Founded in September 2000[1] on the model of non-political US research institutes funded by grants and donations,[1] the initial trustees were Dr Grant Scobie, Sir Geoffrey Palmer and Dr Ann Sullivan.
The institute's goal is to be fully independent, with no expressed ideology or political position.
A registered charitable trust, contract funding comes from various sources including government departments and private companies, and they also receive additional, non-contract funding by way of endowments and donations from public and private institutions and individuals via the associated Motu Research and Education Foundation.
[3] Research reports have included such areas as innovation and productivity,[4][5] climate change,[6] emissions trading,[7] well-being,[8] and housing affordability.
[9] In January 2022 it produced an assessment of the New Zealand government's Families Package.