Social Insights Research
Social Insights Research is a women-of-color-led research and evaluation consultancy providing mixed-methods, community-centered program evaluation, qualitative research, and strategic planning to foundations, nonprofits, and movement organizations across the United States.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2018
- HeadquartersAtlanta, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Social Insights Research does
Social Insights Research is a privately held, women-of-color-led research and evaluation consultancy founded in 2018 by Dr. Zuri Tau and headquartered in Atlanta, GA. The firm delivers mixed-methods research and evaluation services — including program evaluation, qualitative research, strategic planning, survey research, and multi-site national studies — to foundations, nonprofits, movement organizations, universities, and government agencies. Its methodological differentiator is a participatory, 'liberatory' approach that centers community voice and the experiences of marginalized populations, deployed through case studies, focus groups, photovoice, interviews, and survey research analyzed using Nvivo and MAXQDA. Named clients include Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Borealis Philanthropy, PolicyLink, BEAM, Police Foundation, and Giving Gap.
The company operates as a project-based professional services firm with custom-quoted engagements, a distributed US footprint across Atlanta, Durham, Chicago, New Orleans, and New York, and a 1-10 person core team supplemented by a fellowship pipeline. Distribution is relationship-driven direct sales targeting enterprise buyers in the philanthropic and social sector, supported by a website, LinkedIn and Instagram presence, a webinar series ('More Than a Phase'), and an active publications library. The firm generates revenue solely through professional services fees; there are no funding rounds, external investors, or productized SaaS offerings.
Social Insights is bootstrapped and founder-owned, with no disclosed revenue or institutional investors, and no AI/ML technology layer beyond standard research analytics tooling. Competitive positioning rests on a proprietary methodology framework, deep cultural competency for work with marginalized communities, and high-trust relationships with foundations and movement organizations — characteristics that constrain direct head-to-head competition but also limit scaling velocity in a labor-intensive, bespoke services model.
Social Insights Research firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Social Insights Research
- Legal name
- Social Insights Research, Inc
- Website
- https://socinsights.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2018
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Social Insights Research is a women-of-color-led research and evaluation consultancy providing mixed-methods, community-centered program evaluation, qualitative research, and strategic planning to foundations, nonprofits, and movement organizations across the United States.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Social Insights Research industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Social Research and Evaluation Consulting
- NAICS
- Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (54172)
- SIC
- Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Industry & Sector Research (Syndicated/Custom) (BPAHALAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Policy, Regulatory & Public Affairs Research (BPAHALAF), Education Policy, Research & Advocacy Organizations (Nonprofit) (BPAGADAN), Think Tanks, Policy Research & Public Policy Institutes (BPAGAFAO), Global Health Research, Evidence & Technical Assistance Organizations (HLAJAKAN), Social Justice & Human Rights Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAN)
Keywords
Where Social Insights Research is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Atlanta
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices5 records
Markets served
Social Insights Research business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Research & Evaluation Services: Provides professional research and evaluation services to foundations, nonprofits, government agencies, and community organizations. Engages in program evaluation, survey research, qualitative research, and strategic planning engagements.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels6 records
Social Insights Research product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Social Insights Research provides program evaluation, qualitative research, survey research, and strategic planning services to foundations, nonprofits, government agencies, and movement organizations. The firm uses mixed-methods, participatory, and equity-centered research designs that consider intersections of identity and power. It is a women-of-color-led practice with national reach across multiple offices in Washington, DC, Oakland, CA, and Chicago, IL.
Product overview
Social Insights Research is a women of color led research and evaluation consulting firm offering a unified suite of services centered on participatory, community-centered approaches to measuring social impact. The core offerings include Program Evaluation, Qualitative Research (with Nvivo and MAXQDA), Strategic Planning, Survey Research, and Multi-site and National Studies. These services are complemented by Research & Evaluation, Strategy & Theory Building, Presentations, Education, and Speaking & Co-Learning offerings. The company specializes in mixed-methods research that goes beyond traditional counting of hours, people, and dollars to capture the full human experience, with a focus on equity, liberation, and centering marginalized populations.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Program Evaluation
- Qualitative Research
- Survey Research
- Strategic Planning
- Multi-site and National Studies
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 1,000 Philadelphians surveyed on community safety and government spending
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Social Insights Research
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Social Insights Research technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Social Insights Research partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Robert Wood Johnson FoundationcoreCo-led participatory evaluation of RWJF's multi-million dollar power-building initiative over 3 years using mixed-methods design including survey research, evaluation advisory boards, and in-depth case studies.
- Center for Third World OrganizingcoreCommunity-based organization partnership for evaluation and research support.
- Women's Democracy LabcorePartnership for leadership development program evaluation.
- BEAM (Black Emotional & Mental Health Collective)coreMultiple evaluation projects including Healing Justice Training evaluations, Emotionally Intelligent Leadership programs, and ongoing research partnerships.
- Borealis PhilanthropycoreParticipatory grantmaking strategy, implementation, and design. Also collaborated on Movement-Defined Learning Project.
- Compass PointminorPartnered to examine how racial equity values are reflected in their programs and company norms.
- American Evaluation Association (AEA)minorTeam members have presented at AEA conferences.
- Society of Research in Action (SCRA)minorTeam members have presented at SCRA conferences.
- Liberatory ResearchminorCommunity of practice co-founded by Dr. Zuri Tau focusing on liberatory research methodologies. Social Insights team members participate in sessions.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Social Insights Research competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- ORS Impact: Evaluation and strategy consulting firm focused on philanthropic and nonprofit clients, with deep practice in equity-centered and participatory evaluation — directly comparable methodology and buyer profile to Social Insights Research.
- Innovation Network: Nonprofit consulting firm specializing in evaluation, learning, and strategy for foundations and advocacy organizations, with explicit expertise in equity and social justice — closely matches Social Insights Research's niche.
- TCC Group: Consulting firm serving foundations and nonprofits on strategy, evaluation, and capacity building. Highly comparable buyer base, service mix, and project scale to Social Insights Research.
- Spark Policy Institute: Research and evaluation firm working with foundations and community initiatives on equity, systems change, and movement building — directly comparable methodology and foundation customer base.
- The Improve Group: Evaluation, research, and strategic planning consultancy serving foundations, nonprofits, and government. Comparable size and service mix to Social Insights Research with overlapping participatory methodology.
- Equal Measure: Evaluation and philanthropic advisory firm working with foundations on equity-focused and community-centered research — closely aligned with Social Insights Research's participatory methodology and foundation customer segment.
- Harder+Company Community Research: Social research and evaluation firm serving foundations, nonprofits, and government agencies with mixed-methods research — direct competitor for similar program evaluation and equity-focused engagements.
Broad incumbents
- Urban Institute: Major nonprofit research organization producing social and economic policy research. Overlaps with Social Insights Research on foundation-funded equity research at significantly greater scale.
- Mathematica Policy Research: Large-scale policy research and evaluation firm serving federal agencies, foundations, and nonprofits. Represents the scale-player incumbent that competes for the same foundation evaluation RFPs at higher volume.
- MDRC: Social policy research organization evaluating programs for foundations and government. Competes in similar foundation-driven evaluation RFPs and has begun incorporating equity-focused frameworks.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Social Insights Research social profiles
Digital presenceSocial Insights Research financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Social Insights Research leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles17 records
Social Insights Research funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Social Insights Research 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 Social Insights Research
What does Social Insights Research do?
Social Insights Research provides program evaluation, qualitative research, survey research, and strategic planning services to foundations, nonprofits, government agencies, and movement organizations. The firm uses mixed-methods, participatory, and equity-centered research designs that consider intersections of identity and power. It is a women-of-color-led practice with national reach across multiple offices in Washington, DC, Oakland, CA, and Chicago, IL.
Is Social Insights Research a public or private company?
Social Insights Research is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Social Insights Research founded?
Social Insights Research was founded in 2018. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Social Insights Research based?
Social Insights Research is headquartered in Atlanta, United States, in the North America region.
How does Social Insights Research make money?
One revenue line is on record: research & Evaluation Services.
Who are Social Insights Research's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are ORS Impact, Innovation Network, TCC Group, Spark Policy Institute, The Improve Group, Equal Measure and Harder+Company Community Research. Broad incumbents are Urban Institute, Mathematica Policy Research and MDRC.
Does Social Insights Research have an API?
No public API is recorded for Social Insights Research.
What industry is Social Insights Research in?
Social Insights Research's product category is Social Research and Evaluation Consulting. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHALAE, Industry & Sector Research (Syndicated/Custom), with a secondary code of BPAHALAF, Policy, Regulatory & Public Affairs Research. Its NAICS code is 54172 and its SIC code is 8700.