Pelican Institute For Public Policy

What Pelican Institute For Public Policy does

The Pelican Institute for Public Policy is a Louisiana-based, non-profit, non-partisan free-market research institute founded in 2008. It operates exclusively within Louisiana, advocating for policies that promote individual liberty, free enterprise, and economic opportunity. The organization serves three primary stakeholder groups: state policymakers and legislators who consume its research, media outlets that rely on its polling and expert commentary, and the general public of Louisiana supporters who fund the institute through donations and engage via newsletters, events, and 'Take Action' campaigns.

The institute's deliverables are research- and advocacy-based rather than software- or product-based. It publishes policy reports across focus areas of Education, Energy, Legal & Regulatory, Fiscal Reform, Transportation, Technology & Innovation, and Opportunity; produces original quarterly statewide polling through the Pelican Pulse initiative; hosts the annual Solutions Summit conference featuring national and state leaders; operates dedicated policy sub-brand centers (Center for Energy, Center for Justice, Center for Technology & Innovation Policy, Pelican Leadership Academy); and runs the LA GATOR Scholarship Program. It also engages in direct legislative advocacy through policy letters, testimony, amicus briefs, and citizen mobilization tools. Distribution is concentrated through its website (pelicanpolicy.org), email newsletter, social media, earned media (op-eds in outlets including the Wall Street Journal), and in-person events.

Revenue is generated through donations and contributions from individuals and organizations supporting the institute's free-market policy mission. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, the institute is governed by a board and managed by CEO Daniel Erspamer; it has no parent company, no disclosed investors, and no public revenue disclosures. Operations are split between a New Orleans headquarters at 400 Poydras St., Suite 900 and a Baton Rouge office at 342 Lafayette St., Suite C.

Name

Pelican Institute For Public Policy

Legal name

Pelican Institute for Public Policy

Website

https://pelicanpolicy.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The Pelican Institute for Public Policy is a Louisiana-based nonprofit think tank founded in 2008 that produces free-market policy research, conducts statewide polling, and advocates on education, energy, tax reform, and technology issues for state legislators, media, and the public.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Policy Research (Think Tank)

NAICS

Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Social Advocacy Organizations (81331), Marketing Research and Public Opinion Polling (54191)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Education Policy, Research & Advocacy Organizations (Nonprofit) (BPAGADAN), Education Policy Advocacy & Lobbying Organizations (EDADADAB)

Keywords

• Public policy research
• Free-market think tank
• Policy advocacy
• State policy analysis
• Legislative research

Headquarters

HQ city

New Orleans

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Contributions: The Pelican Institute is a non-profit, non-partisan research institute that generates revenue through donations from individuals and organizations supporting free-market policy research and advocacy in Louisiana.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Pelican Institute for Public Policy is Louisiana's leading free-market think tank, producing original policy research reports, statewide polling data (Pelican Pulse), legal advocacy (Center for Justice amicus briefs), and policy-focused events such as the annual Solutions Summit. Its work spans education choice, energy policy, tax/fiscal reform, legal/regulatory reform, transportation, technology & innovation, and opportunity, with outputs targeted at Louisiana legislators, regulators, media, and engaged citizens.

Product overview

The Pelican Institute for Public Policy is Louisiana's leading free-market think tank founded in 2008. It is not a software product company but rather a policy research organization that produces publications, conducts polling research (Pelican Pulse Poll), operates policy centers (Center for Energy, Center for Technology & Innovation Policy, Center for Justice), hosts the annual Solutions Summit event, and advocates for the LA GATOR Scholarship Program. The organization provides research reports, blog posts, op-eds, and press releases as its primary deliverables rather than software products or platforms.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Center for Energy: Policy center focused on Louisiana energy policy, electricity costs, and regulatory reform.
• Center for Justice
• Center for Technology & Innovation Policy
• Pelican Leadership Academy
• Pelican Pulse
• Solutions Summit

Products and services

• Pelican Pulse Poll A statewide polling initiative that regularly surveys Louisiana voters on key issues to track public sentiment and inform solutions that expand freedom and opportunity. The Q1 2026 poll revealed voter concerns over rising utility costs and broad support for school choice and government restraint.
• Solutions Summit An annual policy summit bringing together leaders from across Louisiana and the country to focus on practical solutions for the state's future, featuring keynote conversations, panel discussions, and the Pelican Pulse Poll presentation.
• Solutions Summit 2026 On Demand On-demand video recordings of the 2026 Solutions Summit mainstage sessions, including keynote conversations with national and state leaders, data-driven insights, and practical policy discussions.
• Policy Reports and Research Published research and policy reports covering education, energy, legal and regulatory issues, tax reform, technology, opportunity, and transportation. Includes reports such as "Shock to the System" on electricity costs and "Roadmap to Reform" on energy abundance.

Quantifiable outcome

• Hosted Solutions Summit 2026 with keynote speaker Walter Isaacson and national/state leaders
• +2 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Public Affairs Research Council of Louisiana (PAR): Independent Louisiana policy research organization producing research and analysis on state fiscal, education, and government performance issues. Comparable as a Louisiana-focused policy research body, though ideologically more centrist than Pelican's free-market orientation.
• Louisiana Association of Business and Industry (LABI): Louisiana's statewide business association actively lobbying the state legislature on free-enterprise policy across overlapping areas such as tax reform, legal/regulatory reform, and energy. Directly comparable as a Louisiana-focused pro-business policy advocate competing for the same donor and legislative influence pool.
• James Madison Institute: Florida-based free-market state think tank producing policy research, polling, and litigation engagement. Operates a near-identical model to Pelican with similar center structure, polling products, and legislative advocacy focus, scaled to Florida's larger market.
• Louisiana Budget Project: Louisiana-focused independent policy organization producing research and analysis on state fiscal, tax, and economic policy. Comparable as a Louisiana state-level policy research body, but ideologically left-leaning — competing for media share, donor attention, and legislative influence in the same state policy space.
• Texas Public Policy Foundation: A large, free-market state-level think tank producing research, litigation, and policy advocacy in Texas across energy, education, and fiscal issues. Closely comparable in model and ideological orientation to Pelican, just at substantially larger scale and in a neighboring state.
• Foundation for Government Accountability: State-focused free-market policy organization producing research and advocacy on welfare reform, education choice, and healthcare policy. Operates a similar model of state-by-state policy engagement and litigation, with substantial footprint in Louisiana-adjacent states.

Broad incumbents

• State Policy Network: Umbrella network of 60+ state-level free-market think tanks including peers like TPP and JMI. Comparable as the institutional infrastructure connecting Pelican to national donor pipelines, peer methodology, and shared policy frameworks, but operates as a coordinating body rather than direct advocacy.
• American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC): National organization of state legislators producing model free-market policy legislation. Comparable as a free-market policy infrastructure provider operating across all 50 states including Louisiana, with deeper resources and direct legislator relationships that compete with Pelican's state-level engagement.
• Heritage Foundation: Large national conservative think tank producing policy research, litigation, and advocacy across federal and state issues. Comparable as a free-market policy research organization with overlapping issue coverage (education choice, energy, regulatory reform) but operating at national scale with substantially larger budget.
• Americans for Prosperity: Koch-network grassroots advocacy organization engaging on free-market policy at state and federal levels including Louisiana. Comparable in ideological orientation and policy goals but operates a much larger field-and-digital organizing model versus Pelican's research-driven approach.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/pelicaninstitute
• Facebookfacebook.com/PelicanInstitute
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/pelican-institute-for-public-policy
• Instagraminstagram.com/pelicaninstitute

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 Pelican Institute For Public Policy