ETC Institute was founded in 1982 by Dr. Elaine Tatham to help local governments gather data from residents to enhance community planning. During the past 21 years, the firm has grown from a small one-person company to a national corporation. Since its founding, ETC Institute has completed research projects for clients in 41 states. This includes more than 850 surveys, 600 focus groups, and 1500 stakeholder meetings.