Using Research to Fight Privatization Federal officials, backed by supposedly independent think tanks and scholars, were seeking to privatize government work. A union client suspected there was a financial relationship between corporations that stood to benefit from privatization and the think tanks that advocated privatization. We began by following the money, which at times was laundered through dark money groups and hidden contributions. Our white papers exposed a pay-to-play scheme: companies sending money to think tanks that advocated privatization, thus increasing the companies' profits.

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Providing Research to Build Bargaining Power A union client was preparing for negotiations and asked us to provide information about management’s new negotiating team. Our research ensured that union negotiators were fully prepared. The client used it to identify opportunities to engage members and strengthen its contract campaign.

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Helping a Client Avoid Risk A client asked us to vet a potential vendor. We had just a few business days before the client needed to make the yes-no decision. In that short period of time, our research found multiple problems with the vendor, including  questions about the vendor’s viability and judgment. With our research in hand, the client was able to make a decision that minimized organizational risk. 

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Writing Reports to Strengthen Advocacy 

A client seeking to establish itself as the leading voice for gender equity asked us for a research-backed, engaging report on economic and educational issues. Our report, using unique data analysis and web-friendly graphics, not only identified barriers that women and girls face but also identified opportunities to overcome those barriers.