What We Do

Balsa Research models issues, funds academic studies, and drafts viable reform legislation for policy areas that we consider to be neglected or high-leverage. Ultimately, we want to help thoughtfully develop shovel-ready policies that address core underlying human needs and promote civilizational flourishing.

While we come to this work with views on what policy changes seem directionally correct, we are not an advocacy organization. We're here to find and fund answers to fundamental questions, and we're committed to updating our views if the evidence demands it.

What Makes Us Different

The work necessary to get good policy implemented is slow, expensive, unglamorous, and subject to adverse selection. Efforts flounder or are trapped in limbo, as policymakers are required to focus a substantial portion of their time on navigating internal policies and politics inside institutions, reinforcing party lines, and pleasing donor bases.

They are not being given the adequate time and resources necessary to repeal bad laws, and write good replacements.

Balsa Research is an experiment in one way out of the incentive trap. We seek funding only from deeply aligned donors, and work with deliberation to generate valuable research that is free for anyone to use. We focus on high-leverage policy work that foregrounds actually solving the problems that block policymakers from designing and implementing good policy.

Who Funds Us

When we say we seek funding only from deeply aligned donors, we mean it. The overwhelming majority of our support comes from private citizens who read our CEO Zvi Mowshowitz's writing on his blog, Don’t Worry About the Vase, which has over 30,000 subscribers. They fund us because they’ve engaged with his ideas and want to support the work directly.

We are not beholden to any foundations, corporate sponsors, or government funding. We’re committed to ensuring that this continues to be the case, even if it means we remain smaller than we could otherwise be.

If you would like to contribute, you can donate online, or get in touch at donations@balsaresearch.com.

Examples of Recent Work

In early 2025, Balsa Research identified a critical flaw in proposed USTR trade restrictions that would have effectively capped at U.S. waterborne exports at roughly 2% of current volumes, a consequence that major industry coalitions had overlooked. We testified at the USTR's public hearings in March 2025, and the revised proposals removed the most problematic provisions. Our analysis and testimony are available on our Publications page.

We also maintain ongoing research into the operational realities of the Jones Act fleet, including a recent analysis tracking the trading patterns of all 93 Jones Act Vessels. We think research like this provides the empirical foundation for evidence-based reform proposals.

You can read more about our philosophy over at our FAQ.