The Schwartz Center in Economic Policy Analysis (SCEPA)

What The Schwartz Center in Economic Policy Analysis (SCEPA) does

The Schwartz Center for Economic Policy Analysis (SCEPA) is the economic policy research arm of the Economics Department at The New School for Social Research, founded in 1995 and housed at 6 East 16th Street, 11th Floor, New York. SCEPA conducts peer-reviewed research across three core areas: economic policy for security, rising living standards, and full employment; critical research on climate economics; and heterodox economic thought. Its flagship products include the 'Tracking the Retirement Crisis' policy note series, the Wealth Equity Lab (ReLab) focused on aging-population economic security, signature lectures (Schwarz, Heilbroner, Political Economy of Aging), the Decoding Retirement Podcast, and a free Coursera course titled 'Economics: Society, Markets, and [In]equality.' Core operations are run by a small team of 10-15 staff led by Director Teresa Ghilarducci and Deputy Director Desiree LaVecchia, supported by an affiliated network of senior fellows drawn from institutions including UCL, Stony Brook, the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, and Open Society Foundations.

SCEPA does not operate as a commercial technology company: it has no software products, API, or AI capabilities, and offers all research outputs free of charge. Its economic model is grant-funded non-profit research. Funding has historically come from a small set of principal sources — the Social Security Administration via a $1.4 million Retirement and Disability Research Center grant (terminated in 2025 by the Department of Government Efficiency), The James Family Charitable Foundation, and institutional support from The New School, which moved to bridge-fund the qualitative research component after federal termination. The center reaches its end audiences — federal and state policymakers, academic researchers, advocacy organizations and labor unions, journalists, and the general public — through testimony before legislatures (e.g., Alaska State Legislature House Finance Committee), peer-reviewed publications, media engagement (Forbes contributor column, CBS, Bloomberg, NY Times, Marketplace, Project Syndicate), free online courses, and event programming.

The principal disruption to SCEPA's operating model in the 2025-2026 window is the federal funding withdrawal, which has forced a pivot toward private philanthropy and university-internal financing while the center has continued to expand programmatic output, including the TrumpIRA policy explainer in June 2026 and the launch of the 'Reimagining the Economics of Aging' seminar series for fall 2026. Distribution, reputational reach, and senior-fellow retention remain intact; the open question is the durability of the post-federal funding mix at scale.

Name

The Schwartz Center in Economic Policy Analysis (SCEPA)

Legal name

The Schwartz Center for Economic Policy Analysis

Website

https://economicpolicyresearch.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

The Schwartz Center for Economic Policy Analysis (SCEPA) is the economic policy research arm of The New School's Economics Department, producing peer-reviewed research, policy notes, lectures, and a Coursera course on retirement security, climate economics, and heterodox economic thought for policymakers, scholars, journalists, and the public.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Economic Policy Research

NAICS

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

akta.pro primary industry

Education Policy Research Institutes & Think Tanks (EDADADAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Education Economics, Finance & Funding Policy Research (EDADADAE), Think Tanks, Policy Research & Public Policy Institutes (BPAGAFAO), Education Equity, Access & Inclusion Policy Research (EDADADAF)

Keywords

• Economic policy research
• Retirement security research
• Heterodox economics
• Climate economics research
• Policy research notes

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

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. Foundation and Government Grants: SCEPA operates primarily as an academic think tank funded through grants and foundation support. Major funders include The James Family Charitable Foundation and the Social Security Administration (though their $1.4 million SSA RDRC grant was terminated in 2025). The New School provides institutional support, with President Joel Towers securing funding to sustain qualitative research components after federal funding cuts.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

SCEPA is a university-based think tank that conducts original peer-reviewed economic policy research, policy engagement, and strategic outreach across three core areas: economic policy for security, rising living standards, and full employment; climate economics; and heterodox economic thought. Outputs include policy notes, journal articles, working papers, the Wealth Equity Lab focused on retirement security, signature lectures, an online Coursera course, and a podcast.

Product overview

SCEPA is a university-based think tank housed in The New School for Social Research Economics Department that conducts economic policy research. The organization's offerings include original peer-reviewed research publications (policy notes, journal articles, working papers) through its core Economic Policy Research product; the Wealth Equity Lab focused on retirement security and aging populations; educational courses like the Coursera-based Economics: Society, Markets, and [In]equality; and event series including the Schwartz Lecture, Heilbroner Lecture, and Political Economy of Aging Seminar. Media offerings include the Decoding Retirement Podcast and newsletter. SCEPA does not operate as a software product company and has no API, integrations, or AI capabilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Wealth Equity Lab (ReLab): SCEPA's Wealth Equity Lab focuses specifically on the economic challenges facing aging populations and the retirement crisis confronting American workers. Guided by principles of dignity in work and security in retirement for all, Wealth Equity Lab produces research, policy analysis, and public engagement aimed at strengthening the retirement system and promoting economic security across generations.
• SCEPA

Products and services

• Economic Policy Research SCEPA's core research program producing original peer-reviewed research, strategic outreach, and policy engagement across three areas: economic policy for security, rising living standards, and full employment; climate economics; and heterodox economic thought. Outputs include policy notes, journal articles, and working papers for policymakers, scholars, and the public.
• Wealth Equity Lab A focused research initiative within SCEPA addressing the economic challenges facing aging populations and the U.S. retirement crisis. Produces research, policy analysis, and public engagement aimed at strengthening the retirement system and promoting economic security across generations, guided by the principles of dignity in work and security in retirement for all.
• Economics: Society, Markets, and [In]equality A free online economics course taught by faculty from The New School for Social Research and available globally on Coursera. The course covers power dynamics, global economics, and the current economic system, designed for lifelong learners and the general public.
• Schwartz Lecture Series An annual signature event featuring high-profile economic thinkers and policymakers who challenge conventional narratives and inspire new approaches to economic policy. Past speakers include Thomas Piketty, Heather Boushey, and Robert Solow.
• Heilbroner Lecture Series A lecture series named in honor of Robert Heilbroner that explores the intersection of capitalism, justice, and the public good. Notable past speakers include Angus Deaton, Yanis Varoufakis, and Bina Agarwal.
• Political Economy of Aging (PEoA) Seminar Series A research-focused seminar series that convenes scholars to examine retirement security and the labor market challenges facing older workers, featuring speakers from leading universities, global institutions, and public agencies.
• Decoding Retirement Podcast A podcast series focused on retirement policy and economic security topics, featuring expert analysis and discussions distributed via podcast platforms.
• Tracking the Retirement Crisis Series A policy note publication series documenting rising retirement insecurity, declining trust in Social Security, and the structural weaknesses of the U.S. retirement system. Supported by The James Family Charitable Foundation, with seven policy notes published in 2025.

Quantifiable outcome

• Research reached wide public audiences through sustained coverage in major national media outlets including CBS Evening News, Forbes, Bloomberg, NY Times, and Marketplace
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• New York Retirement and Disability Research Center (NYRDRC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 November 2025SCEPA collaborated extensively with NYRDRC on research, including publishing a special Fall 2025 issue of ASA Generations Journal titled 'Transformative Approaches to Social Security Benefits.' The partnership was cut short due to federal termination of the RDRC program. NYRDRC was based at The New School.
• American Society on Aging (ASA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Partner for publishing the Fall 2025 Generations Journal issue. ASA recognized the importance of SCEPA's research and suggested publishing a special compendium reaching over 30,000 practitioners and scholars.
• The New School for Social ResearchcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSCEPA is housed within the Economics Department of The New School for Social Research. The university provides institutional support, with President Joel Towers securing emergency funding to sustain SCEPA's research after federal grant termination.
• New York Education Debt Consumer Assistance ProgramminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity organization that provided guidance for SCEPA's research project examining how student debt among older adults affects retirement savings and claiming behavior.
• Community Advisory Board (NY AARP, Nan Shan Senior Center, NYC Council Committee on Aging, Caring Majority Rising)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdvisory board guiding SCEPA's research on spousal caregiving and Social Security claiming, ensuring research reflects community needs and lived experience.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• RAND Corporation: A large, established research institution producing economic and social policy research. Comparable in peer-reviewed research model and policymaker engagement but covers a far broader portfolio.
• National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER): A leading academic economics research organization producing working papers across economic policy topics including retirement. Comparable in academic rigor and economist network but operates as a broader research convener rather than advocacy-oriented think tank.
• Urban Institute: A large Washington think tank producing economic and social policy research, including substantial retirement and Social Security work. Comparable in research depth and policymaker audience but operates at significantly greater scale.
• Brookings Institution: A major economic policy think tank with extensive retirement and Social Security research. Overlaps with SCEPA's policy topic areas but operates at much greater scale with a more centrist orientation.

Direct peers

• National Institute on Retirement Security: A non-profit focused specifically on retirement policy research and education. Highly comparable in subject-matter focus on U.S. retirement security and practitioner-audience engagement.
• Center for Economic and Policy Research (CEPR): An independent think tank producing heterodox economic policy research on Social Security, inequality, and labor markets. Closely comparable in research focus and policy-advocacy stance.
• Economic Policy Institute: A Washington-based think tank producing policy research on inequality, retirement security, and labor economics. Directly comparable to SCEPA in mission, audience (policymakers and media), and heterodox policy orientation.
• Roosevelt Institute: A think tank producing progressive economic policy research on inequality, labor, and retirement. Comparable in audience, ideological orientation, and policy-advocacy model.
• Levy Economics Institute of Bard College: A university-based heterodox economics think tank focused on retirement security, employment policy, and monetary economics. Shares SCEPA's academic-housing model, heterodox orientation, and emphasis on retirement policy research.

Emerging players

• Economic Policy Research Center (EPRM) / Washington Center for Equitable Growth: A research organization focused on economic inequality and equitable growth policy. Comparable in heterodox orientation and retirement/labor research; an SCEPA senior fellow (Michelle Holder) is its former President & CEO, evidencing direct ecosystem overlap.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/scepa_economics
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-schwartz-center-at-the-new-school
• Facebookfacebook.com/scepa

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about The Schwartz Center in Economic Policy Analysis (SCEPA)