High Road Strategy Center
High Road Strategy Center is a nonpartisan nonprofit think-and-do tank at the University of Wisconsin-Madison that operates peer learning networks, policy research, and digital tools for mayors, state DOTs, unions, and local governments to advance equitable economic and infrastructure policy.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1990
- HeadquartersMadison, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What High Road Strategy Center does
High Road Strategy Center is a nonpartisan nonprofit think-and-do tank based at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, founded in 1990 as the Center on Wisconsin Strategy (COWS) and rebranded in January 2024 to reflect its national scope. The organization promotes "high road" development strategies that combine competitive markets with social fairness, environmental sustainability, and democratic governance. It operates 43 employees and delivers value through research, peer learning networks, technical assistance, and digital policy resources. Its core programs include the Mayors Innovation Project (MIP), a national peer learning network for city leaders; the State Smart Transportation Initiative (SSTI), a joint project with Smart Growth America that partners with over half of US state DOTs; Work and Opportunity, which advances economic justice through research on job quality; ProGov21, a digital library of over 2,000 progressive policy resources across 22 issue areas; and GPAL (Government Performance Action Lab), a benchmarking platform developed jointly with Polco and Stanford's Hoover Institution that incorporates an AI agent called 'Polly'. Additional programs address water affordability, health equity, pedestrian safety, and apprenticeship equity. The center is funded through university support, foundation grants (Robert Wood Johnson, Surdna, Heinz, Mott), and tax-deductible donations via the UW Foundation, providing all services free of charge to municipalities, governments, and the public. Its GTM motion is event-driven and community-led, relying on convenings, cohort-based programs, and direct engagement with government stakeholders rather than traditional sales channels.
High Road Strategy Center firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- High Road Strategy Center
- Legal name
- High Road Strategy Center
- Website
- https://highroad.wisc.edu
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1990
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- High Road Strategy Center is a nonpartisan nonprofit think-and-do tank at the University of Wisconsin-Madison that operates peer learning networks, policy research, and digital tools for mayors, state DOTs, unions, and local governments to advance equitable economic and infrastructure policy.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
High Road Strategy Center industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Public Policy Research
- NAICS
- Administration of Housing Programs, Urban Planning, and Community Development (925), Administration of Housing Programs, Urban Planning, and Community Development (9251), Administration of Urban Planning and Community and Rural Development (925120), Executive, Legislative, and Other General Government Support (9211), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133)
- SIC
- Transportation Services (4700)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Think Tanks, Policy Research & Public Policy Institutes (BPAGAFAO)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- State/Provincial Housing, Urban/Regional Planning & Community Development (BPAIABAM), Central Government Policy, Strategy & Performance (incl. OMB-style functions) (BPAIAAAB), Road & Highway Authorities (Planning, Construction, Maintenance) (BPAIALAA), Regional & Land Use Planning (BPAHAKAE)
Keywords
Where High Road Strategy Center is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Madison
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
High Road Strategy Center business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- University-based Research Institution: Based at University of Wisconsin-Madison, operating as a national think-and-do tank funded through university support, grants, and foundation partnerships.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels7 records
High Road Strategy Center product offering
Product offeringCore offering
High Road Strategy Center is a nonpartisan nonprofit think-and-do tank at the University of Wisconsin-Madison that produces policy research, technical assistance, and peer learning networks for mayors, state departments of transportation, unions, and local governments. Its work centers on high-road economic development strategies that link equity, sustainability, and shared prosperity, delivered through named programs and digital tools such as GPAL and ProGov21.
Product overview
High Road Strategy Center is a nonpartisan think-and-do tank at UW-Madison that promotes high road solutions to social problems through research, technical assistance, and policy programs. The organization operates several interconnected programs: the Mayors Innovation Project (MIP) provides peer learning networks for mayors; the State Smart Transportation Initiative (SSTI) works with state DOTs on infrastructure decisions; Work and Opportunity advances economic justice through research and stakeholder engagement; and ProGov21 offers a digital policy library for local governments. Additional programs include water affordability, health in all policies, and the Government Performance Action Lab (GPAL). The center produces regular publications including the annual State of Working Wisconsin report and policy briefs on minimum wage, community benefits, and workforce development. These programs work together to advance shared prosperity, environmental sustainability, and democratic governance.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Mayors Innovation Project: National peer learning network for mayors advancing equity, sustainability, and democratic governance at city level.
- State Smart Transportation Initiative (SSTI)
- ProGov21
- State of Working Wisconsin
- Work and Opportunity
Products and services
- Mayors Innovation Project (MIP)
Quantifiable outcome
- External review helped launch major reforms at Caltrans
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use High Road Strategy Center
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
High Road Strategy Center technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
High Road Strategy Center partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
20 partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.
- Smart Growth AmericacoreJoint project with Smart Growth America to operate the State Smart Transportation Initiative (SSTI), which partners with state transportation agencies on infrastructure decisions that strengthen communities and support local economies.
- AARP Livable CommunitiescorePartnership with AARP Livable Communities on the Mayors Institute on Pedestrian Safety (MIPS), helping mayors create communities that are safe, vibrant, and equitable for people of all ages.
- The Water Center at PenncorePartnership with The Water Center at Penn on water affordability programs, including the Water Affordability Community of Practice for local utility and city leaders.
- Wisconsin Partnership ProgramsupportingGenerous support for the Legacy Community Alliance for Health, providing local Wisconsin leaders with tools to incorporate health equity into decision-making.
- UniverCity AlliancecoreConnects UW-Madison's education, service, and research with partner cities through the flagship UniverCity Year program, building multi-year collaborations that deliver real-world solutions.
- EPIC-N (Educational Partnerships for Innovation in Communities - Network)coreGlobal nonprofit association that unites university human capital with local governments and communities. HRSC is a founding member.
- Wisconsin Regional Training Partnership (WRTP)coreLaunched as HRSC's first public project, WRTP is a workforce intermediary dedicated to connecting people to family-sustaining jobs in construction, manufacturing, and emerging sectors.
- Emerald Cities CollaborativecoreSeeded as an HRSC project, this national nonprofit is dedicated to creating high-road local economies with partners from community, labor, business, and government sectors.
- State Innovation Exchange (SiX)coreDesigned and founded by HRSC in 2003 as ALICE, became SiX in 2010. An independent national resource and strategy center collaborating with state legislators on progressive policies.
- Economic Analysis and Research Network (EARN)coreCo-founded by HRSC in 1997, EARN unites research and advocacy groups across the country to advance equitable, worker-centered economic policies.
- PolcocoreJoint project GPAL (Government Performance Action Lab) with Polco, in partnership with Stanford's Hoover Institution, providing a web-based platform for community performance benchmarking.
- Stanford Hoover InstitutionsupportingPartnership with Stanford's Hoover Institution on GPAL, enabling communities to benchmark performance using longitudinal datasets.
- Cities Work at the Institute for JusticecorePartnership on the Regulatory Justice Initiative, supporting mayors and cities in removing outdated regulatory barriers to starting small businesses.
- California High Road Training PartnershipsupportingHRSC serves as technical advisor to California's $10 million investment in High Road Training Partnerships building equity, climate resilience, and job quality.
- WERC (Workforce Investment Western Regional Center)supportingHRSC serves as technical advisor to WERC in Los Angeles on workforce development.
- Health Care Advancement Program (HCAP)supportingHRSC serves as technical advisor to HCAP, a national network of health care labor/management training funds.
- Milwaukee Area Service and Hospitality Workers Organization (MASH)corePartnership with MASH union through the EARN in the Midwest project to build worker leadership and develop policy resources for Milwaukee and Wisconsin.
- Kids ForwardsupportingPartnership with Kids Forward on the Worker-Centered Policies for an Equitable Recovery (WCPER) grant project, developing anti-racist policy agenda.
- Wisconsin Population Health InstitutesupportingCollaboration on technical assistance to municipalities for health equity work through the Legacy Community Alliance for Health.
- Green Tier CommunitiessupportingPartnership hosting the Legacy Community Alliance for Health, bringing together Wisconsin local governments, state agencies, academic partners, and nonprofits.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
High Road Strategy Center competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Urban Institute: Nonprofit research organization producing data-driven analysis on cities, housing, and economic mobility. Comparable in using longitudinal datasets and benchmarking to inform municipal and state policy, including economic justice and community development.
- Smart Growth America: National nonprofit focused on equitable, sustainable land use and transportation policy. Directly comparable because HRSC co-operates the State Smart Transportation Initiative (SSTI) with Smart Growth America, working with state DOTs and cities on infrastructure, accessibility, and community development.
- Economic Policy Institute: Nonprofit think tank focused on low- and middle-wage workers' economic outcomes. Comparable as a peer research and convening organization on labor standards, wage policy, and equitable economic development.
- PolicyLink: National research and action institute advancing racial and economic equity through policy. Closely comparable mission overlap with HRSC's equity-focused local policy, workforce, and economic development work.
- Lincoln Institute of Land Policy: Independent policy research organization focused on land use, housing affordability, and community development. Comparable in producing policy research, tools, and convenings aimed at local/state government practitioners on planning and infrastructure.
- Strong Towns: National nonprofit focused on incremental, bottom-up urban development and municipal fiscal sustainability. Comparable in producing content, research, and convenings for mayors and city officials on transportation and community design.
Broad incumbents
- International City/County Management Association (ICMA): Long-established professional association for local government managers. Comparable in providing research, training, and benchmarking resources to city and county leadership, though focused on professional management practice rather than progressive policy.
- Brookings Institution: Large established think tank producing policy research across urban, economic, and governance domains. Comparable as a higher-resource incumbent in policy research and convening for state/local government audiences.
- National League of Cities: Membership organization serving thousands of municipal leaders. Comparable as a broader, more established provider of policy research, peer learning, and advocacy for mayors and city officials - overlapping with HRSC's Mayors Innovation Project customer base.
Emerging players
- Polco: Civic engagement and community benchmarking technology company. Comparable as the technology partner on HRSC's GPAL platform, providing national municipal performance benchmarking - overlapping customer base of cities and counties.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
High Road Strategy Center social profiles
Digital presenceHigh Road Strategy Center financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
High Road Strategy Center leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
High Road Strategy Center subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries5 records
High Road Strategy Center funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
High Road Strategy Center M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about High Road Strategy Center
What does High Road Strategy Center do?
High Road Strategy Center is a nonpartisan nonprofit think-and-do tank at the University of Wisconsin-Madison that produces policy research, technical assistance, and peer learning networks for mayors, state departments of transportation, unions, and local governments. Its work centers on high-road economic development strategies that link equity, sustainability, and shared prosperity, delivered through named programs and digital tools such as GPAL and ProGov21.
Is High Road Strategy Center a public or private company?
High Road Strategy Center is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was High Road Strategy Center founded?
High Road Strategy Center was founded in 1990. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is High Road Strategy Center based?
High Road Strategy Center is headquartered in Madison, United States, in the North America region.
How does High Road Strategy Center make money?
One revenue line is on record: university-based Research Institution.
Who are High Road Strategy Center's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Urban Institute, Smart Growth America, Economic Policy Institute, PolicyLink, Lincoln Institute of Land Policy and Strong Towns. Broad incumbents are International City/County Management Association (ICMA), Brookings Institution and National League of Cities. Polco is listed as an emerging player.
Does High Road Strategy Center have an API?
No public API is recorded for High Road Strategy Center.
What industry is High Road Strategy Center in?
High Road Strategy Center's product category is Public Policy Research. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAFAO, Think Tanks, Policy Research & Public Policy Institutes, with a secondary code of BPAIABAM, State/Provincial Housing, Urban/Regional Planning & Community Development. Its NAICS code is 925 and its SIC code is 4700.