Ohio Chamber of Commerce Research Foundation

What Ohio Chamber of Commerce Research Foundation does

The Ohio Chamber of Commerce Research Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization based in Columbus, Ohio, that produces non-partisan research and data-driven analysis on Ohio's economy and business climate. Founded in 2016, the Foundation operates as the research arm of the Ohio Chamber of Commerce and serves Ohio policymakers, business leaders, and the general public. It maintains the Ohio Scorecard and Ohio Economic Dashboard for real-time economic metric tracking, conducts the quarterly Prosperity Pulse business sentiment survey, and publishes an extensive portfolio of research reports covering tax policy, energy permitting, data center economics, workforce development, business income deduction impacts, water infrastructure, and Black-owned business economic impact.

The Foundation's core offerings include the Blueprint for Ohio's Economic Future (updated for 2026 in partnership with Accenture), the Economic Impact Study of Data Centers in Ohio (with SRC EvalMetrics using IMPLAN modeling), the Ohio Tax Benchmarking Analysis and Business Income Deduction Economic Impact Study (both with Ernst & Young), the Energy Permitting in Ohio Process Analysis, and the Employer Mental Health Toolkit (developed with Alkermes, Cigna Healthcare, Bon Secours Mercy Health, and The Ohio State University). It also runs the Economic Advisor Council, a Fellows Program engaging policy and economic development experts, the Lunch, Learn & Lead Discussion Series, and an Emergency Relief Fund providing disaster recovery grants (notably tornado relief in the Indian Lake and St. Mary's area).

The Foundation is funded through donations and charitable contributions rather than commercial revenue, and distributes all research, reports, and resources free of charge as part of its educational mission. Its methodology relies on data analytics, economic modeling, and survey techniques drawing from officially sourced datasets. The organization is led by Executive Director Justin Barnes, with Brian K. Hicks serving as President of the Board of Directors, and maintains a small team (1-10 employees) at 34 S. Third Street, Suite 100, Columbus.

Name

Ohio Chamber of Commerce Research Foundation

Legal name

Ohio Chamber of Commerce Research Foundation

Website

https://ohiochamberfoundation.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Ohio Chamber of Commerce Research Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit producing non-partisan economic research on Ohio's business climate, serving policymakers, business leaders, and the public through the Ohio Scorecard, Prosperity Pulse surveys, and policy research reports.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Economic Policy Research

NAICS

Marketing Research and Public Opinion Polling (54191)

akta.pro primary industry

Policy, Regulatory & Public Affairs Research (BPAHALAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Industry & Sector Research (Syndicated/Custom) (BPAHALAE)

Keywords

• Economic policy research
• Business climate analysis
• Non-profit research foundation
• Workforce development research
• Tax policy analysis

Headquarters

HQ city

Columbus

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: The organization is a certified 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that relies on donations and charitable contributions from individuals and organizations committed to strengthening Ohio's business climate and economic future. They maintain an Emergency Relief Fund for disaster recovery grants.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Ohio Chamber of Commerce Research Foundation is a certified 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that produces and disseminates non-partisan, data-driven economic research, policy analysis, and educational resources focused on Ohio's business climate and economy. Its portfolio includes the Ohio Scorecard and Ohio Economic Dashboard for real-time economic metrics, the Prosperity Pulse quarterly business leader survey, the Blueprint for Ohio's Economic Future strategic framework, and targeted research reports on tax policy, data centers, energy permitting, workforce, water resources, and Black-owned business economic impact.

Product overview

Ohio Chamber of Commerce Research Foundation is a certified 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that provides trusted, non-partisan educational resources on public policy issues impacting Ohio's economy. The foundation operates as a research and policy organization rather than a traditional product company, offering a portfolio of economic research tools and programs including: the Ohio Scorecard and Ohio Economic Dashboard for real-time economic data tracking; quarterly Prosperity Pulse business surveys; the Economic Advisor Council providing forecasts and analysis; the Fellows Program engaging expert policy voices; and various research reports on topics including data centers, energy permitting, tax competitiveness, business income deduction, water resources, and Black-owned business economic impact. The foundation also produces the Blueprint for Ohio's Economic Future, a comprehensive roadmap developed with Accenture examining six key drivers of competitiveness.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Ohio Scorecard: A data-driven tracking system monitoring key performance indicators for Ohio's economic health including workforce development, business climate, and infrastructure metrics.
• Blueprint for Ohio's Economic Future
• Economic Advisor Council
• Ohio Chamber Research Foundation Fellows Program
• Ohio Economic Dashboard
• Prosperity Pulse

Products and services

• Ohio Scorecard

Quantifiable outcome

• $5.9 billion in increased economic activity attributed to Business Income Deduction in 2018
• +6 more outcomes

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

21 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Ohio-based AssociationscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 February 2025Several Ohio-based associations endorsed the GRID Power Act legislation, supporting FERC reform of the interconnection queue process to fast-track critical power projects.
• Ernst & Young (EY)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEY conducted comprehensive economic analyses for the Foundation, including the Analysis of Ohio's Business Income Tax Incentives and the Ohio Tax Benchmarking Analysis comparing Ohio's tax landscape with peer states.
• SRC EvalMetrics LLCcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConducted the Economic Impact Study of Data Centers in Ohio, utilizing IMPLAN Input-Output modeling methodology to analyze the data center industry's economic and fiscal impact on Ohio.
• AccenturecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDeveloped the updated 2026 Blueprint for Ohio's Economic Future, examining six key drivers of competitiveness: Education & Workforce, Infrastructure, Taxes & Costs, Business Friendliness, Innovation & Collaboration, and Sense of Place.
• Logan County Chamber of CommerceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Emergency Relief Fund efforts for tornado relief, providing grants to small businesses impacted by March 14th tornadoes in the Indian Lake and St. Mary's area.
• U.S. Chamber of CommerceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Emergency Relief Fund efforts for tornado relief to small businesses in Ohio.
• Grange InsuranceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Emergency Relief Fund efforts for tornado relief to small businesses in Ohio.
• WestfieldminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Emergency Relief Fund efforts for tornado relief to small businesses in Ohio.
• HuntingtonminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Emergency Relief Fund efforts for tornado relief to small businesses in Ohio.
• NiSourceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Emergency Relief Fund efforts for tornado relief to small businesses in Ohio.
• One ColumbuscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional economic development organization led by Kenny McDonald, who serves as Economic Development Fellow for the Foundation, focusing on energy demand, workforce, infrastructure, and site readiness.
• AlkermesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in development of the Employer Mental Health Toolkit for Ohio Employers, providing practical resources and implementation guides for workplace mental health.
• Cigna HealthcareminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in development of the Employer Mental Health Toolkit for Ohio Employers, contributing healthcare expertise to the toolkit's resources.
• Bon Secours Mercy HealthminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in development of the Employer Mental Health Toolkit for Ohio Employers, providing healthcare system perspective on workplace well-being.
• The Ohio State UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in development of the Employer Mental Health Toolkit for Ohio Employers, contributing academic and healthcare research expertise.
• Ohio Automobile Dealers AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization cited in Business Income Deduction study, representing dealers who benefit from the BID for reinvestment in employees, customers, and communities.
• Ohio REALTORSminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization cited in Business Income Deduction study, with over 36,000 REALTORS benefiting from the small business income deduction.
• NFIB OhiominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization cited in Business Income Deduction study, representing small business community that benefited from the BID during pandemic recovery.
• Ohio Society of CPAs (OSCPA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization cited in Business Income Deduction study, with CPAs serving as key advisors to small business entrepreneurs in Ohio.
• Toledo Regional Chamber of CommerceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated on Business Income Deduction study to understand BID's impact on small businesses across Ohio.
• Greater Akron ChamberminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization cited in Business Income Deduction study, focused on enabling small businesses to survive and thrive.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• Cleveland State University Levin College of Urban Affairs: An Ohio academic research center producing economic, demographic, and policy research on the state. Comparable as another Ohio-based producer of economic research and data, though positioned as academic rather than advocacy-aligned.

Regional players

• Greater Ohio Policy Center: An Ohio-focused nonprofit that conducts research and policy analysis on land use, urban development, and economic competitiveness. Comparable as another Ohio-anchored non-profit research organization producing policy-relevant data analysis.
• The Thomas B. Fordham Institute: An Ohio-focused education policy research and advocacy organization. Comparable in the Ohio-specific policy research niche and the use of cross-referenced data to inform state-level policy decisions on a key topic (education/workforce).

Direct peers

• The Fund for Our Economic Future: A Cleveland-based philanthropic research collaborative that funds and publishes economic research focused on Northeast Ohio's competitiveness. Comparable because it pursues similar economic competitiveness research with regional employer and funder networks.
• The Buckeye Institute: An Ohio-based free-market state policy research organization that produces economic and policy research aimed at Ohio lawmakers and the public. It is the closest direct competitor in Ohio-focused policy research and shares the same target audience (policymakers, business leaders, media).

Broad incumbents

• State Policy Network: A national network of state-level free-market think tanks and policy organizations. Comparable as an ecosystem of similar state-focused research organizations; the Foundation could be a member peer within this network.
• U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation: The national research and education arm of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Comparable as the parent-tier organization in the same Chamber-affiliated research foundation model, with broader national scope and substantially larger resources.
• National Association of State Chambers: A national association of state chambers of commerce. Comparable as the broader affiliated network for state-level chambers and their research/policy functions, of which the Ohio Chamber is a constituent.
• Manhattan Institute: A national policy research organization producing state and national economic competitiveness research. Comparable as a policy research shop with strong corporate and state-affiliated funding producing research reports on taxes, workforce, and economic growth.

Emerging players

• Pew Research Center: A nonpartisan research organization using survey methodology and public opinion polling to inform the public and policymakers. Comparable in the use of recurring survey instruments (like Prosperity Pulse) and data-driven dashboards to publish authoritative reports.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/OCCResearch
• Xx.com/occresearch
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ohio-chamber-of-commerce-research-foundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors2 records

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Ohio Chamber of Commerce Research Foundation