Describing EPI

The Economic Policy Institute is an independent, non-profit, non-partisan research institute — or "think tank" — based in Washington, D.C. EPI researches the impact of economic trends and policies on working people in the United States and around the world.

Who supports EPI's work? 
EPI is a 501(c)3 corporation. Most of our funding (nearly 60%, on average, for the past five years) comes from foundations. The rest comes from unions, corporations, individuals, and other organizations.

Is it accurate or appropriate to call EPI labor-supported or labor-backed?
No. Foundations provide about twice as much of EPI's funding as unions do, so "foundation-supported" would be accurate but "labor-backed" is not. EPI should be described in the same manner as other major research institutions, such as the Heritage Foundation, the Brookings Institution, the CATO Institute, and the American Enterprise Institute, which are generally not labeled according to their funding sources.

Where does EPI fit on the political spectrum?
EPI is nonpartisan, and our economic research, which is based on government data and other neutral sources, should require no label.

Journalists reporting on policy questions that are part of the current debate sometimes refer to our position as liberal, progressive, or left-of-center.

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