D.C. Policy Center

Established in 2016, the D.C. Policy Center is a non-partisan think tank committed to advancing policies for a strong and vibrant economy in the District of Columbia.

The D.C. Policy Center informs policymaking by offering data and analyses on the District’s economy and demography. The D.C. Policy Center engages in policymaking by developing and promoting policy proposals, building coalitions to facilitate their adoption, and providing the strongest evidence and the most convincing arguments in support of our policy agenda. Our main audience includes key members of the District’s policy world who collectively shape the direction of policy in the District, such as the Mayor and executive appointees; Councilmembers and their staff; career civil servants; and engaged advocates, employers, business groups, associations, academics, and analysts.

The D.C. Policy Center has a singular focus on the D.C. economy and demographics.

The District of Columbia is a unique entity: No other major city is so starkly separated from its broader metropolitan area by state lines, and no other state is so completely defined by its central city. The challenges—and opportunities—facing policymakers in the District of Columbia are likewise unique: The city is administratively separated from its metropolitan region, while economic and demographic trends reflect how employers and residents make decisions within the context of the entire region. A D.C.-focused, data-driven policy center, which puts in context the local and regional push and pull factors, can bring together policymakers, employers, industry leaders, community advocates, and other stakeholders to advance comprehensive policies that support a strong and growing local economy for all District residents.

Through rigorous research and collaboration, the D.C. Policy Center will test policy ideas, disseminate its findings, and engage in constructive dialogue and debate. It will foster debate based on its research and data, and offer practical policy solutions for elected officials and civic leaders. The D.C. Policy Center will also put forward comprehensive policy options to solve major problems in our city including: job creation, building and maintaining housing for middle and low income residents, workforce development, alleviating poverty, and infrastructure investment, among others. The unifying theme in our work is the premise that a strong and competitive economy creates the greatest range of options and the requisite resources for serving the needs of our city, especially our most vulnerable residents.

More: dcpolicycenter.org/about

The D.C. Policy Center is a 501(c)(3) civic organization committed to improving the District of Columbia.