What Knowledge Alliance does

Knowledge Alliance is a non-profit, non-partisan membership coalition founded in 1971 and headquartered in Washington, DC. The organization is comprised of leading education research and service organizations — including WestEd, McREL International, SRI International, Education Analytics, Cognia, AIR, Education Northwest, and the University of Oklahoma College of Continuing Education — that collectively advocate for the creation and use of rigorous, evidence-based research in K-12 public education policy and practice. Its core activities are federal policy advocacy, member networking, congressional briefings, and research dissemination aimed at influencing funding and legislation for programs such as IES, Regional Educational Laboratories, Education Innovation and Research, and Comprehensive Centers.

The organization is led by President and CEO Rachel Dinkes, supported by a small staff of 1-10 employees, and operates through a Board on which every member organization holds a seat. Revenue is generated primarily through membership dues on a recurring basis; pricing is not publicly disclosed and prospective members are routed through the President or a Contact Us form. Knowledge Alliance has no technology or software product; its 'platform' is a policy influence and convening model sustained by long-tenured Washington relationships and coalition-driven advocacy. Documented strategic outcomes include securing an evidence-based innovation fund in ESSA, preventing unwarranted restrictions on education research, driving ESRA reauthorization, and preserving federal funding for key research programs.

Name

Knowledge Alliance

Legal name

Knowledge Alliance

Website

https://knowledgeall.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

1971

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Knowledge Alliance is a Washington, DC-based non-profit membership coalition, founded in 1971, that advocates for evidence-based K-12 education research and federal policy on behalf of leading education research organizations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Education Policy Advocacy

NAICS

Business Associations (813910), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Professional Organizations (813920)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Education Policy Research Institutes & Think Tanks (EDADADAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Education Sector Coordination, Clusters & Working Groups (EDADALAE), Education Equity, Access & Inclusion Policy Research (EDADADAF)

Keywords

• Education policy advocacy
• Education research coalition
• Federal education funding
• Membership advocacy services
• Policy advisory services

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Knowledge Alliance operates as a membership-based organization comprised of leading education organizations. Members pay dues which fund the organization's advocacy activities and operations. Each member receives a seat on the Board.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Knowledge Alliance is a non-profit, non-partisan membership coalition of leading education organizations that advocates at the federal level for the widespread use of rigorous, research-based knowledge in K-12 education policy and practice. It sells membership services to education organizations, providing them policy influence in Washington, peer networking, weekly policy updates, and government affairs expertise. It also convenes congressional briefing series and runs the Breaking Boundaries Grant competition.

Product overview

Knowledge Alliance is a non-profit membership organization, not a technology product company. It provides advocacy services, policy resources, and member programs focused on promoting rigorous education research for K-12 public education policy improvement. The organization operates through policy advocacy, federal funding support for education research programs (IES, RELs, EIR, Comprehensive Centers), member networking services, congressional briefings, grant competitions, and research dissemination via blog content. There is no software product, platform, or technology offering.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Policy Advocacy Services Advocacy services focused on influencing federal education policy and funding decisions, including engaging with Congress and the Executive branch on federal policy and funding issues that impact education research and evidence-based practices. Targeted at member education organizations.
• Membership Services Membership program offering policy influence, peer networking with like-minded education organizations, a Board seat, and Washington visibility through weekly policy updates and analysis from government affairs consultants. Targeted at leading education research and service organizations.
• Congressional Briefing Series Educational event series exploring the role of the Federal education research, development and dissemination (R&D) system to increase awareness and support among policymakers for high-quality education research. Hosted with support from the W.T. Grant Foundation.
• Breaking Boundaries Grant Competition Grant competition supporting diversity and inclusivity within the coalition by welcoming minority- and women-owned education organizations to the Knowledge Alliance membership community.
• Letters to Policymakers Formal communications to Congress and the Administration advocating for education research, evidence-based policy and related funding, including coalition letters signed alongside other education and advocacy organizations.
• Policy Recommendations & Issue Briefs Published policy recommendations and issue briefs addressing current education policy issues, including educator workforce shortages, the Education Sciences Reform Act (ESRA) reauthorization, and COVID relief funding for education research.

Quantifiable outcome

• Led coalition to ensure ESSA includes an evidence-based innovation fund
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 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

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• McREL InternationalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMcREL operates the Region 11 Comprehensive Center (R11CC) serving Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming. McREL is a nonprofit, nonpartisan education research, development, and service organization that helps schools, districts, and education agencies improve outcomes for all students.
• Education AnalyticscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducation Analytics operates the Region 10 Comprehensive Center (R10CC) and provides technical assistance to state education agencies. The organization uses data and analytics to improve outcomes for students and the education system.
• WestEdcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWestEd is a nonpartisan research, development, and service agency working with education and other communities to promote excellence, achieve equity, and improve learning for children, youth, and adults. WestEd works on evaluation, professional learning, technical assistance, and policy guidance.
• University of Oklahoma College of Continuing EducationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe University of Oklahoma Outreach/College of Continuing Education provides customized technical assistance services and professional learning opportunities for educators, institutions, districts, and schools through its EDUTAS department.
• CogniacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCognia is a global, nonprofit improvement organization dedicated to helping institutions and education providers grow learners, teachers, and leaders. The organization offers accreditation, certification, assessment, and professional services within a framework of continuous improvement.
• SRI International (REL Appalachia)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSRI International operates the Regional Educational Laboratory Appalachia serving Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia. RELs help State education agencies implement, scale, and sustain evidence-based programs that support improved educator and student outcomes.
• Education NorthwestcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducation Northwest operates the Regional Educational Laboratory Northwest and provides research-based technical assistance and professional development services to schools and districts.
• AIR (American Institutes for Research)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAIR is a nonprofit organization that conducts and applies research to improve outcomes in education, health, and workforce development. The organization provides technical assistance and evaluation services.
• Crocus, LLCsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerA Latina-owned and DC-based data services organization founded in 2021, guiding social impact in education with technology. Has completed more than 200 major projects in 32 states in higher education, school districts, state education agencies, and nonprofit organizations.
• Creative Research Solutions (CRS)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerAn award-winning, culturally responsive, and equitable research and evaluation firm founded in 2009. Engages in evaluation research, diversity/equity/inclusion consulting, strategic planning, and organizational development.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves3 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Broad incumbents

• RAND Corporation: Major nonprofit research institution with a substantial education research division conducting policy analysis for federal agencies. Comparable in producing rigorous education research and engaging federal policy, but as a much larger, broader research enterprise rather than a focused advocacy coalition.
• Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO): Nonprofit membership organization of state education chiefs that engages in federal advocacy on education policy and funding. Comparable membership-coalition model with federal advocacy, though representing state government officials rather than education research organizations.
• Brookings Institution (Center for Universal Education): Major think tank with significant education policy research and federal advocacy output. Comparable in producing evidence-based education policy recommendations for federal audiences, but operates at a much larger scale and broader issue scope than Knowledge Alliance's narrow advocacy focus.

Direct peers

• The Education Trust: Education advocacy organization focused on equity and closing achievement gaps through federal and state policy. Comparable as a nonprofit advocacy coalition targeting federal education policy, with similar Hill engagement and member-coalition dynamics, though equity-centered rather than research-centered.
• American Educational Research Association (AERA): The largest professional society for education researchers in the U.S., AERA conducts federal advocacy for education research funding and evidence-based policy. Highly comparable mission around promoting rigorous education research to policymakers, though substantially larger and membership-individual rather than organizational.
• Results for America: Advocacy nonprofit focused on increasing federal investment in evidence-based programs and building government evidence infrastructure. Directly comparable as a Washington-based evidence-policy advocacy coalition with a similar federal funding/coalition playbook.
• Data Quality Campaign: Advocacy coalition focused on improving the collection and use of education data at the federal and state levels. Highly comparable small-staff, DC-based coalition model advocating for evidence-informed education policy, with overlapping member organizations in the education research community.
• Achieve: Nonprofit education reform organization that works with state policymakers on standards, assessment, and accountability. Shares Knowledge Alliance's federal/state advocacy model and focus on evidence-based improvement, though with a broader P-20 orientation rather than purely research-focused.
• Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL): Coalition-style nonprofit advancing evidence-based social-emotional learning through federal and state policy advocacy. Comparable small-team, member-driven, DC-adjacent coalition structure advocating for research-backed education practice, though focused on a specific topic area.
• Coalition for Evidence-Based Policy: Nonprofit dedicated to increasing government use of rigorous evidence in social policy, including education. Directly comparable as a DC-area advocacy organization promoting evidence-based federal education and social policy, with overlapping methodology and policy networks.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/knowledge-alliance
• Xx.com/KnowledgeAll

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Knowledge Alliance