Our Approach
To answer the complex questions of our time, we integrate economic analysis with complementary disciplines to provide a more complete understanding of how policy choices affect peoples’ lives.
We tailor our teams and our methods to help meet client goals, bringing the right analytic methods and tools to answer a range of policy questions.
We can help our clients…
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- Grow and Share Prosperity
- Measure Impact
- Make Better Places
- Use Resources Wisely
- Plan for the Future
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Grow and Share Prosperity
How can we increase available resources, and ensure that those resources are shared equitably?
Common Tools Used
Fiscal and Revenue Forecasting
projects tax and fee revenues and compares those revenues to government costs to inform tax design and budgeting decisions
Interviews and Focus Groups
Used to gather qualitative data to inform decisions
Program and Policy Evaluation
Used to understand if a particular program or policy is effective in achieving its goals, relative to a baseline
Example Projects
Measure Impact
What is the impact of a policy or business activity on the economy? Who is most affected by the policy choices?
Common Tools Used
Economic Impact Analysis
Explains how a specific event, policy, or project might affect the economy (new jobs, income, or business activity).
Equitable Impact Analysis
Considers historical, societal, and policy drivers of disparities and analyzes policies’/programs’ effects on people and communities.
Natural Resource Damage Assessment
Quantifies economic injuries to the environment, including lost recreational uses, from events such as oil spills or hazardous substance releases
Example Projects
Make Better Places
How can we invest in infrastructure, homes, natural areas, and businesses to improve human outcomes?
Common Tools Used
Spatial Analytics
Uses spatial data and statistics to uncover insights, patterns, and relationships that are specific to a particular place.
Real Estate and Market Analysis
Shows what kinds of development outcomes the market might support.
Non-market valuation
Assesses the value of goods and services that are not traded in formal markets, such as clean air, water, and other natural resources
Example Projects
Use Resources Wisely
What trade-offs do we face as we invest limited resources?
Common Tools Used
Benefit Cost Analysis
Compares the positive and negative effects of a project, policy, or decision, to inform whether the choice is worth pursuing.
Non-market valuation
Assesses the value of goods and services that are not traded in formal markets, such as clean air, water, and other natural resources
Case studies, best practices research, and literature reviews
Used to learn how other entities have addressed similar policy challenges
Example Projects
Plan for the Future
How can the choices we make today improve human outcomes tomorrow?
Common Tools Used
Land use modeling
uses spatial analytics to predict how development, commute patterns, and demographics might interact with changes in land use across time, space, and market conditions
Econometrics
uses statistics to explain economic relationships, make predictions, and test theories about how different factors in the economy interact.
Data Visualization and Web Tools
Turns data into understandable, interactive insights
Example Projects
Common methods and tools we use
We can deploy a wide range of best-in-class analytic tools and methods and know which ones are best for which questions.
Econometrics
Uses statistics to explain economic relationships, make predictions, and test theories about how different factors in the economy interact.
Benefit-Cost Analysis
Compares the positive and negative effects of a project, policy, or decision, to inform whether the choice is worth pursuing.
Real Estate and Market Analysis
Shows what kinds of development outcomes the market might support.
Economic Impact Analysis
Explains how a specific event, policy, or project might affect the economy (new jobs, income, or business activity).
Spatial Analytics
Uses spatial data and statistics to uncover insights, patterns, and relationships that are specific to a particular place.
Land Use Modeling
Uses spatial analytics to predict how development, commute patterns, and demographics might interact with changes in land use across time, space, and market conditions
Fiscal Analysis and Revenue Forecasting
Projects tax and fee revenues and compares those revenues to government costs to inform tax design and budgeting decisions
Congestion Pricing and Tolling
Determines the optimal price for road use to reduce congestion and fund roadway improvements
Data Visualization and Web Tools
Turns data into understandable, interactive insights
Demographic Analysis
Uses Census and other data to explore how policies or other activities might affect different populations.
Equitable Impact Analysis
Considers historical, societal, and policy drivers of disparities and analyzes policies’/programs’ effects on people and communities.
Survey Design, Data Collection, and Analysis
Used to gather and assess responses from a range of interested parties on issues that matter to decision-makers
Interviews and Focus Groups
Used to gather qualitative data to inform decisions
Case Studies, Best Practices Research, and Literature Reviews
Explores how other entities have addressed similar policy challenges
Program and Policy Evaluation
Used to understand if a particular program or policy is effective in achieving its goals, relative to a baseline
Non-market Valuation
Assesses the value of goods and services that are not traded in formal markets, such as clean air, water, and other natural resources
Natural Resource Damage Assessment
Quantifies economic injuries to the environment, including lost recreational uses, from events such as oil spills or hazardous substance releases
MapCraft
ECONorthwest’s partnership with MapCraft allows us to use MapCraft’s industry-leading real estate financial modeling techniques to help our clients answer critical urban development questions and, ultimately, make effective land use and transportation decisions that are grounded in the reality of development feasibility and geared toward implementation. See www.mapcraftlabs.com for more information.