The R Street Institute (R Street) is a non-profit organization, incorporated in the District of Columbia, with headquarters located in Washington, D.C. and staff located in states across the country including in Georgia, Texas, Ohio, California, and Virginia. R Street is a leading think tank engaged in policy research with a mission to support free markets and limited, effective government. We work to bolster American innovation, increase consumer choice, and protect individual liberty and believe in smaller, smarter government.

Meet our team.

Why We’re Called R Street

R Street Institute takes its name from a quiet street in Washington, D.C. peppered with pre-war apartment buildings and people walking their dogs. But the street also marks a meaningful boundary. 

In the heart of the nation’s capital—where neighborhoods like Dupont and Kalorama run seamlessly into one another—R Street is where the business of politics stops and real life begins.

For us, this geographic line is a metaphor for how we approach public policy. R Street was founded on the belief that sound public policy should emerge not from partisan posturing or ideological purity tests, but from classical liberal principles and a commitment to free markets and limited, effective government.

Our name reflects a commitment to always keep sight of the real whys. For example:

• Why energy reform matters for families, communities, and future generations
• Why technology and innovation policy should foster competition, choice, and opportunity
• Why criminal-justice reform is ultimately about dignity, safety, fairness, and equal treatment under the law

R Street is where policy meets people. Where thoughtful research and dialogue give way to tangible improvements in everyday life. Where serious, credible work and meaningful conversations—grounded in liberty, self-government, competition, and civic virtue—foster real-world opportunities for us all.

That is the spirit behind R Street—and the promise in our name.

Our Vision

The R Street Institute stands for free markets, limited, effective government and pragmatic solutions to difficult problems. We envision:

• A free society, where public policy begins with freedom as its initial premise and governments exist primarily as guardians of inherent, inalienable rights.
• An inclusive society that provides a place, a voice, and equal opportunity for all.
• A just society that holds everyone accountable to the same laws.

Our Values

The following values are the principles that guide how R Street fulfills its mission and operates. Our organization believes in these values and we live them:

Always be better

We want to achieve preeminence in every area where we work. We encourage a bias for action, innovation, creativity and courage in everything that we do. We measure ourselves by the quality, credibility and impact we achieve as a result.

Different is good. 

We believe that great minds think differently and building broad coalitions has made us who we are. Making progress on policy requires that we operate outside of the echo chamber and take non-traditional approaches to policy making. We apply this same principle to the way we operate and how we build our teams: with a focus on diversity and inclusion. We are all unique but belong to the same team.

Serious(ly)

We’re serious about our work, but don’t take ourselves too seriously. We believe in the intellectual rigor, free inquiry and honesty, that is required to achieve our mission, but having fun doing it is equally as important.

One Team

We all work together and work with humility. We strive to cultivate trust and transparency at all levels, between ourselves as individuals and as an organization, with our stakeholders, and in our work. We demonstrate respect and openness in our actions at all times.  We are all unique but belong to the same team.

Financials

R Street was founded on June 1, 2012 by former employees of the Heartland Institute.

The staff, fellows and outside directors (all of whom are volunteer) of R Street are committed to fulfilling our mission of promoting limited, effective government and free markets through the principles of sound governance and transparency.

If you’re interested in R Street’s mission and want to support us, you can contact the Director of Business Development Ginny Mansour at gmansour@rstreet.org. R Street is a Section 501(c)3 nonprofit and your gift may qualify as a charitable deduction for federal income-tax purposes. You may also click here to contribute directly through PayPal.

To review our most recent audited financial statements and organizational structure, please visit our GuideStar profile, or view our IRS Form 990 filings from 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013 and 2012. To maintain its independence, R Street accepts no government funding. (Read R Street’s statement on the 2020 Paycheck Protection Program here.)

NOTE FOR FLORIDA RESIDENTS: A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES BY CALLING TOLL-FREE WITHIN THE STATE. REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL, OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE STATE.

The Florida Division of Consumer Services may be contacted online at www.FloridaConsumerHelp.com or by toll-free call at 1-800-HELP-FLA (435-7352). The R Street Institute’s FDCS registration number is CH50616.