High Road Strategy Center
High Road Strategy Center, formerly the Center on Wisconsin Strategy, is a progressive policy institute housed at the University of Wisconsin–Madison.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
High Road Strategy Center is a progressive policy institute based at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. It was established in 1991 by UW professor Joel Rogers under the name Center on Wisconsin Strategy, commonly abbreviated as COWS. The organization developed during a period when Wisconsin and other industrial states were experiencing manufacturing losses, deindustrialization, and pressure on regional labor markets. Its early work concentrated on workforce development and on policy approaches intended to improve employment quality, economic security, and regional competitiveness rather than relying solely on low-cost labor. A central part of the institute’s public identity has been its emphasis on what it describes as a high-road approach to economic development. This approach links economic performance with democratic participation, environmental sustainability, and equality. Rather than treating labor standards, public investment, and social equity as obstacles to growth, the center’s work generally presents them as components of durable regional development. Its policy activities have included research, public reports, technical assistance, coalition-building, and the development of proposals for elected officials and other public-sector decision-makers. Since 1996, the center has published the biennial State of Working Wisconsin report. The report tracks and interprets labor-market conditions in Wisconsin, including employment trends and broader changes affecting workers and households. This recurring publication has provided a state-level evidence base for debates about wages, workforce policy, and economic inequality. The center has also supported raising the minimum wage and has participated in related policy efforts with organizations including the Service Employees International Union, Wisconsin Jobs Now, and the Economic Policy Institute. Over time, the organization expanded beyond Wisconsin workforce research into projects aimed at government leaders and policy advocates across the United States. With Madison mayor Dave Cieslewicz, it co-founded the Mayors Innovation Project, which was designed to help mayors identify and implement progressive approaches to urban governance. It later added the Center for State Innovation, extending the institute’s work toward state-level policy development and implementation. The center also helped launch the Apollo Alliance and the Economic Analysis Research Network, or EARN, both of which connected policy research with broader networks working on economic, energy, and workforce issues. In 2012, the organization began the American Legislative and Issue Campaign, known as ALICE. The initiative sought to develop and promote model legislation from a progressive perspective and was presented as a counterweight to the influence of the American Legislative Exchange Council. Through such projects, the center has operated not only as a research organization but also as a convening and infrastructure-building institution for public officials, advocacy groups, researchers, and community organizations. The institute has primarily relied on government grants and foundation support. Reported funders have included the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, Annie E. Casey Foundation, Carnegie Corporation of New York, Ford Foundation, Joyce Foundation, Open Society Institute, Rockefeller Foundation, Surdna Foundation, Wallace Global Fund, and the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development, among others. The University of Wisconsin–Madison has provided formal institutional support, including tax-status support, while non-university government grants have also contributed to its work. The organization’s present identity reflects its evolution from a Wisconsin-focused workforce policy center into a broader progressive policy institute operating under the High Road Strategy Center name.
History
The High Road Strategy Center was founded in 1991 at the University of Wisconsin–Madison by professor Joel Rogers. It initially operated as the Center on Wisconsin Strategy, or COWS, and concentrated on workforce development in Wisconsin and other Rust Belt states affected by manufacturing decline. The institute’s early mission was shaped by the economic disruption associated with plant closures, industrial restructuring, and weakening employment prospects in traditionally manufacturing-oriented communities. In 1996, COWS began issuing The State of Working Wisconsin on a biennial basis. The publication became a recurring assessment of the state’s labor market and workforce conditions, helping frame public discussion around employment, wages, inequality, and economic security. The organization also became involved in advocacy and policy work supporting higher minimum wages. Its minimum-wage efforts included collaboration with the Service Employees International Union, Wisconsin Jobs Now, and the Economic Policy Institute. The center later broadened its scope from Wisconsin-centered labor research to national projects serving mayors, state officials, and policy advocates. Working with Madison mayor Dave Cieslewicz, it co-founded the Mayors Innovation Project, which sought to assist municipal leaders pursuing progressive policy approaches. The organization subsequently added the Center for State Innovation, extending its technical and policy-development work to state governments. COWS also contributed to the creation of wider policy networks. It helped launch the Apollo Alliance and the Economic Analysis Research Network, initiatives that connected researchers, advocates, and public officials around economic, energy, and workforce policy. In 2012, it established the American Legislative and Issue Campaign, or ALICE, to develop and promote progressive model legislation. ALICE was intended to provide a progressive alternative to the model-bill ecosystem associated with the American Legislative Exchange Council. The organization’s stated values are democracy, sustainability, and equality. These principles inform its preference for high-road strategies that combine economic development with stronger labor standards, public accountability, environmental responsibility, and broader distribution of economic opportunity. Its activities have included research, recurring reports, policy proposals, public-sector assistance, and network building rather than the sale of conventional commercial products. Funding has principally come from government grants and philanthropic foundations. Reported supporters have included the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, Annie E. Casey Foundation, Carnegie Corporation of New York, Carolyn Foundation, Ford Foundation, Garfield Foundation, Living Cities, Joyce Foundation, Nathan Cummings Foundation, Open Society Institute, Rockefeller Foundation, Surdna Foundation, Wallace Global Fund, and the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development. The University of Wisconsin–Madison has provided formal support, including tax-status support. The organization is now known as the High Road Strategy Center, while its former COWS identity remains associated with much of its historical work.
- 2012
American Legislative and Issue Campaign started
[1]The center launched ALICE to develop and promote model legislation from a progressive perspective.
- 1996
State of Working Wisconsin begins
[1]The organization began publishing its biennial State of Working Wisconsin report on labor-market and workforce trends.
- 1991
Center on Wisconsin Strategy founded
[1]Joel Rogers founded the institute at the University of Wisconsin–Madison to work on workforce development and economic policy.
Mayors Innovation Project launched
[1]The center and Madison mayor Dave Cieslewicz co-founded a project intended to help mayors pursue progressive municipal policies.
Center for State Innovation added
[1]The institute expanded its public-sector work by adding a project focused on state-level policy innovation.
Renamed High Road Strategy Center
[1]The organization adopted the High Road Strategy Center name after operating historically as the Center on Wisconsin Strategy, or COWS.
Products and positioning
A progressive policy institute focused on democratic governance, sustainability, equality, workforce development, labor standards, and high-road economic development.
Labor-market research report · 1996
The State of Working Wisconsin
A biennial report that analyzes Wisconsin workforce and labor-market conditions. It provides a recurring state-level view of employment trends and related economic pressures, and has served as a principal public research output since its launch in 1996.
Municipal policy network
Mayors Innovation Project
A project co-founded with Madison mayor Dave Cieslewicz to help mayors and municipal leaders identify and pursue progressive approaches to local government and urban policy.
State policy assistance
Center for State Innovation
A policy initiative focused on assisting elected officials and public-sector leaders at the state level with the development and pursuit of progressive policy approaches.
Model-legislation initiative · 2012
American Legislative and Issue Campaign
Known as ALICE, this initiative was created to write and promote model legislation from a progressive perspective and to offer an alternative to conservative model-legislation networks.
Research network
Economic Analysis Research Network
A policy research network that the center helped launch, connecting economic analysts and organizations working on labor, workforce, and related public-policy questions.
Marketing campaigns
- 2012American Legislative and Issue Campaign
United States
ALICE was created to develop and promote progressive model legislation for state and local policy debates.
- Minimum-wage advocacy
Wisconsin · United States
The organization supported efforts to raise the minimum wage and worked with labor and policy organizations including SEIU, Wisconsin Jobs Now, and the Economic Policy Institute.
Sources1 sources
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