Frequently Asked Questions

IPS is a progressive think tank dedicated to building a more equitable, ecologically sustainable, and peaceful society. In partnership with dynamic social movements, we turn transformative policy ideas into action.

Founded in 1963 as Washington’s first progressive multi-issue think tank, the Institute for Policy Studies (IPS) has served as a policy and research resource for visionary social justice movements for over five decades — from the anti-war and civil rights movements in the 1960s to the peace and global justice movements of the last decade.

Today the Institute’s work is organized into more than a dozen projects, reflecting our public scholars’ diverse areas of expertise. In practice, these projects collaborate strategically to pursue three overarching policy goals: peace, justice, and the environment. You can learn more about our projects here.

Our public scholars are the heart and soul of the Institute’s work. Their passion for bringing fresh, bold ideas and substantiated research together to catalyze social change, both at home and abroad, has allowed the Institute for Policy Studies to turn ideas into action for the past fifty years. You can learn more about our experts and their work here.

Our Board of Trustees includes individuals from diverse fields, from poets to activists, journalists to economists, to name just a few. Broad-ranging as their areas of expertise may be, our Trustees are united by their commitment to work with the Institute to create a more peaceful, just, and green society. You can learn more about them here.

We receive approximately 75% of our income from private and family foundations, about 20% from individual donors, and the remaining 5% from “earned” income through events, tuitions, honoraria, publications, and the like.

Currently, we devote the majority of our funding – 88% – to our programs. We allocate the remaining 12% to overhead expenses including accounting, human resource management, communications, insurance, and fundraising.

You can download copies of our annual report, audits, and Forms 990 online, or contact our Development Department at 202-787-5272 or donate@ips-dc.org for hard copies.

The Institute for Policy Studies is organized as a District of Columbia non-profit corporation, and we have been designated a 501(c)(3) corporation by the Internal Revenue Service. Donations to the Institute are therefore tax-deductible.

Our tax identification number (EIN) is 52-0788947.

The Institute, since its founding in 1963, has had a policy of accepting no donations from government entities. There are no other formal restrictions with respect to accepting donations. In practice, however, the Institute does not solicit, and rarely accepts, gifts from large corporations.

Our development staff is always delighted to meet with our donors or others interested in the Institute at our headquarters. You are also welcome to attend any of our public events.

To update your contact information, you can contact our Development Department by phone at 202-787-5272, by email at donate@ips-dc.org, or by mail at:

Institute for Policy Studies
Attn: Development Department
1301 Connecticut Ave. NW, Suite 600
Washington, DC 20036

The Institute for Policy Studies never shares or sells the names or contact information of its donor lists with any other organizations, individuals, or campaigns.

You can sign up online to be a monthly sustainer of the Institute. In fact, setting up regular payments directly helps us reduce administrative costs. Most supporters arrange for a monthly charge to their credit card, which helps us to be more efficient and avoid mailing out reminders.

Donors may choose to earmark their gifts for any of the Institute’s specific projects. You can do so using our secure online donation form, by mail, or by phone. Or, you can contact our Development Office at 202-787-5272 or donate@ips-dc.org if you have further questions regarding gift designation.

There are various ways you can support the Institute for Policy Studies in your estate plans. For more information, please visit the planned giving section of our website or contact our Development Department at 202-787-5235 or donate@ips-dc.org.

Donating to the Institute for Policy Studies is a wonderful way to honor a friend or family member who shares the Institute’s commitment to the promotion of peace, justice, and the environment. You can do so using our secure online donation form, by mail, or by phone.

Yes, you can. Our Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) code is 12787.