Center for Public Policy at VCU Wilder School

What Center for Public Policy at VCU Wilder School does

The Center for Public Policy (CPP) is an academic public-policy consulting and research center housed within Virginia Commonwealth University's L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs in Richmond, Virginia. Founded in 1992 and operating with approximately 19-22 staff including academic faculty, senior consultants, research specialists, project managers, and a dedicated Survey and Evaluation Research Laboratory (SERL) data team, the center delivers nonpartisan, data-informed consulting services to state and local government agencies, nonprofits, and select private organizations, primarily in Virginia. Its service portfolio comprises evaluations and assessments, strategic planning facilitation, policy analysis and legislative impact analysis (including economic, equity, and effectiveness analyses), customized research and survey administration, workforce development consulting, group facilitation, change management guidance, executive coaching via a three-step methodology, and customized leadership training hosted through the Grace E. Harris Leadership Institute. Notable research outputs include the Virginia Outdoors Survey informing the 2024 Virginia Outdoors Plan, the Ceasefire Virginia mixed-methods evaluation across 13 localities, the annual VCU Perception of Safety Survey, and management of Virginia Ryan White personal health data for the Virginia Department of Health since 1995.

Underlying technology consists of applied research methodologies — mixed qualitative and quantitative survey research, logic modeling, sampling design, economic impact analysis, and program-evaluation frameworks — supported by REDCap as a data-management platform and a multidisciplinary team with prior Virginia state-government experience. The center operates a direct, relationship-based go-to-market motion: consultants engage state and local leaders through embedded participation in the quarterly Virginia Board of Workforce Development meetings and direct outreach to all 14 local workforce development boards and the Office of the Secretary of Labor.

Revenue is generated exclusively through professional-services consulting contracts with government and public-sector clients. Virginia state agencies contract with CPP without bid or RFP, and engagements are customized, project-based, and frequently multi-year. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. In FY2025, the team completed projects for 21 state agencies, 3 local government agencies, 2 private organizations, and 1 nonprofit. As a self-supporting unit within a public state university, CPP has no independent ownership, no venture or private-equity backing, and no funding rounds; its financial position is tied to the broader VCU Wilder School operating budget and to the procurement cycles of Virginia state and local government clients.

Name

Center for Public Policy at VCU Wilder School

Legal name

Virginia Commonwealth University - Center for Public Policy

Website

https://cpp.wilder.vcu.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Center for Public Policy at VCU Wilder School is a Richmond-based academic consulting and research center, founded in 1992, that delivers nonpartisan evaluations, strategic planning, policy analysis, survey research, and workforce development services to Virginia state and local government agencies.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Policy Consulting

NAICS

Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (54172), Educational Support Services (61171)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)

akta.pro primary industry

Think Tanks, Policy Research & Public Policy Institutes (BPAGAFAO)

akta.pro secondary industry

Education Policy Research Institutes & Think Tanks (EDADADAA)

Keywords

• Public policy consulting
• Government research services
• Program evaluation
• Workforce development consulting
• Strategic planning services

Headquarters

HQ city

Richmond

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Consulting Contracts: The CPP operates as a public policy consulting and research center within VCU, providing services to state agencies, local governments, and nonprofit organizations. Contracting with CPP requires no bid or RFP for state agencies. Revenue is generated through project-based consulting engagements with government and public sector clients.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

The Center for Public Policy at VCU Wilder School is a public policy consulting and research center that delivers evaluations and assessments, strategic planning, policy analysis and legislative impact studies, customized research and survey administration, workforce development consulting, group facilitation, change management, and executive and leadership coaching. Services are provided primarily to Virginia state agencies, local governments, and nonprofit organizations through project-based consulting engagements.

Product overview

The Center for Public Policy (CPP) at VCU Wilder School operates as a public policy consulting and research center offering a comprehensive suite of consulting services rather than a software product. The core service portfolio includes: Evaluations and Assessments, Strategic Planning Services, Policy Analysis and Legislative Impact, Customized Research and Survey Administration, Workforce Development, Group Facilitation, Change Management, Executive Coaching, Training Programs (via Grace E. Harris Leadership Institute), and Customized Leadership Training. Research outputs include the Virginia Outdoors Survey (via SERL), Ceasefire Virginia Evaluation, and VCU Perception of Safety Survey. The organization functions as a consulting practice serving state, regional, and local government agencies, nonprofits, and educational institutions across Virginia.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Evaluations and Assessments Applied research service examining public and social issues, including economic, social, and fiscal impact analyses, program evaluation, and best-practice case studies using both qualitative and quantitative methods. Targeted at government agencies, nonprofits, and organizations requiring rigorous program evaluation.
• Strategic Planning Services Custom-designed strategic planning process helping organizations proactively create positive change, including mission development, organizational vision, values articulation, stakeholder analysis, and action strategy development. Targeted at government agencies, nonprofits, and organizations needing comprehensive strategic plans.
• Policy Analysis and Legislative Impact Analysis of intended and unintended impacts of existing or proposed legislation or policies, including equity analysis, economic impact analysis, policy effectiveness assessment, and draft legislative language creation. Targeted at state and local government policymakers.
• Customized Research and Survey Administration Organizational assessment services using individual and small-group interviews and surveys to identify strengths and barriers to growth, including survey design, implementation, and detailed reporting. Targeted at organizations needing customized research and survey administration.
• Workforce Development Strategic workforce development consulting collaborating with Virginia Board of Workforce Development, 14 local workforce development boards, and the Office of the Secretary of Labor. Targeted at Virginia government workforce development entities.
• Group Facilitation Skilled facilitation services helping groups identify participants, frame issues, use appropriate decision-making processes, reach consensus, and craft actionable plans. Targeted at organizations requiring collaborative decision-making support.
• Change Management Organizational change consulting services including facilitated problem-solving sessions, identifying intellectual resources, and designing implementation strategies for responsive organizations. Targeted at organizations undergoing change initiatives.
• Executive Coaching Three-step coaching approach including assessment and planning, focused intensive work on goals, and follow-up for sustained change, empowering individuals to discover effective leadership within themselves. Targeted at executives and leaders.
• Customized Leadership Training Customized training programs intended to meet specific organizational needs, enhancing modern leaders' communication skills, strategic thinking, and change-making capacity. Targeted at organizations seeking customized leadership development programs.
• Training Programs Leadership training programs hosted through the Grace E. Harris Leadership Institute, promoting development of current and emerging leaders in academic institutions, public, private, and nonprofit organizations. Targeted at leaders across sectors.

Quantifiable outcome

• 94% of VCU community members reported feeling 'safe' or 'very safe' on campus (2025 Perception of Safety Survey)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 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

Feature3 records

Partnerships

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

• Virginia Board of Workforce DevelopmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCPP consultants attend each quarterly Board meeting and facilitate discussion during Board committee meetings. Role is to support the Board in advancing workforce development programs in Virginia. CPP also collaborates with local workforce development boards to connect statewide initiatives with local implementation.
• Office of the Secretary of Labor (Virginia)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCPP consultants collaborate with the Office of the Secretary of Labor to advance strategic workforce initiatives across Virginia.
• Virginia Community College SystemminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for workforce development collaboration blending academic insights with practical applications. CPP contributes research expertise to enrich workforce development strategies and outcomes.
• Virginia Office of the Attorney GeneralmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCPP contracted by OAG for evaluation services related to Ceasefire Virginia - a violent crime reduction strategy. Developed mixed methods evaluation strategy for holistic assessment of Ceasefire activities across 13 Virginia cities.
• Governor's Office (Virginia)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Office of the Governor and Virginia Latino Advisory Board (VLAB) for 2025 Economic Impact Study to understand economic contributions and needs of Virginia's Latino community.
• Grace E. Harris Leadership InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTraining programs are hosted through the Grace E. Harris Leadership Institute within VCU, focused on identifying and nurturing the next generation of leaders through leadership training and public policy research.
• Virginia Department of Conservation and RecreationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSurvey and Evaluation Research Laboratory (SERL) at Wilder School conducted the 2022 Virginia Outdoors Survey that informed the 2024 Virginia Outdoors Plan, providing critical insights into Virginians' outdoor recreation preferences.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Abt Associates: Research and consulting firm delivering program evaluations, policy analysis, and survey research for government agencies. Comparable in applied public-policy research and evaluation services.
• RAND Corporation: Nonprofit policy research institution conducting nonpartisan research and analysis for government. Comparable as a think-tank-style applied research organization advising state and federal agencies, though operating at national scale.
• ICF International: Public-sector consultancy delivering policy analysis, program evaluation, and research for government clients. Comparable in providing applied research and policy advisory services, but with a much broader commercial portfolio.
• MAXIMUS: Large government services and consulting firm delivering program management, evaluations, and policy support to state and federal agencies. Comparable as a contracted public-sector consulting and program evaluation provider, though at much larger scale.
• Urban Institute: Nonprofit research organization focused on social and economic policy, providing evidence-based analysis to inform public decision-making. Comparable as an academic-aligned policy research center serving government clients.
• Booz Allen Hamilton: Major management and technology consulting firm with a large public-sector practice serving state and federal agencies on policy, strategy, and program evaluation. Comparable as a government consulting competitor, though at vastly greater scale.

Direct peers

• NORC at the University of Chicago: University-affiliated, independent research organization conducting social science research, survey work, and program evaluation. Directly comparable as an academically anchored research center serving government clients.
• RTI International: Nonprofit research institute delivering scientific and social-science research, surveys, and policy evaluations for government clients. Comparable as a university-affiliated applied research organization.
• Mathematica: Nonpartisan research and evaluation firm specializing in social policy, program evaluation, and survey research for government. Directly comparable as a research-driven evaluation and policy analysis provider.
• Westat: Employee-owned research firm offering program evaluation, survey research, and policy analysis to federal and state agencies. Comparable as an applied research and evaluation services provider.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/vcucpp

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles20 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Center for Public Policy at VCU Wilder School