Applied Policy Research
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- Research that translates directly into actionable policy recommendations
- Findings that speak to practitioners and policymakers, not just academic audiences
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- Bringing an organizational culture and 75+ years of experience conducting policy-relevant applied research
- Ensuring research products are designed for real-world application from the outset
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Interdisciplinary Research Teams
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- Expertise spanning multiple disciplines to address complex policy problems
- Integration of diverse methodological perspectives
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- Providing researchers who routinely work across disciplinary boundaries as standard practice
- Assembling teams that blend methods and perspectives to match the complexity of the research question
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Rapid Team Formation
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- Quick assembly of qualified research teams to meet proposal deadlines
- Flexibility to scale teams up or down as project needs evolve
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- Rapidly mobilizing researchers with the right mix of skills for emerging opportunities
- Offering organizational structures designed for flexible, project-based team formation
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Methodological Breadth
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- Specialized analytical methods such as causal inference, simulation modeling, cost-benefit analysis, network analysis, forecasting, or scalable computing
- Mixed-methods designs requiring diverse technical skills
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- Providing deep expertise across a wide range of quantitative and qualitative methods
- Matching the right methods to research questions rather than limiting designs to available expertise
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Breadth of Specialized Expertise
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- Access to highly specialized subject-matter experts outside your institution's core strengths
- International or comparative perspectives on policy issues
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- Drawing on approximately 1,850 employees, including research professionals spanning virtually every policy domain
- Deploying staff from 50+ nations with regional expertise and language capabilities
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Global Research Presence
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- International research components or comparative policy analysis
- Connections to research institutions or governments outside the U.S.
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- Leveraging eight offices worldwide (U.S., Europe, Australia) and established global networks
- Bringing international perspectives and relationships to complement domestic rural research
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Federally Funded Research & Development Centers
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- Deep relationships with specific federal agencies (DoW, DHS)
- Understanding of federal research cultures, requirements, and priorities
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- Offering trusted advisor status through four FFRDCs serving the Army, Air Force, Office of the Secretary of Defense, and Department of Homeland Security
- Providing expertise in navigating federal research environments and sponsor relationships
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Survey Research Capabilities
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- Primary data collection through telephone, internet, or in-person surveys
- Access to nationally representative samples for rapid data collection
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- Providing an internal survey research group with professional staff trained in multi-mode survey design and fielding
- Offering access to proprietary panels including the American Life Panel (a nationally representative panel of U.S. adults), American Youth Panel, and Veterans Insight Panel
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Graduate School & Research Pipeline
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- Additional research capacity from trained graduate students
- Students with experience in applied, interdisciplinary policy analysis
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- Contributing Ph.D. students from the RAND School of Public Policy—the oldest and largest public policy doctoral program in the U.S.
- Providing students trained through hands-on work on real-world research projects
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Rural & Agricultural Policy Connections
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- Connecting rural research to broader national policy frameworks and federal priorities
- Understanding how rural issues intersect with health, education, workforce, infrastructure, and other policy domains
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- Bringing experience across federal policy areas that affect rural communities
- Helping position rural research within national policy conversations
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Practitioner & Policymaker Networks
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- Relationships with federal agencies, state governments, or national organizations to support dissemination
- Pathways to translate research findings into policy impact
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- Providing established connections to policymakers, practitioners, and funders across policy areas
- Supporting dissemination strategies that maximize research impact
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Research Support Infrastructure
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- Robust grants management and contract administration support
- Dedicated project management to reduce administrative burden on researchers
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- Offering experienced grants, contracting, and project management teams
- Freeing researchers to focus on research rather than administration
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Diverse Professional Products & Deliverables
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- Deliverables beyond traditional reports—such as tools, databases, visualizations, simulations, or multimedia
- Technical product development requiring specialized skills (AI, automation, interactive platforms)
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- Providing professional staff with expertise across a wide range of product types
- Delivering tools, databases, data visualizations, simulations, gaming/wargaming exercises, AI/automation solutions, videos, infographics, and more
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Federal Contracting Experience
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- Contract-based federal research with FAR compliance requirements
- Experience with specific federal agencies (DoD, HHS, USDA, DOL, ED)
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- Bringing extensive experience with federal contracts across multiple agencies
- Providing established processes for contract compliance and deliverable management
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Thought Leadership & Visibility
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- Institutional platform to elevate research findings to national audiences
- Positioning as a recognized voice on crosscutting policy issues
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- Offering RAND's reputation and visibility as a leading policy research organization
- Amplifying collaborative research through RAND's communications channels and public presence
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External Communications & Outreach
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- Media engagement, congressional outreach, or donor relations to amplify research impact
- Strategic communications and social media support
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- Providing dedicated professional staff for media relations, congressional engagement, donor relations, and marketing
- Leveraging established relationships with journalists, Hill staff, and funders to maximize visibility
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Institutional Reputation & Credibility
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- Credibility with funders, policymakers, or stakeholders who value nonpartisan, rigorous analysis
- Track record with specific sponsors or in particular policy areas
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- Bringing 75+ years of recognized, nonpartisan policy research (32 Nobel laureates affiliated)
- Enhancing proposal competitiveness through RAND's established reputation with funders
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Partnership Value
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- Combining RAND's policy research expertise, methodological depth, and national networks with your institution's rural expertise, community connections, and extension services
- Delivering research with both national policy relevance and local applicability
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