Working for Society
from the Heartland.
Our Mission
Sagamore builds and implements solutions to society’s biggest problems. Combining research with entrepreneurial innovations, citizen participation, and impact investing, Sagamore advances practical and sustainable solutions to improve communities.
Our Model
Ideas, Innovations and Investments. Ideas expand our possibilities; innovations put those ideas to work; and investments scale both sustainably.
Our Programs
Sagamore’s portfolio of programs and initiatives promotes action-oriented policy innovation, business solutions and citizen engagement.
Our Story
In 2004 Senator Dan Coats and Jay Hein founded Sagamore Institute, an Indiana think tank rooted in heartland values and focused on constructive action.
Our Team
Sagamore operates a network of partners and fellows, an accomplished board of trustees, and a mission-driven headquarters team.
What's New at Sagamore

Indiana Conference on Citizenship Examines the Future of Work, Honors Cook Group for its Community Engagement
On October 17, Sagamore Institute held the annual Indiana Conference on Citizenship. This year’s conference, “The Future of Work: Run Don’t Crawl” focused on the changing nature of work, the workforce, and demographics in Indiana and featured national and state leaders representing key workforce sectors.
At the conference, Sagamore Institute honored Cook Group with the inaugural Jerry Semler Corporate Citizenship Award. Sagamore CEO, Jay Hein, said: “Cook Group’s corporate philanthropy and citizenship isn’t a sidecar. It’s integrated much like Jerry Semler’s life and how he practiced his leadership at OneAmerica. They see their people and place as an essential part of their success story.”

Sagamore Interns Show How to Bridge Divides
Jim Dittoe, an 80-year-old retired business leader, contacted Sagamore Institute about participating in its summer internship program. Dittoe was paired with Ty Harrington, a 19-year-old sophomore at the University of Notre Dame. Dittoe and Harrington worked together on ways to promote civic engagement among younger Americans.