* A think tank annually consumes roughly $750,000 for each issue it addresses; this covers office space, administrative staff and grants to several full-time research fellows.

* Prepare for your findings—and donors—to be scrutinized and criticized. Unlike universities, most advocacy think tanks do not have their research reviewed by peers. If your think tank’s analyses are flawed, your opponents will be quick to point it out.

* Even significant victories can be fleeting, and many partisan successes—such as tax reform—can be overturned with a change in administration. Constant vigilance is required.

* The IRS generally allows think tanks to establish themselves as tax-exempt, 501(c)3 nonprofits. This offers the standard tax breaks to donors and allows think tanks to claim unlimited entertainment expenses. Ironically, the law restricts lobbying by 501(c)3 groups, although real think tank “lobbying”—producing and disseminating research—is allowed.

* Measure the effectiveness of your think tank, in part, by evaluating the types and number of media outlets you reach. Think tank analysts have become regular contributors to newspaper op-ed pages and cable television news programs.

 Return to main article: The Policy Revolutionaries