Advancing independent research and practical solutions for a more secure, prosperous, and resilient future.
Tiir Institute is a nonpartisan think tank advancing independent research and practical solutions to strengthen institutions, expand opportunity, and build a more secure, prosperous, and resilient future. Our name comes from the word for pillar, the structural column that carries a system's weight so everything built above it can stand. We work across economic development, civic engagement, governance, peace and security, and regional cooperation, producing evidence based research and actionable policy recommendations.
Tiir Institute is a nonpartisan think tank. We do not advocate for a party or a predetermined outcome. We study where the structural pillar beneath an economy, a civic system, or a governing institution is missing, weakened, or was never built to carry the weight now resting on it, and we bring that research directly to the governments, institutions, and organizations who can act on it.
Independent research is only useful if it reaches the people who can use it. We pair rigorous analysis with direct engagement, so our work informs real decisions rather than sitting on a shelf.
Non-partisan analysis, free from outside influence and predetermined conclusions.
Findings grounded in verified data, tracked rigorously from first draft to publication.
Convening the governments, institutions, and organizations positioned to act.
Research scoped from the outset toward a usable, implementable outcome.
We exist for the structural gaps that fall between the mandates of governments, institutions, and organizations, and for the belief that rigorous, nonpartisan research should end in practical impact, not sit on a shelf.
Tiir Institute is a nonpartisan think tank advancing independent research and practical solutions to strengthen institutions, expand opportunity, and build a more secure, prosperous, and resilient future. We take no position on behalf of a party, a government, or an outside interest. Our conclusions follow the evidence.
Our name describes how we work. A tiir is the column that bears a structure's load so everything above it can stand. Our task is to identify where the pillar beneath an economy, a civic system, or a governing institution is missing, weakened, or was never built to carry the weight now resting on it, and to bring that research directly to the governments, institutions, and organizations positioned to act on it.
Tiir Institute works across economic development, civic engagement, governance and institutions, peace and security, regional cooperation, and research and policy solutions.
Too many sound ideas die in the space between a research finding and a working program. Tiir Institute exists to close that gap, to make sure the problems a government, an institution, or an economy already knows it has do not just get written about, but get built on.
A tiir is the column that carries a structure's weight. These are the areas where we conduct research, convene stakeholders, and advance practical solutions. Programs in each area are currently in development.
Promoting inclusive growth, trade, and sustainable investment.
In DevelopmentStrengthening civic participation, leadership, and community voice.
In DevelopmentAdvancing accountable institutions, rule of law, and public trust.
In DevelopmentSupporting stability, conflict prevention, and regional cooperation.
In DevelopmentFostering partnerships for a more connected and resilient region.
In DevelopmentProducing evidence based research and actionable policy recommendations.
In DevelopmentTiir Institute's programs across all six areas are currently in active development. We'd rather launch fewer things well than announce many things early. If a project in one of these areas sounds like something you're already working on, we'd like to hear from you before it's finalized.
We'd rather build a research agenda that's genuinely rigorous than rush one out. Here's where things stand, and how to hear about it first.
Tiir Institute is currently in the research design phase of its work. Rather than publish quickly to establish a presence, we're taking the time to properly scope the questions worth asking across economic development, civic engagement, governance and institutions, peace and security, and regional cooperation, and to build the partnerships needed to answer them credibly.
That means original research, briefs, and case studies from Tiir Institute are not yet published. When they are, they'll appear here first, alongside the convenings and pilot projects they help inform.
Short, evidence based overviews of the structural gaps we're beginning to research in each area.
Summaries and takeaways from the convenings we host across sectors as programs come online.
Documentation of the working projects that come out of our research, including what worked and what didn't.
Be the first to know when our research agenda, briefs, and convenings go live. No unnecessary messages, just substantive updates as they're ready.
Every area of our work depends on partners who bring resources, standing, or lived expertise we don't have in-house. Here's where to plug in.
For funders, agencies, and organizations who want to co-invest in solving an overlooked problem. Partnership can mean funding, in-kind support, staff time, or simply lending standing to a project that needs it.
Start a ConversationFor researchers, practitioners, and institutions who see a gap in the literature or the field that matches what we're building. We're actively shaping our first research agenda and are open to co-authors and data partners.
Propose a CollaborationFor civic leaders, organizations, and community members who want a seat at the table when we bring people together around a specific problem. Convenings are how research turns into a plan everyone can act on.
Ask About ConveningsTell us about the problem, partnership, or opportunity on your mind. No proposal is required to start.
We'll talk through fit with our work, what's already known, and who else needs to be in the room.
Research, convening, and a path to a pilot or program, scoped to what's realistic, not what's ideal.
Whether it's a partnership, a research idea, or a problem you think we should know about, reach out and we'll respond personally.
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725 Center Avenue, Suite 107
Moorhead, MN 56560
Monday – Friday, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM CT
If it's been overlooked by every organization that should have picked it up, that's exactly the kind of problem we want to hear about.
