At the heart of The Institute’s mission is a commitment to rigorous research—both community‑based and proprietary. The independence and integrity of this work are among our most valuable assets. All research produced or published by The Institute reflects the conclusions of the research team based on the data, analytics, and synthesis. Our staff uphold the highest standards of research quality and professional ethics, follow Institute policies that protect independence and integrity, and develop recommendations that are both relevant and actionable.
In this spirit, Institute staff engage with government officials, inform the media and the public, and collaborate with nonprofit, private, and public partners on initiatives that serve society. We are committed to fostering nonpartisanship using our convening power to bring attention to the most pressing issues of the day. We value collaborative relationships with other research organizations, foundations, universities, nonprofits, the private sector, and government officials—guided by clear standards that ensure alignment with our mission, values, and policies.
Research staff at The Institute maintain full authority over their work, including decisions about methodology, analysis, conclusions, and presentation. The Board of Directors holds fiduciary responsibility for the institution. The Institute is led by President & CEO Jill Avery‑Stoss, who reports directly to the Board, supported by an executive leadership team overseeing research programs and core functions such as Finance, Human Resources, Legal, and Development. The Board regularly reviews policies and procedures to ensure our mission is carried out with the highest levels of quality, independence, and impact. Our research independence and integrity policies reflect these values, and our work does not necessarily represent the personal views of our Board, Advisory Board, Task Force Members, Donors, Clients, or Staff.
Research Independence
The Institute’s policies require that personnel safeguard the independence of our research and ensure that no outside party is permitted to undermine, influence, or predetermine research findings or recommendations. Institute researchers and staff regularly engage with external stakeholders—including subject matter experts, government officials, community partners, and the public—as well as philanthropists and donors who support The Institute’s mission of producing high‑quality, independent research and policy analysis. Throughout these interactions, Institute personnel, including researchers, are prohibited from engaging in activities that constitute lobbying, which would require registration under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA), or that promote the interests of any donor or third party. The Institute accepts funding only from donors who value and respect our research independence and do not seek to influence scholars’ conclusions. Ultimately, Institute staff retain full authority over their research and related activities.
Conflicts of Interest and Disclosure
The Institute maintains comprehensive conflict of interest policies that all employees are required to follow. These policies outline the procedures for identifying, disclosing, managing, and resolving real, potential, or perceived conflicts of interest. In addition, The Institute requires outside contributors—those who are not employees or do not hold formal affiliations—to comply with a Non‑Disclosure Agreement and a Conflict of Interest and Ethics Disclosure Policy.
Funding
The Institute’s mission is to deliver high‑quality, independent analysis and insight that helps leaders address challenges at the local, regional, state, and occasionally national levels. To support this work, The Institute receives financial contributions from a diverse range of funders, including individuals, organizations, and government entities. All donors are publicly disclosed on The Institute’s website.
Nonpartisanship
Consistent with The Institute’s mission and its commitment to nonpartisanship, Institute staff may provide objective public policy analysis and recommendations to public officials and candidates for public office. Institute personnel are prohibited from engaging in partisan political activity on behalf of the organization. They must also take appropriate steps to prevent any conflict or confusion between their personal political activities and their roles at The Institute. This includes obtaining institutional approval when necessary and publicly disclosing outside activities in accordance with the guidelines outlined in The Institute’s Personnel Manual.
Plagiarism and Research Misconduct Policy
The Institute is committed to maintaining the highest integrity in its independent research and other activities. As such, The Institute prohibits The Institute personnel from engaging in research misconduct, including plagiarizing, fabricating, or misrepresenting their research as well as failing to comply with applicable law and ethical standards.
The Institute is dedicated to upholding the highest standards of integrity in all research and related activities. Accordingly, The Institute prohibits personnel from engaging in any form of research misconduct, including plagiarism, fabrication, misrepresentation , or failure to comply with applicable laws and ethical standards including human subjects research guidelines.
Attribution and Permissions Guidelines
The following identifies proper attribution and obtaining permission to use Institute work. This includes linking to the website, reproducing original work by The Institute in whole or in part. This includes publications, newsletters, data, or diagrams, infographics, and other visuals graphics from our articles, reports, videos, or web pages.
When using Institute material, proper attribution must be provided to The Institute Institution as the source.
- No permission is required for linking to The Institute’s website.
- No permission is required to use brief excerpts or quotations from The Institute work—typically no more than 100 words in news reports, articles, or reviews.
- No permission is required to use The Institute material for nonprofit educational purposes provided proper Institute attribution is used.
- Permission is required for any commercial use of The Institute content, such as in advertisements, promotional materials, or products for sale.
- Permission is required to use any video or audio content produced or owned by The Institute. This includes but is not limited to interviews, panel discussions, lectures, podcasts, and webinars.
- Permission is required to translate The Institute material into languages other than English.
- Permission is required to use any surveys or assessments either made public as part of research or produced for client projects.
Compliance with Laws
The Institute conducts its work in full compliance with all applicable federal laws and regulations in the United States. It is equally committed to adhering to all relevant state and local laws in every jurisdiction where its activities occur.
Principles for the Use of Generative AI
The Institute may use AI tools to support its work and mission, but such tools must be used safely, responsibly, and in full compliance with applicable copyright and privacy laws, as well as all organizational policies and procedures. When using AI applications, Institute employees are expected to uphold the following principles:
- Adhere to all existing research and operational policies, including the Review and Verification Processes, the Plagiarism and Research Misconduct Policy, and the Acceptable Use of Technology Resources Policy.
- Review and verify the accuracy of all AI‑generated outputs before incorporating them into Institute work products or ensure that such outputs are reviewed by other analysts and approved by management.
- Protect all sensitive data and information.
- Provide appropriate disclosure, including in every instance where an AI‑generated image is used and whenever AI‑generated text is included.
Human Subjects Research
In the absence of an Institutional Review Board, The Institute is dedicated to safeguarding the rights, welfare, and safety of all individuals involved in Human Subjects Research, in full accordance with the principles outlined in The Belmont Report.
Reporting, Investigations, and Whistleblower Policy
The Institute is committed to conducting its work ethically and in full accordance with the law. It has established clear policies and reporting procedures for addressing research misconduct, as well as illegal or unethical behavior. Detailed guidelines regarding Anti‑Discrimination, Anti‑Harassment, and Whistleblower protections are outlined in The Institute’s Personnel Policy Manual. Institute staff are also required to sign a Code of Conduct, Confidentiality, and Ethics statement each year.
The Institute retains the right to revise, replace, or supplement its policies. We continuously review our policies and procedures to ensure that we safeguard our independence. The posting of these policies is for information purposes only, and nothing in these policies creates any legal or contractual rights or duties. If you have questions about any policy or procedure, contact our President & CEO or Chairperson of the Board.
Dr. Jolene Carey-Pace joined The Institute Team in 2021 as a Research Analyst. In 2023, she was named Senior Research & Policy Analyst. 
Sarah, a former Institute intern, joined The Institute in April 2021 as a Research Assistant. She started her new role as a Research Analyst in January 2024. 
Ooms is responsible for all facets of research, organizational strategy, and management. Ooms is an active principal investigator in all Institute research. Ooms has been nationally recognized as a leader in regional economic development. She turned that skill into a research institute to help other regions develop and prosper. Her strategic skills have allowed The Institute to expand its services to the private and non-profit sectors for research and analysis in community health needs assessments, strategic planning, market and feasibility studies, and economic impact analysis.
Jill Avery-Stoss joined The Institute in June 2018 to fill the newly-created role of Research, Data, Intern & Administrative Coordinator. She assists with the collection and management of data for purposes of ethical and efficient analysis. She visits partner campuses to market The Institute’s internship opportunities, and participates in event-planning logistical activities as well. In 2021, Jill was promoted to Director of Operations to reflect the diversity in her job description and the additional marketing and communication functions she successfully mastered in 2020. In 2022, Jill was named Chief Operating Officer after expanding into both research and administrative management functions. Jill is taking on project management, fundraising, and other executive leadership functions of the organization. In 2024, Jill Avery-Stoss assumed the role of President of The Institute, effective January 2025.