New America, Better Life Lab

What New America, Better Life Lab does

New America is a Washington, DC-headquartered 501(c)(3) nonprofit think tank founded in 1999 that functions as a multi-vertical policy research and public engagement organization. It produces research reports, podcasts, publications, and fellowship programs across several programmatic areas including democracy and elections, education, national security, technology, and care infrastructure. The organization does not sell products or services; its operating model is philanthropic, sustained by foundation grants, corporate sponsorships, and individual donations, with a nonpartisan positioning that supports bipartisan and cross-ideological collaboration.

Better Life Lab is a program within New America specifically focused on the intersection of work, care, and well-being policy. It operates the Better Life Lab Podcast, which is co-produced with Slate, and produces research and commentary aimed at reshaping how work and care infrastructure function in American life. New America's broader audio portfolio includes Democracy Deciphered, The Alley, and Politics In Question (the latter produced jointly with the R Street Institute), representing a deliberate investment in podcasting as a primary distribution channel alongside traditional research outputs.

The organization serves policymakers, journalists, advocates, and the broader public, operating as a bridge between academic-style policy research and mainstream public discourse. Its business model is non-commercial: it generates no product revenue and instead relies on philanthropic support, including named sponsorship from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation for the Better Life Lab program, and a broad ecosystem of collaborative partnerships with peer organizations including Protect Democracy, Stanford CDDRL, Unite America, the American Enterprise Institute, and ICLE. The underlying technology stack is conventional content production — research, writing, audio recording, and distribution through standard podcast channels — with no disclosed proprietary platforms or AI/ML systems.

Name

New America, Better Life Lab

Legal name

New America

Website

https://newamerica.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Short description

New America is a 501(c)(3) think tank producing policy research, podcasts, and publications on democracy, education, security, and care. Better Life Lab, its work-and-care program, serves policymakers, journalists, and the public through co-produced media and analysis.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Policy Research and Think Tank Services

NAICS

Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (54172), Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (541720)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Education Policy Research Institutes & Think Tanks (EDADADAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Science, Technology & Innovation Administration (National R&D Policy) (BPAIAAAK), International & Comparative Education Policy Organizations (EDADADAL)

Keywords

• Policy think tank
• Nonpartisan policy research
• Care policy research
• Democratic reform research
• Work-life research

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Foundation and Corporate Grants: New America accepts financial support from foundations and corporations for research and educational activities that support its mission. Donors have no influence or control over research design, methodology, analysis, or findings.
2. Individual Donations: The organization accepts individual donations and processes them through third-party vendors Stripe and WePay. Donors' personal information is kept confidential and not sold or traded.

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

New America is a nonprofit, nonpartisan think tank that produces independent policy research, reports, podcasts, and convenings across five issue areas (Education & Work, Democratic Futures, Global Security, Technology & Democracy, and Thriving Families). Better Life Lab is its flagship work-and-care program generating research and storytelling on care infrastructure, paid leave, gender equity, and well-being, including the Better Life Lab Podcast co-produced with Slate. All outputs are offered free to the public and are funded by foundation grants, corporate sponsorships, and individual donations.

Product overview

New America is a think tank organization that offers a portfolio of research programs, policy projects, and podcasts focused on democratic reform, work and care policy, and civic engagement. The Better Life Lab is a flagship program combining research and storytelling on work-life issues. The organization produces four major podcasts: Democracy Deciphered (political analysis), The Alley (true crime documentary), Politics In Question (joint venture with R Street Institute), and the Better Life Lab Podcast (co-produced with Slate on work and wellbeing). The Political Reform Program drives electoral and democratic reform research, including dedicated projects on Expanding Citizen-Led Policy and Electoral Reform Research. Better Life Lab encompasses multiple projects including Experiments, Innovations in Care, Men and Care in the United States, and Re-Scripting Gender, Work, Family, and Care. The organization operates primarily as a policy research institution rather than a technology product company.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Better Life Lab: A program of New America focused on research and storytelling about work, care, and well-being. Produces the Better Life Lab Podcast in partnership with Slate.
• The Thread

Products and services

• Better Life Lab A research and storytelling program that builds top-tier research capabilities around the intersection of work and care, aiming to spark cultural change and drive progress toward fair, universal care infrastructure and meaningful work policies. Audience includes policymakers, journalists, advocates, and the general public.
• Political Reform Program A program developing evidence-based strategies to repair government dysfunction, rebuild civic trust, and realize the potential of American democracy through structural and cultural approaches to reform.
• Democracy Deciphered A podcast that untangles the complex threads of today's political landscape through real-time and historical analysis, covering topics like the Electoral College, political parties, and major political events. Distributed on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and other platforms.
• Politics In Question A joint podcast with the R Street Institute exploring how political institutions are failing and presenting ideas for fixing them, hosted by Lee Drutman, Julia Azari, and James Wallner.
• The Alley: DC's 8th and H Case A true crime documentary podcast recounting the story of Catherine Fuller's 1984 murder in Washington, DC, and the wrongful convictions of eight young Black men, examining flaws in the American criminal justice system.
• Better Life Lab Podcast A co-production from New America and Slate exploring the art and science of living a full and healthy life, examining work stress and the future of work and wellbeing through behavioral and social science research. Sponsored by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
• Expanding Citizen-Led Policy A project mapping the uneven landscape of citizen-led policymaking in the United States, evaluating the feasibility of expanding ballot initiative processes, and identifying strategic paths for reformers.
• Electoral Reform Research A project producing original research on how electoral rules shape participation, representation, policy, and governance, examining reforms such as fusion voting and proportional representation.
• Better Life Lab Experiments A project conducting experiments related to work and care issues.
• Innovations in Care A project exploring and developing innovations in care infrastructure and policy.
• Men and Care in the United States A project focused on understanding and promoting men's engagement in caregiving roles.
• Re-Scripting Gender, Work, Family, and Care A project examining and transforming cultural narratives around gender roles in work, family, and care.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 700 proposals for constitutional amendments related to Electoral College have been influenced by scholarly work
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Partnerships

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

• SlateflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerBetter Life Lab is a co-production from New America and Slate. The podcast explores work-life balance, care policy, and well-being, hosted by Brigid Schulte and produced in collaboration with Slate's podcast team. Politics In Question is also a joint venture of New America and R Street Institute.
• Protect DemocracycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Political Reform program produces original research on electoral rules and works in partnership with Protect Democracy on pro-democracy initiatives.
• Stanford University Center on Democracy, Development, and the Rule of LawcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Stanford CDDRL on electoral reform research, including work on ranked-choice voting conducted through the Electoral Reform Research Group.
• Unite AmericacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration through the Electoral Reform Research Group on ranked-choice voting and electoral reform research.
• American Enterprise InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration through the Electoral Reform Research Group on electoral reform research.
• R Street InstituteflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerPolitics In Question podcast is a joint venture of New America and the R Street Institute, bringing together experts to discuss American political institutions and reform.
• International Center for Law & Economics (ICLE)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNew America's Wireless Future program and ICLE co-released a paper on satellite policy issues for WRC-27, recommending positions the U.S. should prioritize at the World Radiocommunication Conference.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Heritage Foundation: Prominent conservative think tank producing policy research and recommendations across the political spectrum of issues. Comparable to New America in mission structure (research + advocacy + events) and D.C. footprint, though ideologically distinct.
• RAND Corporation: Large nonprofit research organization producing rigorous analysis across security, education, health, and labor. Comparable as a multi-issue, nonpartisan research institution with fellowship-style talent development and policy translation focus.
• Brookings Institution: One of the largest U.S. nonpartisan think tanks producing policy research across economics, foreign policy, and governance. Highly comparable as a 501(c)(3) multiprogram research and convening institution with strong D.C. policymaker reach.
• Center for American Progress: Large progressive-leaning policy institute producing research across domestic and economic policy. Comparable as a multi-issue think tank that combines research, events, and digital publishing to influence federal and state policy.
• American Enterprise Institute: Centrist-to-conservative think tank producing scholarship on economics, politics, and social policy. Already a New America collaborator through the Electoral Reform Research Group, making it one of the most concrete peer relationships on cross-ideological convening.

Direct peers

• Urban Institute: Nonpartisan social and economic policy research organization with deep expertise in housing, education, and family economic security. Comparable to New America's research-only nonprofit model with strong federally-funded policy-evaluation emphasis.
• Aspen Institute: Nonpartisan policy and ideas organization running fellowship programs, convenings, and issue-focused initiatives. Comparable to New America because both combine fellowships, public convenings, and written policy content to drive long-term change.
• The Century Foundation: Progressive think tank focused on economic inequality, worker protections, and care economy policy. Comparable to Better Life Lab because both concentrate on work, family, and care-infrastructure research with policy-translation ambitions.
• R Street Institute: Nonpartisan think tank producing policy research on free markets and limited government. Co-produces the Politics In Question podcast with New America, making it a direct programmatic collaborator and ideological-mirror counterpart in the cross-ideological convening space.

Emerging players

• Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP): National policy organization focused on economic security for low-income families, including child care, paid leave, and workforce policy. Comparable to Better Life Lab for its care/work policy research and state-and-federal advocacy orientation.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/NewAmerica
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@NewamericaOrgideas
• Facebookfacebook.com/NewAmerica
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/new-america-foundation
• Instagraminstagram.com/newamericaorg

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about New America, Better Life Lab