Mercatus Center
Business Profile
Core Value Proposition
Mercatus Center provides research, policy insights, and academic programs grounded in classical liberal economics to inform policy, strengthen institutions, and help people flourish.
Target Customer
- Policymakers at the local, state, and national level - Academics, researchers, and think-tank professionals - Students (high school, undergraduate, graduate) studying economics, political economy, or related disciplines - Thought leaders and media engaging with policy debates
Key Differentiator
Rooted in classical liberal market-oriented thinking and nonpartisan economic research, with direct engagement to move ideas from theory to practice; notable programs include Emergent Ventures (and Fast Grants), The 1991 Project, and Marginal Revolution University, plus a global alumni network of 2,200+
Implementation Timeline
Not explicitly specified for overall offerings; the Fast Grants rapid funding initiative indicates some programs aim for swift impact, but noη»δΈ implementation timeline is provided for all offerings
Pain Points
- 1Gap between economic theory and real-world policy application
- 2Need for market-oriented, evidence-based policy analysis accessible to decision-makers
- 3Limited training pathways to develop classical-liberal public intellectuals and policy researchers
Key Features
- 1Research publications (working papers, policy briefs, testimonies, etc.) and policy insights for policymakers
- 2Fellowships across multiple levels (PhD, MA, undergraduate, and other disciplines) focused on political economy
- 3Initiatives and programs: Emergent Ventures, The 1991 Project, Marginal Revolution University
- 4Policy resources, podcasts, and media engagement to disseminate ideas broadly
- 5Direct engagement with policymakers, media, and thought leaders to translate research into practice
Target Customer Industries
Decision Makers
- 1Faculty Director
- 2Senior Research Fellow
Client Results
- 1Emergent Ventures program and its Fast Grants offshoot: raised more than $50 million and awarded 260 grants toward critical research (COVID-19 related) as part of accelerating scientific progress
- 2Marginal Revolution University: used by more than 7,500 US high school economics teachers, with 1,000+ videos and 60+ days of lesson plans
- 3MRU and Mercatus research outputs are designed to move policy discussions from theory to real-world application
Competitive Advantages
- 1Nonpartisan, evidence-based economic research for policymakers
- 2Grounding in classical liberal, market-oriented thinking with a practice-oriented approach
- 3Direct engagement with policymakers, media, and thought leaders to implement policy ideas
- 4Long-running, diverse set of programs (fellowships, Emergent Ventures, MRU) supported by a global alumni network
- 5Public-facing policy resources and accessibility through podcasts and educational initiatives
Key Benefits
Case Studies & Success Stories
Emergent Ventures and Fast Grants outcomes
A low-overhead fellowship/grant program that supports scalable ideas; Fast Grants launched in 2020 to rapidly fund COVID-19 related research, raising over $50 million and awarding 260 grants
Marginal Revolution University (MRU) impact
MRU offers a large library of free economics content (1,000+ videos) used by thousands of educators and students; publisher describes extensive reach (e.g., 7,500+ US high school econ teachers) and a broad set of instructional resources
Additional Product Information
Product Description
Think tank at George Mason University delivering research, policy insights, and academic programs rooted in classical liberal economics to inform policy and strengthen institutions.
Target Market
Policy makers, academics, students, researchers, think-tank and policy professionals, and media/communications professionals seeking evidence-based, market-oriented policy analysis.
Unique Value Proposition
Nonpartisan, market-readable economic research with a strong bridge from theory to policy, supported by high-engagement programs (fellowships, Emergent Ventures, MRU) and direct policymaker outreach.
Technical Requirements
Not specified in provided content
Pricing Model
Donations/funding; no public product pricing listed
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