Understory

What Understory does

Understory is a privately held research and policy consulting firm that delivers high-impact research, strategic planning, program evaluation, and data analysis services to NGOs, philanthropic foundations, and government agencies advancing human rights, social justice, and equity causes. The firm is led by founder Sarah Tofte (formerly of Human Rights Watch, Joyful Heart Foundation, Everytown for Gun Safety, and the Innocence Project) and co-founder Nasir Husain (formerly of Bain & Company and Everytown), with a small associate-level addition as of 2025; the team operates from declared locations in San Juan, London, and Los Angeles. Its client roster includes Human Rights Watch, BRAC, PEN America, Giffords Law Center, Sesame Workshop, Her Justice, the Joyce Foundation, and the Minnesota Department of Health.

The firm's service offerings are organized into four pillars: Research and Writing, Strategic Planning, Learning and Evaluation, and Data Analysis and Visualization. Core technology consists of Tableau-based dashboards (notably a first-of-its-kind Violent Death Reporting System dashboard for Michigan and Minnesota state health departments) layered on top of qualitative and quantitative research methodologies, including trauma-informed interviewing techniques for sensitive populations such as child athletes and abuse survivors. Engagements are project-based deliverables (e.g., multi-country program evaluations, policy platforms, strategic plans, and visualization tools) rather than a unified software platform.

Understory's business model is professional services: project-based consulting fees scoped to deliverables, with no public pricing and no disclosed external funding. Go-to-market is sales-led, relying on direct outreach, referrals from existing clients, and sector reputation within the NGO and social-impact ecosystem. The firm has no disclosed headcount growth, no funding rounds, and no parent or subsidiary structure, operating as an independent founder-owned partnership.

Name

Understory

Website

https://understory.info

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Understory is a research and policy consulting firm that delivers qualitative research, strategic planning, program evaluation, and data visualization for leading NGOs, foundations, and government agencies advancing human rights and social justice.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Research and Policy Consulting: Project-based consulting engagements with NGOs, foundations, and government agencies for research projects, strategic planning, program evaluation, and data analysis services. Engagements are typically scoped for specific deliverables such as reports, strategic plans, or dashboard tools.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Understory is a research and policy consulting firm that delivers evidence-based, project-based engagements for NGOs, foundations, and government agencies. Its core service lines are Research and Writing, Strategic Planning, Learning and Evaluation, and Data Analysis and Visualization, applied to advance human rights, social justice, and equity initiatives.

Product overview

Understory is a research and policy consulting firm that offers four core service offerings: Research and Writing, Strategic Planning, Learning and Evaluation, and Data Analysis and Visualization. The company delivers evidence-based consulting projects primarily for NGOs focused on human rights, social justice, and equity initiatives. Their specific engagements include: VDRS Data Dashboards built in Tableau for state health departments; the BRAC ELA Program Evaluation across four African countries; Her Justice Policy Platform and Strategic Plan for systemic change; and Human Rights Watch Child Athlete Abuse Investigation reports. These services are project-based consulting deliverables rather than a unified software platform, with each engagement tailored to client needs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Research and Writing High-impact, high-profile qualitative and quantitative research projects that help NGOs, foundations, and government agencies tell evidence-based stories that drive policy and social change.
• Strategic Planning Strategic plans that chart concrete roadmaps for organizations to achieve their vision during periods of growth or inflection, including policy strategy development for systemic change.
• Learning and Evaluation Program evaluation services that gather candid perspectives from staff and beneficiaries, assess strengths and weaknesses, and identify concrete learnings to inform program improvements.
• Data Analysis and Visualization Services that transform data into actionable insights and capture them in creative and accessible ways, including the design of data dashboards for state departments of health and public health surveillance programs.

Quantifiable outcome

• First-of-its-kind VDRS dashboards now being considered for replication by CDC and other states
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• FSG: Social impact strategy consulting firm serving NGOs, foundations, and corporations on equity-focused research and evaluation. Closely comparable to Understory in client base (leading foundations and NGOs) and consulting approach.
• MDRC: Social policy research organization conducting program evaluations and policy analyses for foundations and government. Comparable in rigorous evaluation methodology and human services research focus, though larger in scale.
• The Bridgespan Group: Nonprofit and social-sector strategy consulting firm advising leading NGOs and foundations. Comparable in serving mission-driven organizations on strategic planning, evaluation, and capacity-building engagements.
• Mathematica Policy Research: Policy research and program evaluation firm serving government agencies and foundations on social program assessment. Comparable in research methodology, evaluation work, and data visualization for public-sector and foundation clients.
• TCC Group: Consulting firm focused exclusively on the nonprofit and philanthropic sector, providing strategy, evaluation, and capacity-building services. Closely aligns with Understory's vertical specialization in NGOs and foundations.
• Arabella Advisors: Philanthropy and impact advisory firm that helps donors, foundations, and nonprofits develop strategy and deploy capital for social change. Comparable in foundation and NGO client focus with research-driven strategic planning services.

Broad incumbents

• Urban Institute: Nonprofit research organization focused on social and economic policy. Overlaps with Understory on evidence-based research serving foundations and government agencies on equity and social justice issues, though at substantially greater scale.
• RAND Corporation: Major policy research institution producing analysis on social, economic, and security policy. Overlaps with Understory on policy research and human rights analysis but operates as a much larger nonprofit research organization.
• RTI International: Research institute delivering social and scientific research for government and foundation clients. Comparable on evaluation and policy research methodology but with significantly broader scope and headcount.
• Abt Associates: Large research and consulting firm with significant social policy and international development practices serving governments and NGOs. Overlaps with Understory on evaluation and policy research but at much larger scale and broader scope.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/understory-consulting

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 Understory