We are the Massachusetts Institute for a New Commonwealth
Founded in 1996, MassINC’s mission is to provide the people of Massachusetts with the information they need to participate fully in our democracy. We are a nonpartisan 501c3 and achieve impact through independent research, nonprofit journalism and civic engagement.
Non-partisan
Policy center
The nonprofit Massinc Policy Center produces rigorous, nonpartisan research and collaborates with civic leaders to find solutions to complex social and economic challenges.
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Non-profit
Civic journal
CommonWealth publishes in-depth, balanced, and independent journalism. It covers politics, policy, ideas, and civic life, with an emphasis on investigative reporting, in-depth analysis, and political mapping.
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Independent
Polling group
The MassINC Polling Group is a full-service survey opinion research company offering public opinion research to public, private, and social sector clients.
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Latest articles
What’s really behind the population increase in Gateway Cities?
Gateway Cities Journal
Gateway Cities are seeing strength in some neighborhoods and market segments, while others continue to present very real concerns. Whatever the case may be, it is imperative to better understand recent growth trends and develop clear-eyed strategy in response.
A Make or Break Moment for Gateway City Renewal
Gateway Cities Journal
With all the eye-popping numbers flying around in relation to the stimulus bills, federal budget, and infrastructure deal, you might think our transportation woes are solved. But down in the trenches, Massachusetts communities still lack many of the basic tools used around the country to control their own destiny. Even the most compelling projects can
Andre Leroux offers testimony to Joint Committee on Transportation
On low-income and zero-fare bills
The Honorable William Straus, House Chair The Honorable Joseph Boncore, Senate Chair Joint Committee on Transportation State House, Room 134 Boston, MA 02133 via email Dear Chairmen Straus and Boncore, On behalf of MassINC’s Gateway Cities Innovation Institute, I strongly urge you to expedite a favorable report on H. 3526, “An Act Relative to
Andre Leroux offers testimony to Joint Committee on Transportation
On transportation revenue bills
The Honorable William Straus, House Chair The Honorable Joseph Boncore, Senate Chair Joint Committee on Transportation State House, Room 134 Boston, MA 02133 via email RE: Support for new transportation revenue—local revenue tools are especially important to enable Gateway Cities and surrounding communities to solve their regional transit challenges – H. 3426 (Ciccolo) An
Andre Leroux offers testimony to Joint Committee on Transportation
On RTA advancement bills
The pandemic has permanently changed the way many residents think about where they want to live and work. This offers an unprecedented opportunity for our Gateway Cities to reposition themselves as regional hubs, but this will only be possible if they become multimodal communities anchored by strong regional transit systems.
Gateway Cities battle the digital divide
Gateway Cities Journal
At this point last summer, Gateway City educators were furiously at work trying to ensure that all students would have computers and reliable internet service when school resumed in the fall. Their herculean efforts demonstrated that we can temporarily narrow the divide, but a lot of work remains to find durable solutions to this multifaceted problem.
Event Recap-Gateway Cities Leadership Summit: Growing an Inclusive Economy
On Thursday, July 22 MassINC hosted its Annual Gateway Cities Leadership Summit where we explored how Gateway Cities can successfully support entrepreneurs of color and promote inclusive entrepreneurship statewide.
Building a more engaging high school experience for the new normal
Disparities show we must build a more engaging school experience post-pandemic
School climate data collected by the state at the conclusion of the 2019 MCAS test show that engagement drops for all students between middle school and high school, but the decline is sharpest for African-American and Hispanic students.
Advancing low-income fares beyond Boston
The Gateway Cities Journal
Since 2017, the FMCB has been pushing hard on the agency to provide discounts to low-income riders. In one of their final votes, they choose to instruct agency staff to prepare scenarios for a pilot program. On the one hand, this last-ditch effort makes sense. However, from the Gateway City perspective, the board’s actions are disappointing and a bit perplexing.
Budget Update: What Gateway Cities Need to Know
The Gateway Cities Journal
This week the FY 2022 budget moves to the Senate for debate. MassINC is tracking several amendments that are critically important for Gateway Cities, including funding for Early College expansion, neighborhood stabilization, small business assistance, and Regional Transit Authorities.
Did you know?
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Transformative Transit-Oriented Development recognizes that equity is the key to transforming cities and towns in Massachusetts, and the country. In Massachusetts, a decades long economic boom has not always reached Gateway Cities, yielding uneven growth and investment that have deepened inequities across places, races, classes and cultures. The coronavirus pandemic has amplified these disparities. To
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- MassINC is a key partner to the Boston Foundation, and all of us who are seeking to advance the regional conversation around economic opportunity and a strong quality of life for all. MassINC's robust, nonpartisan research is exactly what our citizens and leaders need to make good decisions.
Paul Grogan, President of The Boston Foundation
- I watch my inbox for CommonWealth magazine’s Daily Download. I can count on the newsletter to tell me succinctly what’s happening in politics and public policy. The magazine itself always delivers in-depth news, analysis and commentary. It's simply outstanding, quality journalism. I am happy to support unbiased reporting through my participation in Citizens Circle.
Helen Chin Schlichte
Former Public Administrator; President Emeritus, South Cove Manor at Quincy Point - MassINC's long-term dedication to Gateway Cities makes them a valuable resource to all of our communities. They are a true thought partner. They go the distance to help others appreciate our unique opportunities, needs, and perspectives.
Tim McGourthy Executive Director of the Worcester Regional Research Bureau
- MassINC serves as a credible, thoughtful resource for all of us who are invested in the future of the Commonwealth. Its emphasis on careful analysis that is grounded in data, research, and polling makes an important contribution to and helps elevate the conversation about the challenges and opportunities facing the region.
Trevor Pollack, Manager of Special Projects for the Barr Foundation
- The potential of Massachusetts’ Gateway Cities is limitless. MassINC’s dedicated work in promoting these cities has been, and will continue to be, instrumental in their individual and collective success.
Jay Ash
Massachusetts Secretary of Housing and Economic Development and former chair of the Gateway Cities Innovation Institute - MassINC has always provided research showing the detrimental impact of the state’s unforgiving criminal justice system on our communities. Their polling confirmed that the public understood the need for change in our system. That criminal justice reform is at the forefront of bipartisan local and national debates today is in no small measure due to MassINC’s persistent and fair commitment to the issue.
Juliette Kayyem Faculty Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government, Founder Kayyem Solutions LLC
- Through my partnership with MassINC, the Building On What Works Coalition is working to unite a diverse collection of civic leaders around an urgent call to encourage the state to act on the progress that has been made ensuring all children in Massachusetts have a true chance to succeed in the state’s economy. MassINC’s research and commitment to data driven public policy are helping to give the children of Massachusetts a better education.
Kim Driscoll Mayor of Salem
- MassINC's work with the Gateway Cities is unmatched. As Eastern Bank strives to help businesses in these communities thrive, MassINC has been a tremendous partner, providing data-driven research and affirming that these cities are full of opportunities.
Bob Rivers Chairman and CEO of Eastern Bank
- When MassINC speaks, it’s well worth listening. After all, the nonpartisan think tank has established itself as a thoughtful, careful, credible voice on public policy in Massachusetts.
Scot Lehigh Boston Globe Op-Ed Columnist
- Few organizations in the country have better understood the important role of governance reform and accountability in education policy and economic development than MassINC.
Bruce Katz Former Vice President and Founding Director of the Metropolitan Policy Program at The Brookings Institution
- [MassINC's] understanding of the complexity of the challenges facing the state’s older cities, its belief in the opportunities that present themselves in those communities, and its advocacy of the role that public higher education can and should play in them, has added to the understanding that policy makers need to have as they move our state toward the future.
Jean MacCormack
Why support massinc?
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We enjoy what we do.
Whether it’s planning events, conducting research, or analyzing the news, our team works on projects that we’re passionate about. -
We develop leaders.
Former MassINC employees have gone on to work at reputable organizations like Harvard University, Boston University, City Year, EnerNOC, and Governor Baker’s office. -
We stick with it.
Our work on transformative development, which uses public and private funding for projects to revitalize an entire downtown or urban neighborhood, began as Policy Center research report in 2013. A year later, the state legislature passed a bill funding transformative development projects across Massachusetts. -
We are nonpartisan.
Our Board of Directors includes prominent Massachusetts Democrats and Republicans. We are interested people’s ideas, not which side of the aisle they sit on. -
We have a complete toolbox.
We aren’t just a think tank. We bring nonpartisan research, civic engagement, journalism, and independent polling together under one roof. -
We have state-wide reach.
We know that Beacon Hill isn’t the only place to make progress. We’re on the ground in cities across the state working with local leaders. -
We have unique networks.
We use our connections to bring together a cross-section of diverse leaders to solve problems. Our networks include mayors, economic development directors, superintendents, business people, newspaper editors, arts leaders, and regional transit officials.
