The Center for Social Development at Washington University in St. Louis

What The Center for Social Development at Washington University in St. Louis does

The Center for Social Development (CSD) at Washington University in St. Louis is an applied social science research center housed within the university's Brown School, founded in 1994 by Michael Sherraden. CSD conducts research and policy work on asset building, financial capability, and Child Development Accounts (CDAs), and is the originator of the CDA policy framework that has informed state and federal policy in the U.S. and internationally. Its core research platform is the SEED for Oklahoma Kids (SEED OK) experiment, a longitudinal study launched in 2007 that has produced multi-year empirical evidence on universal CDA effects. CSD also operates the Data for Social Impact (DSI) program with the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth, the JPMC Doctoral Scholars Program, and global sister centers — the Next Age Institute at the National University of Singapore and a partner program at the University of Johannesburg — supported by a network of more than 30 faculty directors and associates.

CSD's product surface is research outputs: peer-reviewed publications, policy briefs, Congressional testimony, technical assistance to governments, and graduate education through the JPMC Doctoral Scholars Program. It does not sell software or commercial products. Its business model is grant-funded: revenue comes from foundations (Mott, Ford, Gates, JPMorgan), federal agencies, and Washington University institutional support, and research outputs are disseminated without a paid pricing model. In January 2025, the Social Policy Institute (SPI) was integrated into CSD, expanding its programmatic footprint, and in September 2025 Jin Huang was named Co-Director alongside founder Sherraden. CSD's research contributed to the Trump Accounts federal CDA legislation in 2025 and to Kazakhstan's national CDA policy launch, demonstrating ongoing policy influence at federal and international levels.

Name

The Center for Social Development at Washington University in St. Louis

Legal name

Washington University in St. Louis

Website

https://csd.wustl.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Center for Social Development at Washington University in St. Louis is a Brown School research center that designs and evaluates Child Development Account (CDA) policy, operating the SEED for Oklahoma Kids longitudinal experiment and global sister centers in Singapore and South Africa.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Social Policy Research

NAICS

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

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Early Childhood & Child Development Policy Research (EDADADAJ)

Keywords

• Social policy research
• Asset building research
• Child development accounts
• Financial capability research
• Policy innovation research

Headquarters

HQ city

St. Louis

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, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Foundation and Corporate Funding: The center receives substantial funding from foundations (Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, Ford Foundation, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, JPMorganChase, etc.) and corporations (Centene, Intuit, Mastercard) to conduct research and policy innovation work.
2. Federal and State Government Grants: Research funded by U.S. federal agencies including Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Labor, Department of the Treasury, National Institutes of Health, and various state government departments.
3. Endowment and Institutional Support: Washington University provides institutional support, and Ford Foundation matched funding to establish an endowment for long-term stability and flexibility.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Center for Social Development (CSD) conducts applied social science research to create innovations in policy and practice that enable individuals, families, and communities to achieve life goals. Core offerings include large-scale policy demonstration experiments (e.g., SEED for Oklahoma Kids Child Development Accounts), educational and capacity-building programs (Data for Social Impact, JPMC Doctoral Scholars Program), and research initiatives spanning financial capability, social justice, civic engagement, and economic mobility.

Product overview

The Center for Social Development is a research center at Washington University in St. Louis that does not offer commercial products but rather conducts applied social science research through multiple interconnected programs and initiatives. Key offerings include the SEED for Oklahoma Kids experiment (a Child Development Account policy test), the Data for Social Impact (DSI) educational initiative, the JPMC Doctoral Scholars fellowship program, and research initiatives in Financial Capability & Asset Building, Livable Lives, Smart Decarceration, and Voter Access and Engagement. These programs work together to advance the center's mission of creating innovations in policy and practices for individuals, families, and communities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• SEED for Oklahoma Kids (SEED OK) A large-scale policy demonstration experiment testing universal, automatic, and progressive Child Development Accounts (CDAs) using the Oklahoma 529 College Savings Plan platform. Designed for low- and moderate-income families, the experiment provides evidence on the impact of early asset-building accounts on children's educational and developmental outcomes, and has informed federal and international CDA policies.
• Data for Social Impact (DSI) An educational and capacity-building initiative providing trainings, events, learning cohorts, and online learning curriculum to increase data literacy and data stewardship skills among social sector leaders. Programming is free and open to the public, targeting nonprofit organizations, community groups, and social enterprises.
• JPMC Doctoral Scholars Program A fellowship program supporting doctoral students from historically marginalized populations with mentorship, research development, and a $2,500 annual stipend for research in social policy and well-being. Recruits through applications and builds networks among future policy researchers.
• Financial Capability & Asset Building (FCAB) A research initiative building evidence in financial capability, defined as both knowledge to make optimal financial decisions and access to appropriate financial services, implemented across the lifespan and inclusive of all individuals, with global reach including Africa.
• Livable Lives Initiative An initiative investigating what social conditions and policy supports can make life with a low or moderate income stable, secure, satisfying, and successful.
• Smart Decarceration Initiative A social innovation initiative building capacity to reduce incarceration rates in ways that are effective, sustainable, and socially just through research and policy development.
• Voter Access and Engagement (VAE) An initiative aiming to redress voting disparities and ensure the right to vote for all Americans through research, dialogue, and citizen action.

Quantifiable outcome

• CSD research influenced federal early wealth-building policy (Trump Accounts)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 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

Feature3 records

Partnerships

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

• Actionable Intelligence for Social Policy (AISP) at University of PennsylvaniacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024DSI launched a Data Equity learning cohort in collaboration with AISP in January 2024, building capacity for social sector leaders in equitable, collaborative data practice.
• National University of Singapore (NUS) - Next Age InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014International partnership established in 2014 between NUS and Washington University to study, design, and test social innovations addressing global challenges including aging populations and rising inequality. Co-led by Michael Sherraden at WashU and Chia Ngee Choon and Corinne Ghoh at NUS. Supported by the Lee Foundation.
• Center for Social Development Asia (NUS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSister center established at National University of Singapore, led by Professor Corinne Goh. Represents a formal collaboration in the Asia-Pacific region for social development research.
• Centre for Social Development in Africa (University of Johannesburg)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSister center established at University of Johannesburg, led by Professor Leila Patel, a long-time colleague and leader in post-Apartheid social policy development.
• American Academy of Social Work & Social Welfare (AASWSW) - Grand Challenges for Social WorkflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCSD collaborates with AASWSW on the Grand Challenges for Social Work initiative, which identifies 13 grand challenges dominating the current social context. Michael Sherraden serves on the Grand Challenges Leadership Board.
• Mastercard Center for Inclusive GrowthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupports the Data for Social Impact (DSI) initiative. DSI is built in collaboration with an advisory committee, University of Missouri St. Louis' Community Innovation and Action Center, and data.org.
• Brown School Research Centers and InstitutescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCSD works with Brown School's research centers including Health Equity Works, Clark-Fox Policy Institute, Harvey A. Friedman Center for Aging, and Gephardt Institute for Civic and Community Engagement.
• Work, Families, and Public Policy Seminar Series PartnersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-sponsored seminars with Brown School, Olin Business School's Center for Finance and Accounting Research, Department of Economics, College of Arts and Sciences, and Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.
• Habitat for Humanity InternationalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on the Habitat for Humanity Wealth Building Project - the first nationwide evaluation of projects exploring the ways Habitat shapes the lives of its homeowners.
• Brookings InstitutioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on advancing a global research agenda on international volunteer service and civic engagement.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Mathematica Policy Research: Policy research firm with deep experience in social program evaluation and randomized controlled trials, including studies of asset-building and child development programs — directly comparable to CSD's SEED OK methodology.
• Urban Institute: Major social and economic policy research organization conducting rigorous evidence-based research on poverty, asset building, and family economic security — directly comparable to CSD's research and policy translation model.
• Center on Budget and Policy Priorities: Nonpartisan policy research organization focused on low- and moderate-income families with extensive federal and state policy engagement — directly comparable to CSD's policy translation and advocacy posture.
• Stanford Center on Poverty and Inequality: University-based research center examining poverty, inequality, and economic mobility — closely comparable in academic research-center structure, faculty affiliate model, and policy focus.
• Institute for Research on Poverty (University of Wisconsin-Madison): Long-standing university-based research center on poverty, inequality, and social policy — directly comparable to CSD in being a university-affiliated social science research center with strong federal funding ties.
• MDRC: Social policy research organization specializing in evaluations of programs for low-income populations, including child development and financial capability — closely comparable to CSD's research portfolio and grant-funded model.
• Child Trends: Research organization focused on improving outcomes for children and youth, with strong overlap in research methodology and policy translation for child and family well-being programs.

Others

• Russell Sage Foundation: Major foundation supporting social science research on behavioral, social, and economic issues — comparable in mission orientation but operates as a funder rather than direct research producer like CSD.

Broad incumbents

• Brookings Institution: Major policy research institution with much broader scope; CSD actively collaborates with Brookings on global volunteer service research, making it a partner more than a competitor, but Brookings overlaps in social policy expertise.
• RAND Corporation: Much larger research organization with extensive policy research and analysis capabilities across many domains, including social and economic policy — broader incumbent with overlapping methodological approaches.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/csdwustl
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@centerforsocialdevelopment698
• Facebookfacebook.com/csdwustl
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/csdwustl

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about The Center for Social Development at Washington University in St. Louis