What Wilson Sheehan Lab for Economic Opportunities does

The Wilson Sheehan Lab for Economic Opportunities (LEO) is a nonprofit research lab within the University of Notre Dame that partners with social service providers to evaluate anti-poverty programs using rigorous scientific methods, including randomized controlled trials, quasi-experimental designs, difference-in-differences, and natural experiments. Founded in 2012, LEO operates from Notre Dame, Indiana, with a small internal team (11-50) supplemented by a national network of partner organizations and academic researchers. Its core offerings are program evaluation and research services, a three-phase Replication Framework for scaling proven interventions, a Policy and Impact team that translates evidence into policy and replication guidance, an annual Impact Workshop for partner agencies, and a co-developed Homelessness Prevention System Toolkit.

LEO's documented portfolio spans more than 100 research projects across housing, criminal justice, education, health, and economic mobility, with flagship studies on Catholic Charities Chicago's Homelessness Prevention Call Center (88% reduction in homelessness after three months), the Padua program with Catholic Charities Fort Worth (67% higher likelihood of full-time employment, 46% higher likelihood of increased earnings), and a Step Up program at Lubbock County Detention Center using Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy. The organization does not charge for research partnerships; instead it is funded through foundation grants (Arnold Ventures, Cisco, Sobrato, The Audacious Project, Valhalla Foundation, Silicon Valley Community Foundation), institutional support from Notre Dame's Poverty Initiative, and individual donations. Its distribution is direct, through long-term research partnerships, replication support to scaling agencies, academic publication in journals including Science and Brookings Papers on Economic Activity, and policy testimony to Congress and state legislatures.

Name

Wilson Sheehan Lab for Economic Opportunities

Legal name

Wilson Sheehan Lab for Economic Opportunities

Website

https://leo.nd.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

LEO is a University of Notre Dame research lab that partners with social service providers and government agencies to evaluate anti-poverty programs using randomized controlled trials and quasi-experimental designs, then scales proven interventions nationally through replication partnerships and toolkits.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Social Policy Research

NAICS

Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (54172), Community Housing Services (62422), Social Assistance (624), Individual and Family Services (6241)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Housing Assistance & Homeless Services (BPAGAEAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Homelessness Prevention, Shelter & Supportive Housing Services (BPAIANAC)

Keywords

• Anti-poverty research
• Program evaluation services
• Randomized controlled trials
• Social policy research
• Evidence-based interventions

Headquarters

HQ city

Notre Dame

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Foundation Grants: LEO receives funding from philanthropic foundations including Arnold Ventures, Cisco, Sobrato Philanthropies, The Audacious Project, Valhalla Foundation, and Silicon Valley Community Foundation to conduct research and support program scaling.
2. University Support: LEO operates as part of the University of Notre Dame's Poverty Initiative, receiving institutional support and resources.
3. Individual Donations: LEO accepts financial gifts from individuals who support the anti-poverty mission, allowing the organization to design and launch more research projects with innovative service provider partners.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

LEO partners with social service providers and government agencies to design and conduct rigorous evaluations of anti-poverty programs using randomized controlled trials and quasi-experimental methods. It then helps partners package, replicate, and scale the interventions that demonstrate impact, working through a three-phase model from program definition to replication in new communities. Co-developed tools such as the Homelessness Prevention System Toolkit extend these offerings to communities seeking to implement evidence-based programs.

Product overview

The Wilson Sheehan Lab for Economic Opportunities (LEO) is not a traditional product company but rather a research organization that offers evaluation and research services to poverty-fighting organizations. LEO's core offerings include Program Evaluation and Research Services using randomized controlled trials, a Policy and Impact Team that translates evidence into policy and supports scaling, a three-phase Replication Framework for expanding proven programs, an annual Impact Workshop for partner agencies, and a Homelessness Prevention System Toolkit. These offerings work together to help social service providers build evidence about what works in reducing poverty and then scale those proven interventions nationally.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Program Evaluation and Research Services Rigorous evaluation of anti-poverty programs using randomized controlled trials and quasi-experimental designs to measure program impact on housing stability, employment, health, education, and other outcomes, delivered to nonprofit service providers, government agencies, and other partners.
• Homelessness Prevention System Toolkit Co-developed toolkit providing technical assistance for communities to launch, operate, and manage evidence-based homelessness prevention programs, grounded in LEO's research on the Homelessness Prevention Call Center and Santa Clara County's Homelessness Prevention System.

Quantifiable outcome

• Every $1 invested in homelessness prevention saves $2.50 in community benefits
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Destination: HomeflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 February 2026LEO serves as the national evidence partner for Right at Home, a $77 million cross-sector initiative led by Destination: Home to prevent homelessness nationwide. LEO provides the research backbone, working alongside 10 pilot communities to generate rigorous evidence, measure outcomes, and share learnings to strengthen and scale homelessness prevention. This partnership represents LEO's core mission to take evidence to impact at national scale.
• Results for AmericacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResults for America serves as a scaling partner helping state and local leaders identify evidence-based strategies and produce material to implement them. They bring expertise in policy translation and have partnered with LEO on the Homelessness Prevention System Toolkit and broader scaling efforts.
• Franchise for GoodcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFranchise for Good brings franchising industry expertise to help LEO and its partners overcome barriers to scaling programs. They apply best practices from research and the franchising industry to package programs for successful launch and expansion to communities in need.
• HomebasecoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerHomebase serves as technical assistance partner for the Right at Home initiative, working with replication sites to implement the homelessness prevention approach in new contexts while building evidence for national policy change.
• Catholic Charities ChicagoflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerLEO partnered with Catholic Charities Chicago to study its Homelessness Prevention Call Center. The study found 88% reduction in homelessness after 3 months. This partnership led to increased funding for the program and serves as a blueprint for national scaling through Right at Home.
• Catholic Charities Fort WorthflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCatholic Charities Fort Worth developed the Padua program in partnership with LEO, which has shown 67% higher employment rates and 46% higher earnings increases. The program is now being replicated in South Bend and Chicago through LEO's scaling support.
• Goodwill Industries of ArkansasminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLEO is conducting a study funded by the University of Notre Dame to assess the impact of Goodwill Industries of Arkansas job training programs, evaluating projected outcomes and earnings for participants.
• Dave Thomas Foundation for AdoptionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRita Soronen of the Foundation explained that scaling impact requires alignment between mission-driven organizations and public systems, noting that private funds alone would never have capacity to serve the number of children they do—public-private partnerships are essential for impact at scale.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• RAND Corporation: RAND is a much larger, established policy research organization with broader scope spanning defense, health, and education. Overlaps with LEO in social policy evaluation but operates at significantly greater scale.
• Brookings Institution: Brookings is a major think tank that produces research on economic and social policy including poverty. Comparable to LEO in addressing poverty evidence gaps but at much larger scale and broader remit.

Direct peers

• Urban Institute: Urban Institute is a research organization that studies social and economic policy including housing, poverty, and homelessness. Overlaps significantly with LEO's focus areas and evidence-driven approach.
• MDRC: MDRC is a leading social policy research organization that conducts randomized controlled trials and rigorous evaluations of anti-poverty programs. Like LEO, MDRC partners with service providers to test what works and scale effective interventions.
• Abt Associates: Abt Associates conducts research, evaluation, and program implementation for public and social sector clients. Comparable to LEO in providing rigorous program evaluation services.
• Mathematica Policy Research: Mathematica conducts rigorous program evaluations and policy research for government and foundations. Comparable to LEO in applying rigorous evaluation methods to social programs at scale.
• NORC at the University of Chicago: NORC is a university-affiliated research organization that conducts social science research and program evaluations. Similar institutional structure to LEO and overlapping research methodologies.
• J-PAL (Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab): J-PAL is a global research center that uses randomized evaluations to assess anti-poverty programs, with deep academic ties (MIT). It is highly comparable to LEO in methodology, mission, and evidence-to-policy pipeline.
• Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA): IPA is a research and policy nonprofit that discovers and promotes effective anti-poverty programs using randomized evaluations. Closely parallels LEO's evidence generation and scaling approach.

Emerging players

• Results for America: Results for America helps government leaders adopt evidence-based practices and is an LEO scaling partner. Complementary to LEO, focusing on government adoption rather than direct program evaluation.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/leoatnd
• Facebookfacebook.com/LEOatND
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wilson-sheehan-lab-for-economic-opportunities
• Instagraminstagram.com/leoatnd

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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