The Rockefeller Institute of Government is the public policy research arm of the State University of New York.

The institute conducts nonpartisan research and analysis on state and local government and finance, American federalism, public management, and New York State issues.

The Rockefeller Institute was founded in 1981, at the same time as the Nelson A. Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy at the University at Albany, as a proposal by then-SUNY chancellor Clifton Wharton to acknowledge the role that Governor Rockefeller played in expanding the state and city universities.

Prior to coming to Albany, Nathan was a professor at Princeton University, worked at the Brookings Institution, and served in the first Nixon administration.

On October 23, 2009, Richard Nathan retired, after leading the Institute for 20 years.