The Institute for Work and the Economy is an independent, not-for-profit public policy research collaborative under the direction of a national board of directors. The mission of the Institute is to recognize and address emerging issues in workforce and economic development policy and to develop novel solutions and strategies for resolving structural problems facing local and regional economies. The Institute stands apart from other policy-focused organizations: - A large, diverse board of directors embraces a broad range of lived experiences. The Board is recruited with an eye toward diversity in lived experiences that enriches our thinking and approaches to challenging economic and social issues. Each board member brings networks that reach many groupings of people and communities. These networks are both sources of insights and fresh ideas for potentially far-reaching policies and initiatives. - Institutional flexibility and depth. The Institute is designed as a collaborative with few staff, low overhead, and an extensive network of collaborators. The Institute assembles and manages teams including the Board, Institute Fellows, and experts drawn from a collection of networks to achieve the goals and objectives of large initiatives as well as individual projects. Our collaborative structure allows us to “punch above our weight” and we are able to take on large, complex projects - The direction of our work is to work from the grassroots up rather than from the top down. It is often the case that the voices of those who are least powerful go unheard when policies are formed at the top of government and business. Our view is that robust and broadly beneficial solutions emerge when we begin at the ground level with the stories, experiences, and ideas of those who know first-hand the consequences of policies and programs.