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POLIS is a community-based think tank that facilitates impactful philanthropy.
We call ourselves a Think Well.

At POLIS Institute, we believe the best solutions start with listening. We bring together residents, local leaders, nonprofits and funders to understand what families have, what they need and how we can work together for the common good.
Who We Are
POLIS progression diagram: Dignified People, where every person is seen, respected and equipped to reach their potential; leading to Strong Families, connected, supported and empowered to thrive together; leading to Flourishing Neighborhoods that are safe, connected and rich with opportunity for all; leading to Thriving Cities that are vibrant, equitable and built for generations to come. Think Well, Invest Well, Live Well.
POLIS means city. Cities thrive when dignity is upheld, families are strong and neighborhoods flourish. Philanthropists invest to assist in community transformation.
POLIS helps philanthropy think better.
When funders think well and understand what families need, they invest well.
When families think well and have the support they need, they live well.
Our Approach

Think Well

At POLIS, we believe every successful initiative begins with better thinking. Think Well is our commitment to slowing down before speeding up, asking better questions, uncovering root causes, and ensuring every decision is informed by research, relationships, and real community voices. We help leaders move beyond assumptions to make confident, evidence-informed decisions that create lasting impact.
The Think Well flow in six stages: 1 The Source, the community is an ecosystem with both challenges and hidden solutions; 2 The System, POLIS is a Think Well that facilitates extracting solutions from and for the community; 3 The Solutions, answers to community challenges can be found underneath the surface; 4 The Strategy, effective communication and active listening bring solutions to the surface; 5 The Access, investors are empowered to draw accurate solutions and pour impactful resources for the community; 6 The Impact, the community receives a more effective investment that moves the needle for sustainable transformation. Who is involved: The Satisfied is the community, The Think Well is POLIS Institute, The Pourer is investors and philanthropists.
The POLIS Ecosystem

Our Divisions

POLIS operates through interconnected divisions that allow us to develop knowledge, engage communities, amplify insight and turn learning into resources.
Develops Thinkers & Knowledge

Builds a network of thinkers who explore important questions and produce research and insight that can guide community action and philanthropic investment.
Explore the Fellowship
Engages Communities & Partners

Works alongside communities, organizations and institutions to listen, facilitate, build partnerships, develop strategy and move ideas toward action.
Explore the Collective
Amplifies Stories & Insights

Captures and communicates community voices, research, data, ideas and stories through multimedia platforms.
Explore POLIS Media
Turns Knowledge Into Resources

Transforms POLIS research, experience and ideas into books, reports, curricula, frameworks, playbooks and other resources that can travel, teach and scale.
Explore POLIS Publishing
Powered by Data & Insights

Our Cross-Functional Engine

POLIS uses research, data analysis, GIS mapping, visualization, evaluation and reporting throughout Fellowship, Collective, Media and Publishing to better understand communities, guide strategy, measure impact and communicate what we learn.
For Philanthropists & Investors

Turn the Questions That Matter to You Into Actionable Intelligence.

POLIS helps philanthropists, foundations, companies and other investors better understand the communities and issues they care about before making important investment decisions.
Through the POLIS Fellowship, investors can hire a POLIS Fellow to research a specific question, population, geography, or issue and turn the findings into actionable insight. Research may combine Fellow expertise with POLIS’s Data & Insights capabilities, including GIS analysis when geography can provide additional understanding.
Examples May Include:
Maternal Health
Concentrated Poverty
Economic Mobility
Fatherhood
Family Well-Being
Faith Communities
Neighborhood Investment
Community Assets
Service Gaps
Other Emerging Community Issues
What We Offer

Services

Professional expertise you can engage POLIS to provide.
Explore Services

Resources

Research, publications, tools, frameworks and educational resources created by POLIS.
Explore Resources

Featured Work

50 Fathers Initiative

A docuseries about fatherhood. Real conversations, real fathers, real stories, real impact throughout Central Florida.
View the 50 Fathers Initiative

POLIS Institute Fellowship

Practitioners, researchers, students, community leaders, and creative professionals committed to strengthening families and communities.
Meet the Fellowship

MVP Strong Families

A network strengthening families through leadership development, literacy initiatives, coaching, and family engagement, in partnership with Florida Citrus Sports.
See MVP Strong Families
Impact

Stories From the Work