The Lebanese Center for Policy Studies (LCPS)

What The Lebanese Center for Policy Studies (LCPS) does

The Lebanese Center for Policy Studies (LCPS) is an independent, non-governmental, non-partisan, non-profit policy think tank founded in 1989 and headquartered in Beirut, Lebanon. It conducts evidence-based research on governance, economic development, social policy, and environmental issues in Lebanon and the broader MENA region, producing over 70 books and 600+ reports and policy briefs in Arabic and English, and convening more than 720 conferences and workshops in Beirut and other Arab capitals. LCPS serves four primary audiences: Lebanese government and policymakers, civil society organizations, the academic community, and international organizations, with documented contributions to legislative drafting including the 2006 Fouad Bastos electoral law and the 2014 decentralization draft law, and prior convening of civil society coalitions (100+ organizations for 1997 municipal elections, 58+ organizations for 2004 electoral reform).

LCPS's product portfolio combines traditional research outputs with a set of digital research infrastructure: a Legislation Tracker using the Comparative Agendas Project methodology to code Lebanese legislation, a Parliament Performance Tracking Platform covering 2009-2017, a Natural Resources Portal covering MENA extractive industries, and a Decentralization Platform consolidating two decades of LCPS work on local governance. Multimedia channels include the bilingual Alternative Frequencies Podcast (غير الموجة), infographics, videos, webinars, and roundtables. The organization also operates an internship program training future policy researchers.

Revenue is generated entirely through international donor grants and project funding, with no commercial pricing model; all publications and events are provided free of charge. Documented institutional funders include the European Union (including the BINA' project), the World Bank (Aman social assistance program, launched 2022), the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Beirut, the Friedrich Naumann Foundation, the Dutch Embassy, UN agencies (UNHCR, UN Women), and Transparency International Lebanon. Governance is provided by an elected Board of Directors, currently presided over by Mohamed Y. Alem (Founder and Senior Partner of Alem Law Firm), with executive leadership under Makram Ouaiss. Headcount is approximately 21 staff.

Name

The Lebanese Center for Policy Studies (LCPS)

Legal name

The Lebanese Center for Policy Studies

Website

https://lcps-lebanon.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

LCPS is an independent, non-partisan Lebanese policy think tank founded in 1989 that produces bilingual research, digital platforms, and convening events on governance, economy, and social policy for government, civil society, academia, and international donors in Lebanon and the MENA region.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Policy Research Services

NAICS

Management Consulting Services (54161), Other Management Consulting Services (541618)

SIC

Services-Management Services (8741)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Sector & Policy Consulting (BPAHACAN)

Keywords

• Policy research
• Think tank analysis
• Governance research
• Policy publications
• Evidence-based research

Headquarters

HQ city

Beirut

HQ country

Lebanon

HQ region

Middle East

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. International Donor Funding: LCPS operates as a non-profit think tank funded primarily through grants and support from international donors and development organizations

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

LCPS is a non-governmental, non-partisan, non-profit policy research think tank that conducts evidence-based research on governance, economic development, social, and environmental issues in Lebanon and the MENA region. It produces over 70 books and 600 reports/policy briefs, operates interactive research platforms (Natural Resources, Parliament Performance, Decentralization, and Legislation Tracker), publishes bilingual multimedia content including a podcast and infographics, and convenes conferences and workshops to inform policymakers and the public.

Product overview

LCPS operates as a policy research center offering a unified portfolio of research outputs, digital platforms, and multimedia content. The core offerings include three interactive research portals (Natural Resources Platform, Parliament Performance Tracking Platform, and Decentralization Platform) that provide specialized data and analysis. Supporting these platforms are multimedia outputs including the Alternative Frequencies bilingual podcast, data visualizations/infographics, and video content. LCPS also publishes policy research through over 70 books and 600 reports covering governance, economics, social policy, and environmental topics. The organization maintains a Legislation Tracker analytical tool and offers an internship program for training future policy researchers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Natural Resources Portal: Digital platform providing information on oil sectors across the Middle East
• Parliament Performance Tracking Platform
• Decentralization Platform
• Alternative Frequencies Podcast
• Legislation Tracker

Products and services

• Publications and Policy Research A portfolio of more than 70 books and over 600 reports and policy briefs published in English and Arabic, addressing electoral laws, political parties, sectarianism, administrative reforms, rule of law, decentralization, economic growth, fiscal and tax policies, industry and trade, energy, and environment. Produced for policymakers, civil society, and the general public.
• Alternative Frequencies Podcast (غيّر الموجة) A bilingual podcast platform enabling LCPS to communicate with the public and share insights of experts, scholars, and activists on pressing national and regional questions.
• Data Visualization (Infographics) Infographic content produced by LCPS to deliver quick and clear insights on important national issues across governance, economy, and social topics.
• Videos and Webinars Webinars, roundtables, and animated videos tackling important national and regional issues as part of LCPS's effort to build constructive dialogue among stakeholders.
• Legislation Tracker (مرصد التشريعات) An analytical tool that uses archived Lebanese Official Gazette data to assess legislative issues focused on by policymakers, encoding legislation according to the Comparative Agendas Project methodology.
• Natural Resources Platform A digital research portal providing information about petroleum sectors across the Middle East, making data accessible to policymakers, civil society, and the broader public to increase collective knowledge and stimulate calls for improved regulation of extractive industries.
• Parliament Performance Tracking Platform (منصّة تتتبّع أداء البرلمان) A platform providing information on the performance of the Lebanese Parliament from June 2009 to April 2017, enabling users to compare the performance of parliament members and examine how their positions reflect their political parties or blocs.
• Decentralization Platform (منصّة اللامركزية) A platform consolidating information and findings from over two decades of LCPS work on administrative decentralization in Lebanon and the Arab world, aiming to enrich discussion on local governance issues through legal references and studies.
• Internship Program A training program welcoming university students and recent graduates into full-time and part-time internships of two to six months, accepting highly skilled trainees in writing, organization, computer, and foreign language skills.

Quantifiable outcome

• Contributed to drafting the Fouad Bastos electoral law in 2006
• +3 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

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

• Forum for Memory and Future (FMF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLCPS collaborated with FMF to produce two papers in Fall 2023 examining key aspects of post-war healing in Lebanon, focusing on the National Commission for the Missing and Forcibly Disappeared and history curriculum debates
• Transparency International LebanoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to issue 'The Reform Monitor' covering reform, recovery, and reconstruction (3RF) areas as part of the Building Integrity and National Accountability in Lebanon (BINA') project funded by the European Union
• Lebanese American University (LAU)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSigned MOU to advance policy research and education collaboration between LCPS and LAU
• Ministry of Administrative DevelopmentmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMOU signed to activate Citizen's Charter and promote governance in public administration
• UN AgenciescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborations with UNHCR, UN Women, and other UN agencies on displacement, social protection, and humanitarian policy research
• Hawkamaa-EU ConsortiumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProduced report on municipalities' role in water sector governance with financial support from European Union

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Regional players

• Konrad Adenauer Foundation: German political foundation with a Beirut office funding governance and rule-of-law programs in Lebanon; directly comparable donor-peer with overlapping research agenda and MENA regional footprint.
• Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom: German political foundation actively funding LCPS and operating across the MENA region on governance and reform; comparable as a funder and peer convener of Lebanon policy research.

Direct peers

• Middle East Institute (MEI): Washington-based policy institute focused on Middle East economics, governance, and security; comparable in bilingual-style outputs and donor-funded think tank model.
• Carnegie Middle East Center: Beirut-based branch of a global think tank producing in-depth analysis on Middle East politics, governance, and economics; competes for the same donor funding and policy-maker attention in Lebanon/MENA.
• Arab Reform Initiative: Paris-based but MENA-focused policy network producing research on governance, economic reform, and social policy across the Arab world; directly comparable in scope, bilingual outputs, and donor base.
• International Crisis Group: Global conflict-prevention think tank with active Lebanon programs; comparable for policy briefs on Lebanese politics, donor-funded research model, and convening power with government and civil society.
• Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs (IFI): AUB-based public policy research institute focusing on Lebanon and the Arab world; directly comparable as a Beirut-based academic-affiliated think tank producing policy papers, convenings, and bilingual publications on governance, economy, and social policy.
• Transparency International Lebanon: Beirut-based anti-corruption NGO and existing LCPS partner; comparable as a Lebanese civil society organization producing governance-related publications and partnering with the EU.

Broad incumbents

• Chatham House: Established global policy institute with broader geographic scope; relevant as a comparable large-scale, donor-funded think tank with similar research and convening mandate but operating globally rather than Lebanon-specifically.
• Brookings Institution: Premier U.S. policy think tank with established Middle East programs (Brookings Doha); comparable as a large-scale, donor-funded research organization but with global breadth versus LCPS's national focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-lebanese-center-for-policy-studies

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about The Lebanese Center for Policy Studies (LCPS)