Texas 2036

What Texas 2036 does

Texas 2036 is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, nonpartisan public policy research and advocacy organization founded in 2016 by Tom Luce and headquartered in Austin, Texas, with additional offices in Dallas and Houston. The organization produces long-term, data-driven policy research, interactive data dashboards, and the annual Texas Voter Poll across six policy verticals: Education and Workforce, Health, Infrastructure and Natural Resources, Economic Mobility, Government Performance, and Justice and Safety. Its research and direct legislative engagement have supported more than 200 bills into law, including 77 in the 2023 session and over $22 billion in water infrastructure funding secured in the 2025 session.

The core technology stack consists of a portfolio of interactive, web-based data dashboards (built on platforms including ShinyApps) such as Aim Hire Texas Regional Workforce Data, the Postsecondary Outcomes Exploration Tool (POET), the Texas Advanced Coursetaking Dashboard, the Community College Finance Simulator, the Health Price Transparency Dashboard, the Health Coverage Policy Explorer, and the Privately Issued Credentials Initiative. These tools aggregate public Texas datasets (education, healthcare pricing across 644 hospitals, workforce credentials) and present them through interactive visualizations intended for both policymakers and the public. The organization also produces 300+ research reports and policy briefs and maintains the Texas Strategic Framework tracking 36 aspirational goals across 100+ indicators.

Texas 2036 is funded through tax-deductible donations and grants from foundations, individuals, and partner organizations (e.g., a $500,000 Communities Foundation of Texas grant). All research, dashboards, and policy tools are provided free of charge. The go-to-market is dual-pronged: direct legislative engagement with Texas state legislators and agencies, and broad public dissemination through the website, social media (75,000+ followers), email newsletters, media citations, and a coalition partner network including Credential Engine, Commit Partnership, Good Reason Houston, regional chambers, and university policy centers. Leadership is provided by President and CEO David W. Leebron (appointed 2024, former Rice University president), supported by a senior team of approximately 25+ staff.

Name

Texas 2036

Legal name

Texas 2036

Website

https://texas2036.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Texas 2036 is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, nonpartisan public policy research organization that produces data-driven research, interactive dashboards, and policy recommendations to inform Texas state legislators, agencies, and the public across education, health, infrastructure, and government performance.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Policy Research

NAICS

Public Administration (92), Regulation and Administration of Communications, Electric, Gas, and Other Utilities (92613)

akta.pro primary industry

Education Reporting, Dashboards & Business Intelligence (BI) (EDADAIAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Environmental Reporting, Dashboards & Regulatory Submittals (Automated Reports, e-Reporting) (EUAHAKAL)

Keywords

• Public policy research
• Policy data dashboards
• Nonprofit think tank
• Legislative advocacy services
• Workforce policy analysis

Headquarters

HQ city

Austin

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, Texas 2036 is funded primarily through tax-deductible donations from individuals, foundations, and organizations. They actively seek contributions to support their policy research work.
2. Grants: Texas 2036 receives grant funding from foundations and organizations. For example, Communities Foundation of Texas awarded $500,000 to Texas 2036 as part of their education advancement grants.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Texas 2036 is a nonprofit, nonpartisan public policy research and advocacy organization that produces data-driven research reports, interactive data dashboards, and policy analysis tools to inform Texas state legislative decisions. Its offerings are organized around six policy focus areas (Education and Workforce, Health, Infrastructure and Natural Resources, Economic Mobility, Government Performance, and Justice and Safety) and are provided free of charge to policymakers, state agencies, and the public.

Product overview

Texas 2036 is a nonprofit, nonpartisan public policy research and advocacy organization that offers a portfolio of interactive data dashboards, research reports, and policy analysis tools focused on Texas state policy issues. The organization provides multiple ShinyApps-based interactive platforms including the Aim Hire Texas Regional Workforce Data dashboard, Texas Advanced Coursetaking Dashboard, Community College Finance Simulator, Health Price Transparency Dashboard, Hospital Value Dashboard, and Postsecondary Outcomes Exploration Tool (POET). Additionally, Texas 2036 produces hundreds of research reports, policy briefs, and the annual Texas Voter Poll. The products are organized around six policy focus areas: Education and Workforce, Health, Infrastructure and Natural Resources, Economic Mobility, Government Performance, and Justice and Safety.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Aim Hire Texas Regional Workforce Data Dashboard Interactive data platform displaying current and future education and workforce needs across Texas Workforce Development Areas, employing education-to-workforce pipeline data for policymakers, agencies, and the public.
• Texas Advanced Coursetaking Dashboard Visualization of Texas Education Agency data revealing disparities in advanced course offerings for select student groups across school, senate, and house districts in Texas.
• Community College Finance Simulator Interactive tool presenting the impact of changes to the state financial formula for community colleges, showing effects for both individual districts and the state budget.
• Postsecondary Outcomes Exploration Tool (POET) Interactive platform providing key insights to students, parents, teachers, counselors, researchers, and policymakers about factors shaping college attendance and wage-earning outcomes.
• Health Price Transparency Dashboard Tool evaluating compliance across 644 Texas hospitals of price transparency rules, with filters by region and senate district, exploring actual prices for certain health care services.
• Health Coverage Policy Explorer Tool allowing policymakers and the public to explore policy alternatives and combine policies to maximize both covered Texans and federal funding streams.
• Hospital Value Dashboard Set of data dashboards comparing Austin area hospitals on popular quality and price measures for use by consumers, employers, and policymakers.
• Privately Issued Credentials Initiative Data platform displaying credentials offered by Texas-based private entities and employers to improve public access and transparency, developed in collaboration with Credential Engine.
• Texas Strategic Framework Framework tracking progress across 36 aspirational goals across policy areas with comparisons to peer states and improvement across over 100 indicators.
• Future of Texas Energy Interactive tool offering insights into the future of Texas' energy landscape for use by policymakers, business leaders, and the public.
• Texas Voter Poll Annual public opinion poll offering insights into Texas voter priorities including affordability, education, and confidence in the state's future, distributed to media, policymakers, and the public.
• Understanding Texas Dashboards Series of dashboards covering Texas demographics including population growth projections, state of parenting, and Texas women data.
• Texas 2036 Policy Research Reports and Publications 300+ data-driven policy research reports and publications covering education and workforce, health and human services, infrastructure and natural resources, economic mobility, government performance, and justice and safety.

Quantifiable outcome

• 1.7 million high school students gained access to better career-aligned opportunities
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Credential EnginecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTexas 2036 collaborates with the national nonprofit Credential Engine on the Privately Issued Credentials Initiative, improving public access and transparency to credential data from Texas-based private entities and employers.
• Texas LyceumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTexas 2036 serves as the official data partner of the Texas Lyceum, producing research on Texas demographics, AI, mental health, and space exploration for the organization.
• Rice University James A. Baker III Institute for Public PolicyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated on reports including Prospective Costs and Consequences of Insufficient Water Infrastructure Investment in Texas with Baker Botts Fellow Gabriel Collins.
• University of Texas at Austin School of Architecture - Center for Sustainable DevelopmentminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership on report examining fiscal impacts of residential development patterns in three Texas cities. Research supported by Wells Fargo and Texas REALTORS.
• Good Reason HoustonminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on education policy including joint testimony on assessment reforms and public school accountability. Partner in education reform coalition work.
• The Commit PartnershipcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor coalition partner on education and workforce policy. Joint testimony, policy recommendations, and advocacy on issues including community college funding, teacher workforce, and school accountability.
• Greater Houston PartnershipminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBusiness coalition partner on education policy initiatives including STAAR results press releases and public school accountability advocacy.
• Dallas Regional ChamberminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional business partner collaborating on education policy including joint press releases on STAAR results.
• Texas Alliance of Child and Family ServicesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint publication on Modernizing Texas' Child Welfare IT System, addressing outdated IMPACT data system impediments.
• Benchmark AnalyticsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership on Texas Law Enforcement Data Landscape report examining Texas Commission on Law Enforcement effectiveness and officer hiring/firing processes.
• Center for Houston's FutureminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership examining how losses in the oil and gas industry would affect the Texas economy, specifically K-12 education funding.
• Water Coalition PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition of organizations supporting water infrastructure investment including creation of a long-term dedicated revenue stream for water through Texas Water Fund.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• RAND Corporation: Large nonprofit research institution producing policy analysis for government and the public. Comparable as a mission-driven research organization that publishes rigorous policy reports and interactive data tools.
• Urban Institute: National nonprofit research organization producing data and evidence on social and economic policy. Comparable as a research-driven nonprofit that publishes interactive data tools (e.g., Health Policy Center) used by policymakers and advocates.
• Pew Research Center: Nonpartisan data and research organization producing public-opinion polling and dashboards. Comparable as a nonprofit that combines primary data collection (e.g., Texas Voter Poll) with structured policy-facing analysis and public tools.
• Brookings Institution: Major nonpartisan public policy research organization producing reports and data-driven analysis. Comparable in mission and operating model as a research-driven nonprofit informing policymakers and the public.
• Manhattan Institute: National policy research organization publishing reports and policy briefs across state and federal issues. Comparable as a think tank with state-focused programs and data-driven policy products, though operating at a broader national scale.

Direct peers

• Every Texan (formerly Center for Public Policy Priorities): Texas-based policy research and advocacy organization focused on equity, health, and economic opportunity. Comparable in operating model—nonpartisan research, dashboards, and legislative engagement on Texas state policy.
• Texas Public Policy Foundation: Texas-based nonpartisan public policy research organization producing reports, data, and legislative recommendations. Highly comparable as a state-focused think tank competing for the same Texas legislator and donor attention.
• The Texas Tribune: Texas-focused nonprofit newsroom producing data-driven journalism and policy analysis. Comparable as a Texas-focused nonprofit that turns data into public-policy content and uses dashboards to inform legislators and the public.
• George W. Bush Institute: Texas-based policy research organization within the Bush Presidential Center, focused on education, economic growth, and immigration. Comparable as a Texas-rooted nonpartisan policy body publishing research and advocating for specific reforms.
• Rice University's Baker Institute for Public Policy: Texas-based university-affiliated think tank producing nonpartisan research across health, energy, education, and economic policy. Highly comparable as a Houston-based research body that co-publishes with Texas 2036 and serves legislative audiences.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Texas2036
• Facebookfacebook.com/Texas2036
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/texas2036
• Instagraminstagram.com/texas2036

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 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 Texas 2036