About ISPU

ISPU provides objective research and education about American Muslims to support well-informed dialogue and decision-making.

Why We Exist

At the Institute for Social Policy and Understanding (ISPU), we envision an America where Muslims are thriving and equal. And we believe that relevant, rigorous research in the right hands will help us get there. Our work strengthens Muslim communities and equips those working toward full and equitable inclusion with solution-seeking research.

What We Do

Founded in 2002, ISPU has been at the forefront of discovering trends and opportunities that impact American Muslims for almost 20 years. We’re a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that builds understanding and strengthens communities by laying a foundation of facts. As the only organization of our kind, we’re the go-to source for anyone seeking information about Muslims in America and issues that impact them. We also share what we know in easily digestible ways with the general public, policymakers, media professionals, community leaders, and more. ISPU has offices both in Dearborn, Michigan, and Washington, D.C.

How We Do It

DISCOVER

First, we discover new data through rigorous research. Our publications, including our American Muslim Poll, provide much-needed insight into issues impacting not just Americans who are Muslim but all of us.

EDUCATE

Next, we use what we learn to educate the general public and raise awareness. We reach millions of people every year through in-person and digital education events, exhibits, convenings, media coverage, and more.

EQUIP

Finally, we provide resources for journalists, policymakers, community leaders, teachers, advocates, and others to use in their own work. Equipping others multiplies our impact as the data lives on in the work of those who catalyze change.

“What really endears my heart to ISPU as an organization is the willingness to talk about these really complicated and nuanced dynamics in a very clear way. This clarity empowers us all to move towards open dialogue and meaningful action.”

“ISPU helps me understand the American Muslim community with a great deal of precision and rigor, which aids me in my own research and writing.”

“In an age where misinformation and disinformation are rampant, having access to clear and convincing data is really a priceless tool to have at one’s disposal. Relying on and being able to present one’s strategy and arguments based on such well-researched and thought-out data [as ISPU’s] can really lead to some transformational wins.”