Palestine Economic Policy Research Institute

What Palestine Economic Policy Research Institute does

The Palestine Economic Policy Research Institute (MAS) is an independent Palestinian non-profit economic policy research institute founded in 1994 and headquartered in Ramallah (al-Masyoun). It is the premier dedicated economic policy research body in the Palestinian territory, conducting applied economic and social research, policy analysis, and strategic advisory work for Palestinian government ministries, international development organizations, and civil society. MAS operates a community-led go-to-market model: it does not sell commercial products, but instead distributes its research outputs freely through its website (mas.ps), bilingual Arabic/English publications, public roundtables, conferences, and the annual Yusif Sayigh Developmental Lecture, while monetizing its deeper expertise through commissioned strategic advisory projects for government and institutional clients.

MAS's core product portfolio comprises three periodic publications issued since 1997 — the Quarterly Economic Monitor (QEM), the monthly Palestinian Economic News Bulletin (produced with the British Portland Trust), and the biannual Food Security Bulletin (published since 2009) — all bilingual in Arabic and English. Underpinning these is a digital data platform ecosystem that includes the Digital Economic Monitor Platform, the National Accounts platform, the Labour Force platform, the Food Security (SEFSEC) platform, the Israeli Settlement Digital Dashboard, and the FAO-co-developed Food System Assessment (FSA) Online Repository. The institute also delivers Strategic Advisory Services covering institutional evaluation, fiscal reform, agricultural strategy, food security reviews, and private sector assessments, and runs capacity-building training programs for fresh graduates and research interns.

MAS's revenue mechanics are those of a grant-funded research institution. Its primary revenue stream is donor funding and project grants from international development partners — including the Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development (AFESD), the World Food Programme (WFP), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the World Bank, UNDP, the UK FCDO (via UNDP's TEA Programme), the Dutch Government (FEM PAWER programme), the Swedish Government, and Heinrich-Böll Stiftung. A secondary revenue stream comes from commissioned strategic advisory services to Palestinian government ministries (Finance, Agriculture, Social Development, Transport, Local Government, the Prime Minister's Office, the Palestinian Monetary Authority, and the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics) and other public institutions. All publications are freely downloadable for personal use, and no commercial pricing tiers are disclosed.

Name

Palestine Economic Policy Research Institute

Legal name

معهد أبحاث السياسات الاقتصادية الفلسطيني

Website

https://mas.ps

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Palestine Economic Policy Research Institute (MAS) is an independent Palestinian non-profit economic policy research institute founded in 1994 in Ramallah, producing bilingual economic monitoring publications, digital data platforms, and strategic advisory services for government ministries and international development partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Economic Policy Research

NAICS

Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (54172)

akta.pro primary industry

Economic Research, Statistics & Policy Advisory (BPADAMAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Monitoring, Evaluation, Research & Learning (MERL) (BPADAEAB), Monitoring, Evaluation, Research & Learning (MERL) (BPAGABAO), Humanitarian-Development-Peace Nexus & Resilience Programming (BPADAEAK)

Keywords

• Economic policy research
• Policy advisory services
• Food security monitoring
• National accounts statistics
• Development research

Headquarters

HQ city

Ramallah

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donor Funding and Grants: MAS operates as a non-profit research institute funded primarily by international donors and development partners. Funding partners include Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development (AFESD), Heinrich-Böll Stiftung, Swedish Government, Dutch Government (through FEM PAWER programme), World Food Programme (WFP), Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), World Bank, and UNDP. The institute also contributes its own resources to publish periodic bulletins such as the Food Security Bulletin.
2. Strategic Advisory Services: MAS conducts private evaluation and strategic planning projects commissioned by government ministries and public institutions. These consultancy engagements are not typically published publicly.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The Palestine Economic Policy Research Institute (MAS) is an independent non-profit research institution that conducts economic and social policy research on Palestine, publishes periodic bilingual (Arabic/English) economic monitoring bulletins, maintains a suite of digital data platforms covering national accounts, labour force, food security, and Israeli settlement impacts, and delivers commissioned strategic advisory services for government ministries and international development partners.

Product overview

The Palestine Economic Policy Research Institute (MAS) operates as a policy research institute offering a portfolio of research publications, digital platforms, and public engagement services. The core products include three main economic periodicals: the Quarterly Economic Monitor (المراقب الاقتصادي الربعي), the Palestinian Economic News Bulletin, and the Food Security Bulletin. These are complemented by a suite of Digital Data Platforms including the Digital Economic Monitor Platform, the Food System Assessment Online Repository, National Accounts, Labour Force statistics, and Food Security (SEFSEC) platforms. MAS also provides Strategic Advisory Services for institutional evaluation and planning, operates an E-Library for digital research access, and organizes public events including Policy Roundtables, the Yusif Sayigh Developmental Lecture, and annual Conferences. Training programs for fresh graduates and research interns round out the service offerings. The institute functions as a research and knowledge center rather than a technology product company with developer-facing integrations or APIs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Quarterly Economic Monitor (المراقب الاقتصادي): MAS's flagship quarterly economic publication providing periodic scientific monitoring of Palestinian economic performance in Arabic and English.
• Food Security Bulletin
• Strategic Advisory Services (الخدمات الاستشارية الاستراتيجية)
• Food System Assessment (FSA)
• Palestine Economic Update (نشرة الاقتصاد الفلسطيني)

Products and services

• Quarterly Economic Monitor (المراقب الاقتصادي الربعي) MAS's flagship quarterly publication providing detailed scientific periodic monitoring of Palestinian economic and social performance in both Arabic and English, serving as a historical record of Palestinian economic development. It is intended for government ministries, development partners, civil society, and researchers.
• Palestinian Economic News Bulletin (النشرة الاقتصادية الفلسطينية) Monthly economic news bulletin produced in partnership with the British Portland Trust, providing concise media coverage of various current economic developments in both English and Arabic for media, policymakers, and the public.
• Food Security Bulletin (نشرة الأمن الغذائي) Biannual publication covering food security conditions in the Palestinian territories, published in Arabic and English since 2009, supporting decision-makers and institutions working to improve food security conditions.
• Digital Economic Monitor Platform (منصة المراقب الاقتصادي الرقمية) Digital platform providing access to economic monitoring data and analysis, part of MAS's digital data platform ecosystem for Palestinian economic research, offering bilingual Arabic/English quarterly monitoring of economic and social performance.
• Food System Assessment (FSA) Online Repository Comprehensive online repository of literature and datasets pertinent to Palestinian food systems, covering food security, nutrition, health, socio-economic factors, territorial balance, natural resources, agriculture, livestock, fisheries, governance, and geospatial analysis.
• Specialized Digital Data Platforms (National Accounts, Labour Force, SEFSEC, Israeli Settlement) Suite of specialized digital data platforms covering national accounts, labour force statistics, food security (SEFSEC), and Israeli settlement monitoring, providing researchers and policymakers with structured access to economic and social datasets.
• E-Library and Digital Catalog (المكتبة والفهرس الرقمي) Digital library providing searchable access to MAS publications, research documents, and curated links to global economic news for researchers and the public.
• Strategic Advisory Services (الخدمات الاستشارية الاستراتيجية) Consulting services providing institutional evaluation and strategic planning for development partners, including projects on regional development, public-private partnerships, agricultural strategy, food security reviews, and private sector growth assessments.
• Training Programs (Fresh Graduates and Research Intern) Capacity building programmes including the Fresh Graduates Training Programme and the Research Intern Programme, designed to train young Palestinian researchers and fresh graduates in economic policy research.
• Research Publications (المنشورات) Comprehensive collection of MAS research outputs including studies, papers, policy briefs, and special program publications covering economic and social development topics in Palestine.

Quantifiable outcome

• Three periodic economic publications issued since 1997, reaching policymakers, development partners, and the public across Palestine and internationally.
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers10 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

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• World Food Programme (WFP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMAS collaborates with the World Food Programme on food security research, publishing the biannual Food Security Bulletin and conducting joint research projects to monitor and analyse food security conditions in the occupied Palestinian territory.
• Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFAO partners with MAS on the Food System Assessment in Palestine, providing technical support and co-funding research on food security, nutrition, agricultural production, and the economic costs of occupation on Palestinian food systems.
• Palestinian Working Woman Society for Development (PWWSD)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPWWSD commissioned MAS to prepare a detailed study on women's economic empowerment in the private sector, covering women's representation in decision-making, economic violence, and financial inclusion. This study was part of the Feminism for Economic Rights (FEM PAWER) programme.
• UNRWAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMAS collaborated with UNRWA on research examining sustainable financing options for the agency, presenting findings at its fifth roundtable session of 2023.
• Palestinian Ministry of FinancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Ministry of Finance is a key institutional client commissioning MAS to conduct policy research on fiscal reform, tax bracket scenarios, and citizens' budget preparation, as part of the TEA Programme implemented by UNDP.
• Global CommunitiesmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIn partnership with the Swedish Government, Global Communities commissioned MAS to document how informal ISPs, MSMEs, freelancers, and digital payment users in Gaza adapted their operations under conflict conditions.

Scale indicators7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• World Bank Group: Multilateral development institution producing flagship economic monitoring reports on the Palestinian economy (which MAS data informs). Comparable as an authoritative economic monitoring and policy advisory producer but at vastly larger scale.
• United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA): UN agency delivering services and research on Palestinian refugees. Comparable as a research-collaboration counterpart (MAS has jointly researched UNRWA financing with the agency) and operates in the same Palestinian context.

Regional players

• Turkish Economic Policy Research Foundation (TEPAV): Ankara-based economic policy research center producing policy reports, datasets, and convening events on the Turkish economy. Comparable in operating model (think tank, policy research, donor partnerships) but focused on Turkey rather than Palestine.
• Center for Strategic Studies, University of Jordan: Amman-based university-affiliated think tank producing research on Jordanian and regional political economy. Comparable in being a MENA-based, donor-supported policy research institution, though with a broader political security mandate.

Direct peers

• Economic Research Forum (ERF): Cairo-based pan-Arab economic research network producing working papers, policy briefs, and datasets on MENA economies. Directly comparable in mission (regional economic policy research), outputs (working papers, policy briefs), and donor-funded operating model.
• Overseas Development Institute (ODI): UK-based global affairs think tank producing independent policy research on international development and humanitarian issues. Comparable in donor-funded policy research model, multilingual publication, and development partner engagement.
• Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS): Palestinian official statistics agency producing national accounts, labour force, and price data. Highly comparable in domain (Palestinian economic and social monitoring) and a key counterpart for MAS's data platforms (QEM, National Accounts, Labour Force).
• International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI): Global food policy research institute producing evidence-based policy research, datasets, and country-level food system assessments. Closely comparable in food security and food system assessment work that MAS conducts jointly with FAO.
• Arab Reform Initiative: Paris-based independent Arab think tank producing policy research and analysis on political, economic, and social reform across the Arab region. Comparable as a multilingual, donor-funded regional policy research organization.
• Palestinian Economic Council for Development and Reconstruction (PECDAR): Palestinian public institution coordinating economic development policy and reconstruction planning. Closely comparable as a Palestinian policy body operating in the same economic development space and a natural counterpart for MAS strategic advisory.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Research_Mas
• Facebookfacebook.com/MasInstituteps
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-palestine-economic-policy-research-institute-mas-

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Palestine Economic Policy Research Institute