![cover image](https://wikiwandv2-19431.kxcdn.com/_next/image?url=https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/53/Rand_Corporation_logo.svg/640px-Rand_Corporation_logo.svg.png&w=640&q=50)
RAND Corporation
American global policy think tank founded in 1948 / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The RAND Corporation is an American nonprofit global policy think tank,[1] research institute, and public sector consulting firm. RAND Corporation engages in research and development (R&D) in a number of fields and industries. Since the 1950s, RAND research has helped inform United States policy decisions on a wide variety of issues, including the space race, the Vietnam War, the U.S.-Soviet nuclear arms confrontation, the creation of the Great Society social welfare programs, and national health care.
![]() Headquarters in Santa Monica | |
Predecessor | Spin-off of Project RAND, a former partnership between Douglas Aircraft Company and the United States Air Force until incorporation as a nonprofit and gaining independence from both. |
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Formation | May 14, 1948; 76 years ago (1948-05-14) |
Founders | |
Type | Global policy think tank, research institute, and public sector consulting firm[1] |
95-1958142 | |
Legal status | Nonprofit corporation |
Purpose | |
Headquarters | Santa Monica, California, U.S. |
Coordinates | 34.009599°N 118.490670°W / 34.009599; -118.490670 |
Region | Worldwide |
President and CEO | Jason Gaverick Matheny[2] |
RAND Leadership |
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President, RAND Europe | Hans Pung[2] |
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Subsidiaries | RAND Europe Frederick S. Pardee RAND Graduate School |
Affiliations | Independent |
Revenue | ![]() |
Disbursements | Numerous |
Expenses | ![]() |
Endowment | $288.7 million (2023)[6] |
Staff | 1,900 (2023)[7] |
Website | www |
The RAND Corporation originated as "Project RAND" (from the phrase "research and development") in the postwar period immediately after World War II.[8][9] The United States Army Air Forces established Project RAND with the objective of investigating long-range planning of future weapons.[10] Douglas Aircraft Company was granted a contract to research intercontinental warfare.[10] Project RAND later evolved into the RAND Corporation, and expanded its research into civilian fields such as education and international affairs.[11] It was the first think tank to be regularly referred to as a "think tank".[1]
RAND receives both public and private funding. Its funding sources include the U.S. government, private endowments,[12] corporations,[13] universities,[13] charitable foundations, U.S. state and local governments, international organizations, and to a small extent, by foreign governments.[13][14]