemedicine, and food tech. Complementing these practices, they offer Communications Services (media relations, thought leadership, crisis communications), Advocacy Services (coalition building, lobbying, stakeholder engagement), and Policy Services (strategic counsel, policy analysis, regulatory responses).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Health Practice Health policy practice advancing drug pricing, reproductive health, tobacco policy, health care access, public health, and disability equity policy for foundations, advocacy organizations, and mission-driven companies.
• Environment Practice Environmental policy practice covering building electrification, electric vehicles, zero carbon fuels, decarbonization, renewable energy, and conservation for environmental nonprofits, foundations, and clean energy companies.
• Technology Practice Technology policy practice accelerating public-interest innovations across renewable energy, electrification and grid, innovative mobility, climate tech, health access and telemedicine, and food tech and nutritional security.
• Communications Services Strategic communications services including message streamlining, thought leadership positioning, media relations, stakeholder monitoring, visibility enhancement, and crisis communications.
• Advocacy Services Strategic advocacy services including coalition building and management, policymaker relationship cultivation, investigative research, and stakeholder pressure tactics.
• Policy Services Policy development and analysis services including strategic counsel, subject matter expertise, in-depth policy analysis, and response to legislative and regulatory proposals.

Quantifiable outcome

• Generated over 25 media placements with estimated reach of 268+ million for Tufts nutrition policy work
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers15 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and notable.

• The Commonwealth FundcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing partnership for policy research including work on publicly funded contraceptive access, Medicare drug price negotiations under the Inflation Reduction Act, and healthcare system analysis. Waxman Strategies conducts deep policy research in partnership with the Commonwealth Fund, producing issue briefs and blog posts on federal health programs.
• Laura and John Arnold FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership on identifying root causes of high prescription drug prices and developing policy solutions. Conducted research on nonprofit pharmaceutical companies and policy barriers. Produced comprehensive reports and convened expert roundtables.
• Arnold VenturescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerContinued partnership on drug pricing policy work, building on decades of Henry Waxman's pharmaceutical market reform efforts. Work includes identifying policy options to address high drug costs.
• Arnold Ventures and Commonwealth FundcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing seminal work on prescription drug pricing drivers and policy solutions. Produced foundational reports on high prescription drug prices and convened stakeholders for strategic insights.
• Leyline Renewable CapitalnotableStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupported launch of $150 million renewable energy fund. Constructed messaging and generated media opportunities in outlets including Bloomberg, GreenTechMedia, and ImpactAlpha to fuel investment pipeline.
• Clean Air Task ForcecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing partnership on carbon mitigation and clean energy strategies. Congressional and agency advocacy, coalition building, and support for critical climate legislation to decarbonize the economy.
• Carbon EngineeringnotableStrategic or Co-development PartnerMulti-year advocacy partnership for Direct Air Capture technology policy. Efforts included enhancing 45Q tax credit, securing DOE RD&D funding, and bipartisan authorization of alternative financing mechanisms.
• Electrification CoalitionnotableStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership on transportation electrification and electric vehicle policy. Working at local, state, and federal levels to reduce oil dependence and promote EV deployment.
• Christopher & Dana Reeve FoundationnotableStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal policy, strategy, and advocacy consulting to improve lives of individuals living with paralysis. Crafted 2020 Policy Agenda and successfully increased federal Paralysis Resource Center funding by $1 million.
• SeatrecnotableStrategic or Co-development PartnerBlue tech startup partnership for ocean monitoring technology. Introduced CEO to government decision makers, organized congressional briefing, and secured World Economic Forum video showcasing technology.
• Arcus FoundationnotableStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for great ape habitat protection in Indonesia. Campaign work led to delay of hydroelectric dam threatening Tapanuli orangutan habitat.
• Mighty EarthnotableStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnvironmental campaign partnership including 'Worst Company in the World' report on Cargill. Multi-year campaign targeting deforestation and human rights abuses in supply chain.
• The David and Lucille Packard Foundation and European Climate FoundationnotableStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to prevent deforestation from palm oil in Japan. Campaign led to cancellation of proposed palm oil-burning power plant in Maizuru, Japan.
• Medicines360coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership on nonprofit pharmaceutical model research. Produced case study showing how nonprofit pharma can drive down drug costs and improve access for underserved communities.
• Gerald J. and Dorothy R. Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunications partnership for White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health. Led communications for Task Force, generated 25+ media placements with 268+ million reach, centered nutrition security in national dialogue.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Precision Strategies: Precision Strategies is a progressive public affairs and political consulting firm serving Democratic-aligned candidates, advocacy organizations, and issue campaigns. Its integrated strategy, communications, and digital advocacy model is closely comparable to Waxman Strategies' offering.
• The Herald Group: The Herald Group is a Washington, DC-based public affairs firm providing policy, advocacy, and communications services to corporations and trade associations. It competes for similar advocacy and strategic communications engagements from mission-driven and corporate clients.
• SKDK: SKDK is a top-tier progressive public affairs and political consulting firm based in Washington, DC. It directly competes with Waxman Strategies for foundation, nonprofit, and corporate progressive clients across policy, advocacy, and strategic communications.
• Burness: Burness is a communications firm focused on nonprofits, foundations, and mission-driven organizations, with particular strength in health, environment, and social justice. Its client base and issue areas closely mirror Waxman Strategies' foundation and nonprofit roster.
• Global Strategy Group: Global Strategy Group is a research, public affairs, and communications firm with a strong progressive client base. It provides polling, advocacy, and strategic communications services comparable to those offered by Waxman Strategies.
• Bully Pulpit Interactive: Bully Pulpit Interactive is a progressive strategy, advertising, and communications firm working with nonprofits, foundations, and advocacy organizations. It overlaps with Waxman Strategies in advocacy-driven communications and policy campaign execution.
• Hilltop Public Solutions: Hilltop Public Solutions is a Democratic-aligned public affairs firm providing advocacy, communications, and strategic counsel to campaigns, nonprofits, and advocacy organizations. Its service mix is directly comparable to Waxman Strategies' policy, advocacy, and communications practice.
• Beacon Strategic Consulting: Beacon Strategic Consulting is a progressive public affairs firm offering advocacy, coalition-building, and strategic communications. It directly competes for foundation and nonprofit clients seeking policy influence in health and social issues.
• Fenton Communications: Fenton is a progressive public interest communications and social change firm. It is directly comparable because it serves foundations and nonprofits on advocacy campaigns — notably, founder Michael Waxman was previously a Senior Vice President at Fenton.

Broad incumbents

• Capitol Counsel: Capitol Counsel is a Washington, DC government affairs and public affairs firm with a much broader, bipartisan corporate and association client base. It is comparable as a government relations competitor but serves a wider and more politically diverse client mix than Waxman Strategies.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/TeamWaxman

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 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 Waxman Strategies