Badger Institute

Badger Institute
Basic facts
Location:	Wisconsin
Type:	501(c)(3)
Top official:	Mike Nichols, president
Year founded:	1987
Website:	Official website

Badger Institute is a nonpartisan 501(c)(3) nonprofit think tank founded in 1987 and based in Wisconsin. As of August 2025, the Institute's website stated that its guiding principles are working to engage and energize Wisconsinites and others in discussions and timely action on key public policy issues critical to the state’s future, growth and prosperity.

The Institute's website said it is "guided by a belief that competitive free markets, limited government, private initiative and personal responsibility are essential to our democratic way of life."

Background

According to the Badger Institute website as of August 2025, the stated mission is as follows:

“

Badger Institute is a nonpartisan, not-for-profit institute established in 1987 working to engage and energize Wisconsinites and others in discussions and timely action on key public policy issues critical to the state’s future, growth and prosperity.

”

Badger Institute was formerly called Wisconsin Policy Research Institute, based out of Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Leadership

As of August 2025, Mike Nichols served as the Badger Institute's president.

The following individuals were members of the Badger Institute's board of directors as of August 2025:

• Ave Bie, board chair
• Lisa Mauer, vice chair
• Ellen Nowak
• Jason Kohout
• Corey Hoze
• Nicholas Bauer
• Shannon Whitworth
• Matt Rowe
• Robert Doar
• Shannon Sweek

Work and activities

Legislative and policy work

The Badger Institute releases policy briefs and reports on 13 issue areas, such as taxes, education, housing, and energy. In 2022 and 2023, the Institute released its "Mandate for Madison," which offered a series of "policy recommendations for a more prosperous Wisconsin." In addition, the Badger Institute hosts events with elected officials and national figures and publishes op-eds and analysis on Wisconsin policy issues.

As of August 2025, the Badger Institute retained two lobbyists in the Wisconsin Legislature. According to the Wisconsin Ethics Commission, the Badger Institute has the following lobbying interest areas:

“

State and local government tax policy and spending, including related program accountability, consequences and effectiveness. We also focus on school choice; federalism; criminal justice and corrections; transportation and economic workforce development; occupational licensing; health care; welfare and social services; and other issues that have or could have a significant impact on the quality of life and future of the state.

”

As of August 2025, the Badger Institute had spent $23,400 on lobbying expenditures in 2025.

Notable endorsements

See also: Ballotpedia: Our approach to covering endorsements

This section displays endorsements this organization made in elections within Ballotpedia's coverage scope.

Notable ballot measure endorsements by Badger Institute

Measure	Position	Outcome
Wisconsin Question 1, Prohibit Legislature from Delegating Appropriations Power Amendment (August 2024)  source	Support	Defeated
Wisconsin Question 2, Require Legislative Approval for State Expenditure of Federal Funds Amendment (August 2024)  source	Support	Defeated

Finances

The following is a breakdown of the Badger Institute's revenues and expenses for the 2020 to 2023 tax years, according to documents submitted to the Internal Revenue Service.

Annual revenue and expenses for the Badger Institute, 2020–2023

Tax Year	Total Revenue	Total Expenses
2023	$1,417,962	$1,393,624
2022	$1,376,464	$1,354,555
2021	$1,186,292	$1,135,848
2020	$960,504	$1,145,144

External links

• Search Google News for this topic
• Badger Institute website

See also

• What is an influencer?
• State influencers