What The MassINC Polling Group does

The MassINC Polling Group (MPG) is a nonpartisan public opinion research firm and wholly-owned subsidiary of MassINC, a Massachusetts-based nonprofit think tank. Founded in the early 2000s and based at 11 Beacon Street in Boston, MPG provides a full suite of polling and survey services to public, private, and social-sector clients on a nationwide basis, with a primary focus on Massachusetts politics and policy. Its leadership team comprises President Steve Koczela, Vice President Rich Parr, and Senior Research Director Marta Churella.

MPG's core offering is commissioned survey research conducted through live telephone interviews, text-to-web, online interviewing, registration-based sampling, and mixed-mode data collection, with multilingual capabilities covering English, Spanish, Portuguese, Simplified Chinese, Vietnamese, and Haitian Creole. The firm also conducts focus groups and produces toplines, crosstabs, slide presentations, and analytical commentary under the "Beyond the Topline" brand. It published The Horse Race, a Massachusetts political podcast that ran 400 episodes from Fall 2017 until April 2026.

MPG generates revenue on a professional-services, project-based model. Clients include media organizations (WBUR, The Boston Globe), state agencies (MassDevelopment, MassDOT, Vermont DPS), foundations (Boston Foundation, Eastern Bank Foundation), and a broad set of advocacy and nonprofit organizations (EdTrust, Transportation for Massachusetts, Massachusetts Voter Table, Coalition for an Equitable Economy, Massachusetts Nonprofit Network). Survey findings are distributed through direct client delivery, media partnerships, the firm's website, and The Topline newsletter.

Name

The MassINC Polling Group

Legal name

The MassINC Polling Group

Website

https://massincpolling.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The MassINC Polling Group is a Boston-based, nonpartisan public opinion research firm and subsidiary of MassINC that conducts commissioned polling and survey research for government, media, nonprofit, and private-sector clients across Massachusetts and nationwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Opinion Research Services

NAICS

Marketing Research and Public Opinion Polling (541910)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Electoral Support & Election Observation (BPADAGAA), Democracy, Voting Rights & Civic Participation Advocacy (BPAGAFAJ)

Keywords

• Public opinion research
• Survey research services
• Political polling
• Market research firm
• Data analysis services

Headquarters

HQ city

Boston

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, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Polling and Survey Research Services: MPG generates revenue by conducting commissioned public opinion research for public, private, and social-sector clients. Projects include statewide voter polls, client-specific surveys, focus groups, and data analysis. The firm serves a nationwide client base while based in Boston, Massachusetts.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The MassINC Polling Group is a nonpartisan public opinion research firm that conducts commissioned polling and survey research for public, private, and social-sector clients. Services span survey design, multi-mode data collection (live telephone, text-to-web, online), focus group research, oversampling of minority populations, and data analysis with crosstabs and reporting. Deliverables include statewide voter polls, policy research, ballot question surveys, and sector-specific constituency research, primarily focused on Massachusetts and national clients.

Product overview

MassINC Polling Group (MPG) is a nonpartisan public opinion research firm offering a full suite of polling and survey services. The core offering consists of survey design and multi-mode administration (text-to-web, online, and live telephone interviews) with accompanying data analysis and commentary. MPG also produced The Horse Race podcast covering Massachusetts politics, which concluded after 400 episodes in April 2026. The firm serves public, private, and social-sector clients on a nationwide basis.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Horse Race Podcast: Massachusetts's best political podcast produced by MPG, running 400 episodes from 2017 to 2026.

Products and services

• Public Opinion Research Services

Named customers11 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

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• The Boston GlobecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 February 2026Partnership to survey NIH grantees in Massachusetts regarding the impact of federal funding changes under the Trump administration. Survey emailed to nearly 4,000 scientists with approximately 370 respondents.
• WBURcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing polling partnership with WBUR, Boston's public radio station. MPG conducts regular statewide voter polls and policy research exclusively for WBUR. Partnership renewed through 2020 and continues. WBUR serves as primary media distribution channel for MPG polling data.
• CommonWealth BeaconcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-sponsored middle class economic research and policy coverage. Partner provides editorial coverage and design input for middle class polling initiative marking MassINC's 30th anniversary.
• EdTrust in MassachusettscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEdTrust commissioned MPG to conduct statewide parent poll on postsecondary readiness, college interest, and education equity. Full-cycle research partnership examining K-12 education issues.
• Transportation for MassachusettscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSponsored comprehensive transportation poll including voter attitudes on ballot questions, transportation system conditions, and microtransit investment. MPG conducted survey with focus group preceding quantitative research.
• Massachusetts Voter TablecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSponsored polling on voting rights, Election Day registration, and transportation access for voting. Partnership to inform advocacy on ballot questions and voting access issues.
• The Boston FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-sponsored survey of Massachusetts nonprofit leaders on federal policy impacts. Survey captured impact on financial, community, and staff well-being of area nonprofits.
• Massachusetts Nonprofit NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommissioned comprehensive survey of nonprofit sector conditions, staffing sustainability, and federal policy impacts. Survey distributed to 488 nonprofit leaders statewide.
• Coalition for an Equitable EconomycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommissioned MPG to conduct fourth wave of statewide Small Business Survey (1,049 small business leaders surveyed) examining diverse entrepreneurship and equitable economic growth.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Emerging players

• Change Research: Change Research is a polling firm that focuses on rapid-turnaround, progressive advocacy, and grassroots-oriented surveys with public-facing output. Comparable to MPG in serving advocacy clients with public opinion research, though oriented toward a different political constituency and methodology stack.

Direct peers

• Marist Poll: Marist Poll is a nonpartisan university-based public opinion research center that conducts national and state-level polling, often partnering with NPR/PBS NewsHour. Directly comparable to MPG in mission, methodology, and media-distribution model, though operating at a larger national scale.
• Emerson College Polling: Emerson College Polling conducts frequent state and national polls with public methodological transparency, frequently cited by media outlets. Comparable to MPG as a nonpartisan, methodology-focused polling operation serving both public-sector and media clients.
• Selzer & Company: Selzer & Company is a respected polling firm that conducts public opinion research for major media and political clients. Comparable to MPG as a nonpartisan public opinion research firm with strong media partnerships, though operating at a larger and more national scale.
• Harvard CAPS/Harris Poll: Harvard CAPS/Harris Poll is a high-profile polling partnership that conducts national and select state-level surveys, frequently cited by major media. Comparable to MPG as a nonpartisan public opinion research operation, though operating at a national scale with different distribution mechanisms.
• Public Policy Polling: Public Policy Polling is a Democratic-affiliated polling firm that conducts public polling for advocacy, political, and media clients. Directly comparable to MPG in serving political and advocacy clients with public-facing survey work, though with a clear political orientation.
• Quinnipiac University Poll: Quinnipiac University Poll is a nonpartisan university-based polling operation that conducts high-profile state-level and national surveys. Comparable to MPG in operating model and media partnerships (CBS News, USA Today), though at a larger scale.
• Suffolk University Political Research Center: Boston-based university polling center that conducts Massachusetts and national public opinion research, frequently partnering with local media including the Boston Globe. Directly competes with MPG in the Massachusetts public opinion space.

Broad incumbents

• YouGov: YouGov is a global public opinion and data research firm with proprietary panel-based methodology and commercial sector breadth. Comparable to MPG in delivering public opinion research to media and policy clients, but operates as a large commercial enterprise with panel technology and international reach.
• Morning Consult: Morning Consult is a large-scale commercial research and polling firm that conducts thousands of surveys across politics, business, and consumer topics. Comparable to MPG in delivering public opinion research for media and policy clients, but operates at significantly larger scale with proprietary technology and a broad enterprise portfolio.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-massinc-polling-group

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The MassINC Polling Group