Constituents, not contributors
We take no money from corporations, corporate PACs, registered lobbyists or industry trade groups, and we serve only campaigns and offices that hold the same line.
01 · Why we exist
Corporate money has policy shops. Voters deserve one too.
When a lawmaker needs a bill drafted, a cost estimate or an answer to an industry attack, someone has to do that work. Too often it is a lobbyist, or a think tank funded by the same interests. Leaders who turn down corporate money have pledges and endorsements, but rarely the research and legislation to back them up. We were founded to fill that gap.
$4.4Bspent lobbying the federal government in 2024, a record
24 : 1registered lobbyists for every member of Congress
$15.9Bspent on the 2024 federal elections, the most ever
OpenSecrets, via PBS NewsHour and Statista. Full sources on the homepage.
02 · What we do
Every policy, built three ways.
Persuading the public, informing staff and writing the law are different jobs. Each item on our agenda is built for all three.
For voters
The story
A data story that makes the case in plain language, with interactive charts and every figure sourced.
For staff and press
The brief
A few printable pages with the evidence, the cost, and who benefits and who pays.
For lawmakers
The toolkit
Model bill language, rebuttals to industry talking points, and lines for town halls.
The Constituent Agenda so far
03 · Our principles
The rules we hold ourselves to.
No. 01
No. 02
Evidence first
Every figure we publish names its source. Where we calculate a number ourselves, we say so and show how. When the evidence is mixed, we say that too.
No. 03
Show our work
Our methods, data and funding are public. When we get something wrong, we correct it in the open and note what changed.
No. 04
Equity is the measure
For every proposal we ask who benefits, who pays and who is left out. A policy that helps the average while failing the most vulnerable is not finished.
No. 05
Plain language
Policy that only experts can read serves experts. We write so a voter, a staffer and a reporter can all use the same page.
No. 06
Principles, not party
Our tools are open to any campaign or office that refuses corporate PAC and lobbyist money. We judge leaders by whose money they take and whose interests they serve.
04 · Who we are
A small team, answering to no donor.
We are just getting started, and we are building a team of researchers, writers and organizers who share these principles.
Keith Chaput
FounderPolicy researchers
Joining soonEconomists, health and labor analysts, and data journalists who want their work to reach lawmakers who will act on it.
Advisory board
FormingScholars, organizers and former public officials who can keep our work rigorous, independent and useful.
05 · How we're funded
Funded by people, in public.
Funding rules
The Constituent Institute · every year
Corporate donations$0.00
Corporate PAC money$0.00
Money from registered lobbyists$0.00
Industry trade group funding$0.00
Gifts of $200 or moreNamed publicly
Foundation grantsDisclosed in full
Owed to anyone but constituentsNothing
Our work will be funded by individual donors and by foundations that accept our funding rules. We publish every grant and every gift of $200 or more, and totals for smaller gifts, on our Supporters page.
When a lawmaker cites our work, no one should have to wonder who paid for it.
06 · Work with us
Get in touch.
Campaigns & offices
Want a brief, model bill language or help answering an industry attack? Every brief and toolkit we publish is free in our resources library.
Browse the resourcesPress
Reporters can request data, methods or an interview about any item on our agenda.
Press contact coming soon.
Researchers & volunteers
We are looking for people who want their research to change policy, not just inform it.
Contact details coming soon.