Kirwan Institute

What Kirwan Institute does

The Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity is an academic research institute founded in 2003 and operating within The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio. The Institute produces evidence-based research on race, ethnicity, and social equity, and is the originator of the opportunity mapping methodology applied across approximately 480 jurisdictions in 48 states. Its core products include the Ohio Urban-Suburban-Rural Opportunity Index (a conceptual tool embedded in OHFA's Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Qualified Allocation Plan), the Opportunity Mapping methodology, the State of the Science research publication series, and the incoming Intersectional Qualitative Research Methods Institute (IQRMI), a week-long training program for early-career scholars relocating from the University of Maryland in 2026. Recent reports include Color of Wealth in Miami, the Franklin County Auditor appraisal investigation, and assessments of the My Brother's Keeper Village Initiative and the City of Los Angeles governance.

Name

Kirwan Institute

Legal name

The Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity

Website

https://kirwaninstitute.osu.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The Kirwan Institute is a research institute at The Ohio State University that produces evidence-based research on race and ethnicity, pioneers opportunity mapping methodology applied across 48 states, and partners with communities, government agencies, and philanthropy to inform equitable policy on housing, wealth, and youth development.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Columbus

HQ country

United States

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Grants and Foundation Funding: National foundation funding supports research operations. Ford Foundation has provided funding for research projects including the Color of Wealth in Miami study.
2. Donations and Kirwan Innovation Fund: Donations support the Kirwan Innovation Fund which enables the director to invest in personnel costs, professional services, supplies, technological equipment, and travel costs associated with cutting-edge research.
3. IQRMI Program Fees: IQRMI tuition generates revenue for the program. Current tuition is $3,000 per participant, with additional lodging costs of approximately $175/night.
4. Research Collaboration with Government Agencies: Partnerships with state agencies like Ohio Housing Finance Agency where research tools are incorporated into policy decisions for affordable housing tax credit distribution.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Kirwan Institute is an academic research institute at The Ohio State University that conducts evidence-based research on race, ethnicity, and social equity. It produces research reports, pioneering tools such as the Ohio Urban-Suburban-Rural Opportunity Index and Opportunity Mapping methodology, and delivers the Intersectional Qualitative Research Methods Institute (IQRMI) training program for early-career scholars. The institute partners with government agencies, foundations, nonprofits, and communities to inform equitable policy and practice.

Product overview

The Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity is an academic research institute at The Ohio State University (founded 2003) that produces research on race, ethnicity, and social equity. Rather than a software platform, the institute offers research services including the Ohio Urban-Suburban-Rural Opportunity Index (a tool for housing policy), various research reports on wealth disparities and youth employment, the Intersectional Qualitative Research Methods Institute (IQRMI) educational program, the Kirwan Forum Series public events, and opportunity mapping methodology services. The institute collaborates with communities, policymakers, and faculty across Ohio and 47 states to drive prosperity and equity research.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• IQRMI (Intersectional Qualitative Research Methods Institute): A week-long research institute for early career scholars focusing on qualitative research methods and intersectionality, relocated from University of Maryland to Kirwan in 2026.
• Ohio Urban-Suburban-Rural Opportunity Index
• Opportunity Mapping

Products and services

• Intersectional Qualitative Research Methods Institute (IQRMI) Week-long research training program for early-career scholars (post-doctoral fellows and faculty) focused on qualitative research methods and intersectionality. Tuition is $3,000 per participant, with lodging at approximately $175/night. Relocated to Kirwan at OSU from the University of Maryland starting 2026.
• Ohio Urban-Suburban-Rural Opportunity Index Conceptual tool developed in partnership with the Ohio Housing Finance Agency (OHFA) that divides Ohio into Urban, Suburban, and Rural tracts and measures localized opportunity across five dimensions (education, employment, health, housing, transportation). It is one of six factors in OHFA's Qualified Allocation Plan guiding the distribution of Low-Income Housing Tax Credits to incentivize affordable housing development across Ohio.
• Opportunity Mapping Pioneering community-engaged research methodology that maps opportunity across geographies, used to support community decision-making and inform policy. Kirwan has conducted 482 opportunity mapping projects over 20 years.
• Kirwan Forum Series Series of public events featuring researchers presenting on civic engagement, education, environment, health, housing, nonprofits, community safety, and the arts.

Quantifiable outcome

• 60% increase in research projects over the last two years
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Ohio Housing Finance Agency (OHFA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOHFA incorporates Kirwan's Ohio Urban-Suburban-Rural (USR) Opportunity Index into its Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program to determine distribution of tax credits for rehabilitation and development of affordable housing across Ohio's diverse communities. The USR Index is one of six factors in OHFA's Qualified Allocation Plan.
• Duke University's Samuel DuBois Cook CentermajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with Kirwan on the Color of Wealth in Miami project to conduct research on racial wealth gaps using social science methodology.
• Insight Center for Community Economic DevelopmentmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with Kirwan on the Color of Wealth in Miami project to disaggregate financial data and reveal wealth disparities.
• Franklin County, Ohio Auditor's OfficecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIn 2021, Kirwan partnered with Franklin County Auditor Michael Stinziano's office to conduct in-depth analysis of appraisal models, reappraisals, and tax delinquencies, revealing racial disparities where lower income Black majority neighborhoods are regularly overvalued for property tax assessments.
• University of Maryland - Consortium on Race, Gender & EthnicitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIQRMI program relocated to Kirwan after ten successful years at University of Maryland. The Consortium on Race, Gender & Ethnicity at UMD served as the original host institution for this early-career scholar training program.
• OSU Faculty Affiliates (16 members)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKirwan's faculty affiliate program spans nine OSU colleges including the Mansfield regional campus. Faculty members collaborate on research agendas, with 7x growth in affiliates over two years. Faculty come from diverse disciplines including Sociology, Political Science, Engineering, Nursing, Social Work, Law, Public Affairs, Education, and Chemistry.
• Sloan Center for Systemic Change (SCSC)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAlfred P. Sloan Foundation grant at Kirwan focused on driving change in STEM graduate programs to ensure more transparent and accessible pathways. Giselle Guanes Melgarejo serves as Program Manager for this initiative.
• Local Communities of PracticecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKirwan's communities of practice foster collaborative networks between researchers and local communities to address needs of underserved populations in areas including education, employment, environment, health, housing, and technology.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Race Forward: National racial equity organization producing research and tools to advance racial justice — directly comparable in mission and community-engaged research approach.
• Othering & Belonging Institute (UC Berkeley): University-based research institute at UC Berkeley studying belonging, exclusion, and equity — directly comparable model to Kirwan's university-housed equity research with national scope.
• PolicyLink: National research and advocacy organization advancing racial and economic equity through policy — comparable mission and policy-translation orientation.
• Center on Poverty and Social Policy (Columbia University): University-based poverty and social policy research center at Columbia — comparable in university-hosted research model and focus on inequality and opportunity.
• Institute for Research on Poverty (UW–Madison): University-based research institute focused on poverty, inequality, and social policy — closely comparable to Kirwan's research mission and academic-housing model.

Broad incumbents

• MDRC: Established social policy research organization evaluating programs for low-income populations — comparable evidence-based research and policy translation focus, with broader portfolio.
• Urban Institute: Large, established social and economic policy research organization with broad portfolio including equity and housing — overlaps Kirwan's research areas but at much greater scale and broader scope.
• Economic Policy Institute: National think tank producing research on economic inequality, race, and place-based disparities — comparable equity-and-economy research scope and policy translation.
• RAND Corporation: Large, diversified research institution with extensive social policy work including equity and education — comparable research rigor but much broader scope and commercial orientation.

Emerging players

• National Equity Atlas (PolicyLink & USC Equity Research Institute): Data and research partnership producing equity-focused community data tools — overlaps Kirwan's opportunity mapping methodology and policy translation work.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/kirwaninstitute
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCYYEoRg5FYgPuOLfPfYbNcg
• Facebookfacebook.com/KirwanInstitute

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 Kirwan Institute