Causal Design PBC
Causal Design PBC is a Public Benefit Corporation providing rigorous independent program evaluation — including impact evaluations, cost-effectiveness analyses, and M&E capacity building — for international development donors (USAID, MCC, World Bank) and NGOs across 55+ countries.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2014
- HeadquartersColorado Springs, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Causal Design PBC does
Causal Design PBC is a Public Benefit Corporation and social enterprise founded in 2014 by Keith B. Ives and Reimar Macaranas, providing rigorous independent program evaluation and research services to the international development sector. Its core offerings include decision-focused impact evaluations using randomized controlled trials and quasi-experimental methods, program performance evaluations organized around OECD-DAC criteria, cost-benefit and cost-effectiveness analyses, M&E capacity building, evidence-based program design, political economy analysis, and growth diagnostics. The underlying "technology" is methodological rather than software-based: deep expertise in econometric designs (propensity score matching, difference-in-differences, regression discontinuity) adapted for fragile, humanitarian, and rapid-onset crisis contexts.
The firm serves three primary customer segments: bilateral and multilateral donors (USAID, MCC, World Bank), international development NGOs (Mercy Corps, Save the Children, World Vision, GiveDirectly, Catholic Relief Services, GIZ), and government policy makers requiring digestible evidence for program decisions. Revenue is generated through project-based professional services engagements, typically structured as multi-year contracts, with pricing determined by scope, methodology complexity, and geographic requirements. Business development runs through professional networks, content marketing via blog and research publications, and direct engagement with major donors.
Causal Design operates from offices in Denver (headquarters), Washington D.C., Phnom Penh, and Lilongwe, with documented work across more than 55 countries. The company co-primes USAID's ten-year Building Evidence for Decision-Making (BE4D) program and holds a Blanket Purchase Agreement with MCC. In 2024 it entered an SBA-approved Mentor-Protégé Agreement with Panagora Group (the CausAgora alliance) to expand USAID prime contracting access. The firm is privately held with no disclosed venture, private equity, or institutional investor ownership.
Causal Design PBC firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Causal Design PBC
- Legal name
- Causal Design PBC
- Website
- https://causaldesign.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2014
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Causal Design PBC is a Public Benefit Corporation providing rigorous independent program evaluation — including impact evaluations, cost-effectiveness analyses, and M&E capacity building — for international development donors (USAID, MCC, World Bank) and NGOs across 55+ countries.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Causal Design PBC industry classification
Industry- Product category
- International Development Evaluation Services
- NAICS
- Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (54172), Scientific Research and Development Services (5417)
- SIC
- Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Global Health Research, Evidence & Technical Assistance Organizations (HLAJAKAN)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Humanitarian-Development-Peace Nexus & Resilience Programming (BPADAEAK), Project Preparation Facilities & Technical Assistance Windows (BPADAOAI)
Keywords
Where Causal Design PBC is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Colorado Springs
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices4 records
Markets served
Causal Design PBC business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Evaluation and Research Services: Causal Design generates revenue through providing rigorous independent program evaluation, monitoring and evaluation capacity building, cost-benefit analysis, and research services to international development clients including NGOs, USAID, MCC, and other development organizations.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Project-based consulting engagements with pricing determined by scope |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels5 records
Causal Design PBC product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Causal Design PBC is a social enterprise that partners with international development clients to provide rigorous independent program evaluation, monitoring and evaluation (M&E) capacity building, cost-benefit and cost-effectiveness analysis, political economy analysis, and program design services. The firm applies experimental, quasi-experimental, and mixed methods—often randomized controlled trials (RCTs)—to generate credible causal evidence for NGOs, bilateral and multilateral donors, and government policy makers, with particular specialization in fragile, conflict-affected, and humanitarian contexts.
Product overview
Causal Design PBC is a social enterprise providing evaluation and research services for international development. The company offers a portfolio of interconnected evaluation services centered around Decision-Focused Impact Evaluation, which uses rigorous methods including RCTs and quasi-experimental approaches to establish causal impact. This core service is complemented by Program Performance Evaluations organized around OECD-DAC criteria, Cost-Benefit and Cost-Effectiveness Analyses, M&E Capacity Building, Program Design, Political Economy Analysis, and Growth Diagnostics. The company also participates in the Building Evidence for Decision-Making (BE4D) Program, a co-primed USAID initiative for impact evaluation and cost analysis support.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Decision-Focused Impact Evaluation Rigorous impact evaluations using experimental, quasi-experimental, and mixed methods—including randomized control trials (RCTs), propensity score matching, difference-in-differences, and regression discontinuity design—to establish causal impact of interventions for international development clients.
- Program Performance Evaluations Performance evaluations organized around OECD-DAC criteria—impact, effectiveness, efficiency, sustainability, coherence, and relevance—to help international development partners understand program implementation outcomes.
- Cost-Benefit and Cost-Effectiveness Analysis (CBA / CEA) Value-for-money and economic evaluation tools including cost-economy, cost-efficiency, and cost-effectiveness analyses integrated with impact evaluations for USAID, MCC, the World Bank, and NGOs.
- Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) Capacity Building Training and support for transitioning partners to results-based M&E systems, including train-the-trainer approaches and tailored trainings covering data collection, management, analysis, survey design, and administration.
- Program Design Evidence-based program design services including literature reviews, theory of change development, intervention design aligned to international best practices, pilot program design, and complete design of large-scale development programs.
- Political Economy Analysis Applied political economy analysis to understand social, cultural, and political forces that affect project outcomes, informing theory of change and data collection instruments.
- Growth Diagnostics (Constraints Analysis)
Quantifiable outcome
- Conducted research and monitoring activities in over 55 countries
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Causal Design PBC
Customer profileNamed customers13 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Causal Design PBC technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Causal Design PBC partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Panagora GroupcoreSBA-approved Mentor-Protégé Agreement forming the CausAgora strategic alliance. Panagora, a woman-owned small business (WOSB) and employee-owned company since 2021, provides management and technical assistance, contract compliance, and business development support to Causal Design. The partnership aims to grow Causal Design's work and impact with USAID while helping improve SDVOSB (Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business) utilization at USAID. Panagora has implemented 12 complex multi-year prime contracts and 47 multi-year subcontracts under USAID activities.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Causal Design PBC competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- IMPAQ International: Policy research and analytics firm with an international development practice serving USAID and MCC. Competes on impact evaluation, performance evaluation, and economic analysis task orders.
- Oxford Policy Management: UK-headquartered development policy and evaluation firm working across Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. Listed as both a Causal Design partner and competitor on impact evaluation, political economy analysis, and growth diagnostics.
- Social Impact: International development consultancy delivering M&E, impact evaluation, and capacity building for USAID and other donors. Closely comparable in size, service mix, and donor concentration.
- Abt Associates: Global research and program implementation firm with one of the largest international development evaluation portfolios, including major USAID IDIQs. Competes head-to-head on impact evaluation, performance evaluation, and CBA/CEA task orders.
- Itad: UK-based consultancy specializing in monitoring, evaluation, and learning for international development, working extensively with FCDO, USAID, and multilaterals. Competes directly on M&E, performance evaluation, and learning services.
- Mathematica: Large US-headquartered policy research and evaluation firm with a deep international development practice delivering RCTs, impact evaluations, and M&E services to USAID, MCC, and the World Bank — directly competing with Causal Design for the same donor task orders and BPAs.
- NORC at the University of Chicago: Independent research institution with a sizable international development practice offering impact evaluations, mixed-methods research, and survey work for USAID and the World Bank. Comparable methodology stack and donor focus.
- Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA): Nonprofit research organization running randomized controlled trials and other rigorous evaluations of development programs globally. Competes on RCT-driven impact evaluation engagements with USAID, World Bank, and bilateral donors.
- International Initiative for Impact Evaluation (3ie): Global development evidence organization commissioning and producing high-quality impact evaluations and systematic reviews. Overlaps directly with Causal Design's evidence-generation mandate and donor-funded portfolio.
- Panagora Group: Woman-owned small business and Causal Design's Mentor-Protégé partner, delivering M&E, learning, and management consulting for USAID. Operates as both collaborator and competitor in the same donor pool.
Market position
Strengths1 record
Weaknesses1 record
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Causal Design PBC social profiles
Digital presenceCausal Design PBC financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Causal Design PBC leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles13 records
Causal Design PBC funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Causal Design PBC 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 Causal Design PBC
What does Causal Design PBC do?
Causal Design PBC is a social enterprise that partners with international development clients to provide rigorous independent program evaluation, monitoring and evaluation (M&E) capacity building, cost-benefit and cost-effectiveness analysis, political economy analysis, and program design services. The firm applies experimental, quasi-experimental, and mixed methods—often randomized controlled trials (RCTs)—to generate credible causal evidence for NGOs, bilateral and multilateral donors, and government policy makers, with particular specialization in fragile, conflict-affected, and humanitarian contexts.
Is Causal Design PBC a public or private company?
Causal Design PBC is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Causal Design PBC founded?
Causal Design PBC was founded in 2014. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Causal Design PBC based?
Causal Design PBC is headquartered in Colorado Springs, United States, in the North America region.
How does Causal Design PBC make money?
One revenue line is on record: evaluation and Research Services.
Who are Causal Design PBC's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are IMPAQ International, Oxford Policy Management, Social Impact, Abt Associates, Itad, Mathematica, NORC at the University of Chicago, Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA), International Initiative for Impact Evaluation (3ie) and Panagora Group.
Does Causal Design PBC have an API?
No public API is recorded for Causal Design PBC.
What industry is Causal Design PBC in?
Causal Design PBC's product category is International Development Evaluation Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAJAKAN, Global Health Research, Evidence & Technical Assistance Organizations, with a secondary code of BPADAEAK, Humanitarian-Development-Peace Nexus & Resilience Programming. Its NAICS code is 54172 and its SIC code is 8731.