What Root Policy Research does

Root Policy Research is a women-owned policy and planning consulting firm headquartered in Denver, Colorado, founded by Heidi Aggeler and Mollie Fitzpatrick, both formerly partners at BBC Research & Consulting. The firm delivers research, policy analysis, fair housing assessments, community planning, and economic and demographic modeling for public sector clients, with a specialized practice in the Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH) framework. Its work spans housing studies, zoning and land use analysis, displacement and displacement risk studies, equitable development, and increasingly child care and education policy.

The firm's core deliverables include reports such as Fair Housing Needs Assessments, Market Studies, Analysis of Impediments, and Equitable Development Plans, supported by proprietary analytical tools including the Denver Investment Impact Model and a CDFI Impact Analysis methodology developed in partnership with the Opportunity Finance Network. Methodologies combine demographic and economic data analysis, GIS-based spatial analysis, surveys, stakeholder engagement, and applied econometric techniques to support regulatory compliance and community decision-making.

Root Policy Research operates a project-based business model, with revenue generated through government RFPs and competitive contract awards from federal, state, and local public agencies. The firm has completed 300+ projects across 35 states, employing a team of approximately nine professionals with advanced degrees from institutions including Cornell, Princeton, UC Berkeley, NYU, and CU Boulder. The firm is privately held with no disclosed external funding, and its clients include HUD, the Colorado Division of Housing, the City and County of Denver, and various other state, local, and tribal entities.

Name

Root Policy Research

Legal name

Root Policy Research

Website

https://rootpolicy.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Root Policy Research is a Denver-based women-owned consulting firm specializing in fair housing, community planning, housing research, and policy analysis for federal, state, and local government clients across the United States.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Housing and Community Development Consulting

NAICS

Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (54172), Marketing Research and Public Opinion Polling (54191)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Policy, Regulatory & Public Affairs Research (BPAHALAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Industry & Sector Research (Syndicated/Custom) (BPAHALAE), Affordable Housing & Community Development (Housing, Community Land Trusts) (BPAGALAC)

Keywords

• Housing policy research
• Fair housing analysis
• Community development consulting
• Housing market studies
• Community engagement services

Headquarters

HQ city

Denver

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Government Consulting Contracts: Fee-for-service consulting engagements with government entities including cities, counties, state agencies, housing authorities, and regional planning organizations. Revenue is generated through project-based contracts for housing studies, fair housing assessments, needs assessments, strategic plans, and policy analysis.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Root Policy Research provides custom community planning and housing research consulting services to government clients, including housing needs assessments, fair housing analyses (Analysis of Impediments, Assessments of Fair Housing, Fair Housing Equity Assessments), Consolidated Plans, Comprehensive Plans, community engagement programs, language access planning, child care demand studies, and economic and fiscal impact analyses. Deliverables include reports, strategic plans, dashboards, and policy recommendations tailored to cities, counties, state agencies, housing authorities, and regional planning organizations across the U.S.

Product overview

Root Policy Research is a women-owned community planning and housing research consulting firm providing custom, creative, and high-value analysis and strategy for public sector clients. The firm offers a portfolio of interconnected consulting services organized around six core practice areas: Housing and Community Development Research (including market analyses, needs assessments, Consolidated Plans, and strategic plans), Fair Housing Analysis and Assessment (Analysis of Impediments, Assessment of Fair Housing, Fair Housing Equity Assessments), Community Engagement Services, Language Access Planning, Child Care and Education Assessment, and Economic and Fiscal Impact Studies. In addition to consulting services, the firm develops custom analytical tools including the Denver Investment Impact Model (neighborhood dashboard and displacement vulnerability analysis tool), Neighborhood-level Equity Models for housing planning, and CDFI Impact Analysis frameworks. The work is delivered through project engagements rather than a software platform, with deliverables including reports, strategic plans, data dashboards, and policy recommendations tailored to government clients.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Housing and Community Development Research Customized research and analysis to identify housing and community development needs for government clients, including market analyses, needs assessments, Consolidated Plans, Comprehensive Plans, neighborhood plans, affordability studies, and strategic plans.
• Fair Housing Analysis and Assessment Comprehensive assessments of how well residents of all backgrounds can access opportunity, including Analysis of Impediments (AI), Assessment of Fair Housing (AFH), and Fair Housing Equity Assessments (FHEA), supplemented with customized maps and data models.
• Community Engagement Services Community engagement approaches rooted in decades of experience connecting with people of all cultures, incomes, and lived experiences, including surveys, focus groups, pop-up engagement, and stakeholder workshops.
• Language Access Planning Language access planning services including demographic analyses of Limited English Proficiency (LEP) populations, four-factor analyses to meet federal requirements, and best practice reviews of language access procedures.
• Child Care and Education Assessment Assessment of economic benefits of enabling parents to work through child care provision, value of post high-school education and training programs, child care demand analyses and forecasts, and qualitative research related to child care preferences.
• Economic and Fiscal Impact Studies Analysis of economic and fiscal impacts of policy initiatives, public sector fiscal studies, and analysis of drivers of housing development cost increases.
• Denver Investment Impact Model Interactive neighborhood dashboard and impact analysis tool designed to characterize displacement vulnerability of specific public investments and identify tailored solutions to mitigate involuntary displacement, helping city agencies understand potential impacts of public investments on housing costs.
• Neighborhood-level Equity Model Housing needs and equity model for cities and counties to guide housing planning and investment decisions, identifying gaps in housing choices and access to opportunity at the neighborhood, city, and regional level.
• CDFI Impact Analysis Comprehensive performance analysis of the Community Development Finance Institution (CDFI) industry using longitudinal data on CDFI financial characteristics gathered through industry surveys.
• HUD Consolidated Planning Support Assistance with HUD Consolidated Plans, Annual Action Plans, and related planning documents to help clients navigate the evolving regulatory environment and leverage federal requirements for needed research.

Quantifiable outcome

• $42.5 million in increased student earnings and $62.3 million total annual economic and human capital impact for Emily Griffith Technical College
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers25 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Clarion AssociatescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorked with Clarion Associates on multiple projects including Ridgway, CO Comprehensive Plan and Idaho Fair Housing and Housing Needs Assessment. Clarion Associates is a Denver-based planning firm.
• Williford Housing ConsultingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWomen-owned business partner for Boulder County Strategic Planning Facilitation. Developed regional Strategic Housing Plan document together.
• Housing Solutions of the SouthwestminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with Housing Solutions of the Southwest on Southwest Colorado Council of Governments Housing Strategy to assess housing needs in five-county region.
• International Development and PlanningcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFrequent partnership with International Development and Planning on Memphis/Shelby County Analysis of Impediments and other fair housing studies.
• Local Advocacy OrganizationscoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerSan Mateo County AFH conducted with support of local advocacy organizations using 'Community Engagement in a Box' technique. Advocates conducted surveys, distributed materials, and led focus groups in four languages.
• Opportunity Finance Network (OFN)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommissioned by OFN to conduct first comprehensive performance analysis of the CDFI industry. OFN Members responsible for over $35 billion in cumulative financing since inception.
• Resettlement AgenciescoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPartnered with resettlement agencies in Snohomish County to recruit residents and interpreters for refugee focus groups held at community college.
• Colorado Division of Housing (CDOH)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLead facilitator for Strategic Housing Working Group convened to recommend policy initiatives for Colorado housing needs. Also facilitated Governor's Office Special Eviction Prevention Task Force.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Urban Institute: Major nonprofit policy research organization producing housing and community development research, fair housing analyses, and policy evaluations for federal, state, and local government clients.
• Abt Associates: Large federal contracting research firm that regularly competes for HUD fair housing, community development, and policy evaluation work, with substantially broader capabilities than Root.
• HR&A Advisors: Larger real estate and economic development advisory firm advising cities on housing strategy, equity, and community development; broader geographic footprint and additional service lines.
• Enterprise Community Partners: National housing and community development nonprofit offering consulting, policy research, and direct program implementation to the same public sector clients across affordable housing strategy.

Direct peers

• TischlerBise: Consulting firm focused on fiscal impact, economic development, and affordable housing feasibility studies for local governments; overlaps heavily in inclusionary housing and density bonus modeling.
• ECONorthwest: Economics consulting firm specializing in housing market analyses, fair housing studies, and public policy research for local and state governments; competes for the same HUD-related and consolidated planning contracts.
• BAE Urban Economics: Housing economics and community development consulting practice producing market studies, displacement analyses, and fair housing assessments for municipalities and housing authorities; closely competes on RFPs.
• BBC Research & Consulting: Denver-based research and consulting firm where Root's co-founders were former partners; provides nearly identical economic, policy, and community development research services to public and nonprofit clients.
• Clarion Associates: Denver-based land use, housing, and community development consultancy; Root's frequent co-bid partner on comprehensive plans and fair housing studies, serving the same municipal client base.
• Keyser Marston Associates: Real estate and affordable housing economics consultancy advising public agencies on feasibility, displacement, and inclusionary housing; comparable niche and client set.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Root_Policy
• Facebookfacebook.com/Root-Policy-Research-100063889246377
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/root-policy-research

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 Root Policy Research