Research in Action
Research in Action is a Black queer female-led nonprofit research organization based in Minneapolis that provides community-led participatory action research, organizational assessments, Data Walks, and convening services focused on racial justice for government agencies, foundations, and community organizations across Minnesota.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2019
- HeadquartersMinneapolis, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Research in Action does
Research in Action (RIA) is a Black queer female-led nonprofit research organization founded in 2019 by Dr. Brittany Lewis and headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. RIA provides community-led participatory action research, organizational assessments, Data Walks, coaching and training, and convening services for government agencies, foundations, and community organizations. Its flagship methodology is the proprietary Equity in Action process model, which centers lived experience of directly impacted communities — particularly Black women, girls, and femmes in Minnesota — and mandates compensating community members for their expertise and providing pro bono services to small grassroots organizations. The organization employs approximately nine staff and contracted specialists, including multiple PhD-level senior research associates spanning sociology, criminology, and behavioral science.
The business model is a nonprofit hybrid combining foundation grants (most notably a five-year Bush Community Innovation Grant channeled through the Equity in Action Way Foundation for the Justice in Institutions for Black Women, Girls, and Femmes initiative), corporate and individual donations (including the Advancing Equity in Action fundraiser), and contracted professional services for government and nonprofit clients such as Hennepin County, the City of Minneapolis, Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation, NAACP, and the Minnesota Department of Health. Services to directly impacted communities are provided at no charge; organizational partnerships are project-based and negotiated. The organization operates regionally across Minnesota, with six geographic partner regions (Twin Cities Metro, Central, Northwest, Northeast, Southwest, Southeast) and a partner ecosystem of 75+ community organizations.
RIA's documented impact includes publishing the nation's first comprehensive state-level report on missing and murdered Black women and girls (2021-2022), which catalyzed creation of Minnesota's first-in-the-nation Office of Missing and Murdered Black Women and Girls, and convening the inaugural Community Research for Liberation National Convening in 2025. The five-year Justice in Institutions initiative (2024-2029) is developing a first-of-its-kind institutional accountability assessment tool and has collected 767 statewide survey responses graded across criminal justice, child protection, housing, healthcare, and education systems.
Research in Action firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Research in Action
- Legal name
- Research in Action
- Website
- https://researchinaction.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2019
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Research in Action is a Black queer female-led nonprofit research organization based in Minneapolis that provides community-led participatory action research, organizational assessments, Data Walks, and convening services focused on racial justice for government agencies, foundations, and community organizations across Minnesota.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Research in Action industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Social and Community Research Services
- NAICS
- Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (54172), Human Rights Organizations (813311), Scientific Research and Development Services (5417)
- SIC
- Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Transitional Justice, Accountability & Reparations (BPADAGAL)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Education Policy, Research & Advocacy Organizations (Nonprofit) (BPAGADAN), Global Health Research, Evidence & Technical Assistance Organizations (HLAJAKAN)
Keywords
Where Research in Action is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Minneapolis
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Research in Action business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Foundation Grants: Primary revenue from foundation grants including the Bush Community Innovation Grant for the 5-year Justice in Institutions initiative. Funding supports community-led research projects.
- Individual and Corporate Donations: Donations from individuals and corporate sponsors for events and ongoing operations, including fundraiser events like Advancing Equity in Action.
- Contracted Research Services: Contracted by government agencies, nonprofits, and foundations to conduct community-engaged research projects and organizational assessments.
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels7 records
Research in Action product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Research in Action (RIA) is a Black queer female-led research organization that delivers community-led research, organizational assessments, coaching and training, and convening services to advance racial justice. The organization contracts with government agencies, nonprofits, and foundations to produce research outputs such as statewide surveys and policy briefs using its proprietary Equity in Action process model. Services are primarily delivered to institutional clients in Minnesota, with a five-year Justice in Institutions initiative currently underway.
Product overview
Research in Action (RIA) is a Black queer female-led research organization that provides community-led research services, coaching and training, and convening. RIA does not offer a software product, platform, or technology product. Instead, it delivers consulting and research services focused on racial justice, including the Equity in Action process model—a methodology for conducting research that centers community expertise.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Quantifiable outcome
- First state to create Office of Missing and Murdered Black Women and Girls (MMBWG) in Minnesota - catalyzed by RIA's 2022 report
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Research in Action
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Research in Action technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Research in Action partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.
- 75+ Community Organizations Across MinnesotacoreMore than 75 community leaders and organizations across Minnesota regions (Twin Cities Metro, Central, Northwest, Northeast, Southwest, Southeast) partnered to distribute and promote the Justice in Institutions survey to Black women, girls, and femmes.
- Hennepin County Child Protection ServicescoreKey partner on Off Ramps from Child Protection project, organizing community engagement events for data collection and providing strategic guidance, community connections, and logistical support.
- NAACPcoreThought partner in gathering initial project ideas and research approaches for Off Ramps from Child Protection project, leveraging experience serving people of color in Hennepin County.
- Harriet Tubman CentersupportingKey stakeholder serving as potential off-ramp resource to connect RIA with data collection opportunities and provide insight into working with Child Protection Services.
- Center for Advanced Studies in Child Welfare / Minnesota Child Welfare Training AcademysupportingKey stakeholder serving as mandated reporter training designer to connect RIA with data collection opportunities and provide insight into complexities of the current Minnesota mandated reporter system.
- Anything Helps MNsupportingHarm reduction organization partnered with RIA on Justice in Institutions statewide survey. Provides bridge between community members, grassroots experience, and systems (public health, policy, funding).
- African American Leadership ForumcoreStrategic partner for Advancing Equity in Action fundraiser event and ongoing collaboration on health equity initiatives. Partnership focuses on elevating community-driven health narratives and centering Black women, girls, and femmes.
- Saint Paul & Minnesota FoundationcorePartnered with RIA for Data Walk to assess how East Metro Pulse survey reflects directly impacted residents' experiences and to develop actionable recommendations for the foundation.
- Workgroup on Expediting Rental Assistance (WERA)supportingPartnered with RIA to conduct literature review and engage community to inform WERA's final legislative recommendations on emergency rental assistance.
- City of Minneapolis Office of Public ServicescorePartnered with RIA to conduct organizational assessment of interactions between internal departments and the Racial Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (REIB) Department.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights3 records
Research in Action competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Westat: Commercial research and evaluation firm serving government agencies. Comparable contracted research and survey methodology, though operating at far greater scale and without RIA's community-led/anti-extractive framing.
- MDRC: Social policy research nonprofit that evaluates programs serving low-income populations. Comparable in producing rigorous mixed-methods research for public agencies and foundations, with shared methodological DNA.
- Urban Institute: Large-scale social and economic policy research nonprofit. Comparable in delivering research-and-evaluation services for government and philanthropy, though at much greater scale and with broader topic coverage.
Direct peers
- Race Forward: National racial equity research, consulting, and convening organization. Highly comparable mission: produces applied research on racial justice and partners with government, philanthropy, and movement organizations to shift institutional practice.
- The Praxis Project: Community-led research and movement support organization focused on racial justice and health equity. Closely mirrors RIA's community-led participatory research approach and small-team consultancy model.
- PolicyLink: Equity-focused national policy research and advocacy institute. Comparable in conducting equity-centered research and providing organizational capacity-building for institutions seeking to advance racial and economic equity.
Others
- Borealis Philanthropy: Racial-justice focused philanthropic intermediary. Shares RIA's issue ecosystem and funder relationships, and could be a peer funder of RIA's work or a complementary partner for community-led research initiatives.
Emerging players
- Forward Together: Movement-building research and convening organization centering women and people of color. Comparable in using community-based research methodology to drive institutional and narrative change.
- African American Policy Forum: Research and advocacy organization producing intersectional analysis of structural racism, particularly affecting Black women and girls. Highly comparable target audience and issue framing to RIA's Justice in Institutions work.
Regional players
- Western States Center: Regional organization in the Pacific Northwest advancing inclusive democracy and racial justice. Comparable in combining research, convening, and direct partnership with state agencies and community organizations.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Research in Action social profiles
Digital presenceResearch in Action financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Research in Action leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
Research in Action funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Research in Action 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 Research in Action
What does Research in Action do?
Research in Action (RIA) is a Black queer female-led research organization that delivers community-led research, organizational assessments, coaching and training, and convening services to advance racial justice. The organization contracts with government agencies, nonprofits, and foundations to produce research outputs such as statewide surveys and policy briefs using its proprietary Equity in Action process model. Services are primarily delivered to institutional clients in Minnesota, with a five-year Justice in Institutions initiative currently underway.
Is Research in Action a public or private company?
Research in Action is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Research in Action founded?
Research in Action was founded in 2019. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Research in Action based?
Research in Action is headquartered in Minneapolis, United States, in the North America region.
How does Research in Action make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Foundation Grants are the primary driver. The others are individual and Corporate Donations and contracted Research Services.
Who are Research in Action's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Westat, MDRC and Urban Institute. Direct peers are Race Forward, The Praxis Project and PolicyLink. Borealis Philanthropy is listed as an others. Emerging players are Forward Together and African American Policy Forum. Western States Center is listed as a regional player.
Does Research in Action have an API?
No public API is recorded for Research in Action.
What industry is Research in Action in?
Research in Action's product category is Social and Community Research Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPADAGAL, Transitional Justice, Accountability & Reparations, with a secondary code of BPAGADAN, Education Policy, Research & Advocacy Organizations (Nonprofit). Its NAICS code is 54172 and its SIC code is 8742.