The Show-Me Institute

What The Show-Me Institute does

The Show-Me Institute is a private, nonprofit policy research organization founded in 2005 and headquartered in Saint Louis, Missouri. It is positioned as the only think tank in Missouri dedicated to promoting free markets and individual liberty, and it focuses its research on state and local policy issues including education, healthcare, the economy, state and local government, and corporate welfare. Its core deliverables span written research (articles, publications, model policy, testimony, commentary/op-eds), the annual Blueprint for Missouri policy roadmap (covering 17 policy areas in the 2026 edition), the MOSchoolRankings.org statewide A-F grading system for every Missouri public school and district, a podcast, video content, an email newsletter, and a Speaker Booking Service that places Institute experts with classrooms, civic groups, and public forums across the state. The organization is funded entirely through donor contributions and is governed by its board and staff; named leadership includes Susan Pendergrass (Director of Education Policy), David Stokes (Director of Municipal Policy), and economist Joseph Haslag, with Patrick Tuohey and Cory Koedel among contributing policy analysts.

Name

The Show-Me Institute

Legal name

Show-Me Institute

Website

https://showmeinstitute.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Show-Me Institute is a Missouri-based nonprofit think tank and the only state-level organization dedicated to free-market policy research, serving Missouri legislators, educators, and the general public through publications, the Blueprint for Missouri, and the MOSchoolRankings.org school grading system.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Policy Think Tank / Policy Research Services

NAICS

Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (541720), Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (54172)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Education Economics, Finance & Funding Policy Research (EDADADAE), Education Policy Evaluation & Impact Assessment Organizations (EDADADAD), Policy, Regulatory & Public Affairs Research (BPAHALAF)

Keywords

• Public policy research
• Think tank services
• Education policy analysis
• Economic policy studies
• School performance metrics

Headquarters

HQ city

Saint Louis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donor Contributions: The organization relies on generous support from individuals inspired by the vision of liberty and free enterprise. Funded through donations from sponsors and supporters.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Show-Me Institute produces and disseminates free-market policy research and analysis focused on Missouri state and local public policy, covering education, healthcare, economy, state and local government, and corporate welfare. Its deliverables include research publications, articles, the Blueprint for Missouri annual policy roadmap, model policy templates, legislative testimony, a school performance rankings database (MOSchoolRankings.org), a podcast, video content, newsletter, op-eds, and a bookable expert speaker program.

Product overview

The Show-Me Institute is a Missouri-based think tank offering a portfolio of policy research products and content services. The core offerings include research publications and articles providing analysis on education, healthcare, economy, state/local government, and corporate welfare; the Blueprint for Missouri comprehensive policy roadmap; the Missouri School Rankings Project (MOSchoolRankings.org) evaluating public schools with A-F grades; the Show-Me Institute Podcast featuring policy discussions; Model Policy templates for legislators; Testimony services; Newsletter delivery; Video content; Commentary/Op-Eds; and a Speaker Booking Service. These products work together to advance the Institute's mission of promoting free markets and individual liberty through market-based public policy research and advocacy.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Show-Me Institute Podcast: The organization's podcast delivering sharp, data-driven analysis and in-depth conversations on public policy decisions shaping Missouri's communities, economy, and future.
• MOSchoolRankings
• Blueprint for Missouri

Products and services

• Research Publications

Quantifiable outcome

• MOSchoolRankings.org assigns A-F letter grades to every Missouri public school and district based on up to 10 academic indicators
• +1 more outcomes

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

AI capability3 records

Feature2 records

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Pelican Institute for Public Policy: Louisiana-based state-level free-market think tank publishing research and policy commentary on state-specific issues. Closely matches Show-Me Institute's geographic-niche research model with the same ideological orientation.
• Beacon Center of Tennessee: Tennessee state-level free-market think tank producing policy research, commentary, and legislative engagement on education, healthcare, taxes, and labor — a structural twin to Show-Me Institute operating in a neighboring state.
• Texas Public Policy Foundation: Texas-based free-market state-level think tank and one of the largest in the State Policy Network. Produces research, model policy, and testimony on Texas-specific issues — same product mix and ideological stance as Show-Me Institute at greater scale.
• Goldwater Institute: Arizona-based free-market state-level think tank with a similar model: state-specific policy research, litigation, model legislation, and publications on education, healthcare, and economic liberty. The closest analogue to Show-Me Institute in mission and structure.
• Foundation for Government Accountability: State-focused free-market policy organization producing research and model legislation on welfare, education, and workforce policy across multiple states. Comparable to Show-Me Institute in free-market orientation and policy-research product mix.
• Mackinac Center for Public Policy: Michigan-based state-level free-market think tank, widely regarded as the original state-policy think tank model. Produces research, model policy, and commentary on state and local issues with a near-identical operational template to Show-Me Institute.
• Rio Grande Foundation: New Mexico-based state-level free-market think tank. Closely comparable to Show-Me Institute as a small, state-focused free-market research organization operating in a single geography.

Broad incumbents

• Cato Institute: National libertarian and free-market think tank producing policy research across federal and state issues. Overlaps with Show-Me Institute ideologically and on topics such as education choice and economic liberty, but operates nationally rather than within a single state.
• American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC): National membership organization of state legislators producing model legislation on free-market policy issues. Operates in Missouri and across all states with significantly greater resources; an adjacent institutional peer for Show-Me Institute's model-policy work.
• Mercatus Center: George Mason University-affiliated free-market research center producing policy analysis across federal and state issues. Comparable to Show-Me Institute in free-market orientation and academic rigor, though operating at national scale and with broader issue coverage.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/showmeinstitute
• Facebookfacebook.com/ShowMeInstitute

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Show-Me Institute