Directions Evidence and Policy Research Group

What Directions Evidence and Policy Research Group does

Directions Evidence and Policy Research Group is a Vancouver-based professional services partnership formed in 2010 that delivers decision-oriented research, program evaluation, policy analysis, strategic planning, and economic evaluation to public-sector and institutional clients. The firm is owned and operated by seven partners — Charles Ungerleider (Managing Partner and Director of Research), Oksana Bartosh, Mary Ungerleider, Geniva Liu, Ruth Baumann, Brian Abner, and Stefan Merchant — whose backgrounds span education research, psychology, economics, and social science, and whose credentials include a former British Columbia Deputy Minister of Education, professor emeriti at UBC and York University, and senior administrators from the Ontario Teachers' Federation. There is no software product, platform, or proprietary technology disclosed; the offering is a set of four integrated consulting services delivered through human expertise using qualitative and quantitative research methods and statistical techniques. The firm has no external investors and no parent company, operating as an independent partnership.

Directions generates revenue through project-based professional services engagements with government ministries, school boards, Indigenous governance organizations, professional regulators, non-profits, and international bodies. Pricing is not publicly disclosed, and the firm relies on direct, relationship-based sales mediated by the partners' networks. Its client base spans at least eight Canadian provinces and territories (British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Ontario, Saskatchewan, Yukon) plus federal departments such as Employment and Social Development Canada, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, and Public Safety Canada, with selective international work for the OECD, UNESCO, and PricewaterhouseCoopers (Saudi Arabia). The go-to-market is therefore fundamentally a partnerships-led, referrals-driven professional services model with no digital marketing, channel partners, or self-serve product.

Name

Directions Evidence and Policy Research Group

Legal name

Directions Evidence and Policy Research Group

Website

https://directions-eprg.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Directions Evidence and Policy Research Group is a Vancouver-based partnership founded in 2010 that provides research, evaluation, policy analysis, strategic planning, and economic evaluation services to Canadian federal and provincial ministries, school boards, Indigenous organizations, and select international clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Policy Research and Evaluation Consulting

NAICS

Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (541720), Management Consulting Services (54161)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAHALAF

Policy, Regulatory & Public Affairs Research

Business & Public Services/Professional Services (Legal, Accounting, Consulting)/Research, Analytics & Expert Services

SECONDARYBPAHACAN

Public Sector & Policy Consulting

Business & Public Services/Professional Services (Legal, Accounting, Consulting)/Management Consulting

Keywords

• Policy research consulting
• Program evaluation services
• Education policy analysis
• Economic evaluation research
• Strategic planning advisory

Headquarters

HQ city

Vancouver

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Core offering

Directions Evidence and Policy Research Group provides four integrated consulting services: research and evaluation, policy analysis, strategic planning, and economic evaluation. The firm delivers evidence-based analysis using quantitative and qualitative research methods and statistical techniques to support planning, capacity-building, and decision-making for government, education, and social sector clients. The firm is a professional services partnership rather than a software or product company, with services delivered by partners with backgrounds in education research, psychology, economics, and social science.

Product overview

Directions Evidence and Policy Research Group is a professional consultancy partnership formed in 2010, offering a unified set of services rather than a software product. The company provides four integrated consulting services: Research and Evaluation Services, Policy Analysis Services, Strategic Planning Services, and Economic Evaluation Services. These services are delivered through a team of seven partners drawing from backgrounds in education research, psychology, economics, and social science. The firm applies diverse research methods and statistical techniques to support clients across government, education, and Indigenous organizations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Research and Evaluation Services Provides evidence-based research and program evaluation services using collaborative, client-centred approaches to support planning, capacity-building, and decision-making for education and social sector clients.
• Policy Analysis Services Delivers policy analysis to inform decision-makers, drawing on expertise in education research, psychology, economics, and social science to provide evidence-based recommendations.
• Strategic Planning Services Offers strategic planning consultation to help organizations in the education and social sectors develop capacity and make informed decisions through collaborative approaches.
• Economic Evaluation Services Conducts economic evaluations including analyses of costs, social rates of return on investment, and program and policy assessment using theoretical and empirical methodologies.

Named customers53 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Public Policy Forum: Canadian non-profit policy research and convening organization focused on evidence-based solutions for public-sector challenges including education, labour markets, and governance. Comparable in research/policy advisory positioning and Canadian public-sector client base.
• Canada West Foundation: Western Canadian public policy research organization focused on economic, social, and governance issues across the prairie provinces and BC. Comparable in policy research, focus on Canadian provincial/federal public-sector issues, and similar headcount/profile.
• The Conference Board of Canada: Canada's largest applied research organization producing policy analysis and economic evaluation for government and institutional clients. Directly comparable in policy research, economic evaluation, and evidence-based advisory work targeting public-sector decision-makers.
• C.D. Howe Institute: Canadian national policy think tank producing rigorous economic and policy research for government and business audiences. Comparable in evidence-based policy research methodology and the intersection of economics with social policy work.
• Mowat Centre: Ontario-based public policy think tank producing rigorous, evidence-based research for government and civil society. Comparable in research methodology and public-policy/education focus, though more think-tank than consulting in structure.

Emerging players

• Learning Policy Institute: US-based nonprofit conducting research on education policy, with strong focus on evidence-based analysis for policymakers. Comparable in education policy research and evaluation methodology, primarily in the US market.
• People for Education: Canadian education research and advocacy organization publishing annual research on Ontario schools. Comparable in education policy research and connection to school boards, though primarily advocacy/research rather than paid evaluation consulting.

Broad incumbents

• RAND Corporation: Global nonprofit research organization providing policy analysis, program evaluation, and economic studies to governments. Comparable in applied social-science research, program evaluation, and education/workforce policy expertise, though much larger and more diversified.
• Deloitte Canada: Big Four professional services firm with a Government & Public Services practice serving Canadian federal and provincial ministries. Comparable in providing policy advisory, economic analysis, and program evaluation to the same client base, though at much greater scale.
• American Institutes for Research (AIR): Large US-based behavioral and social science research organization specializing in education, health, and workforce program evaluation. Directly comparable in education-focused program evaluation, assessment, and policy research delivery for public-sector clients.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 Directions Evidence and Policy Research Group