We are the Massachusetts Institute for a New Commonwealth
Founded in 1996, MassINC’s mission is to make Massachusetts a place of civic vitality and inclusive economic opportunity by providing residents with the nonpartisan research, reporting, analysis, and civic engagement necessary to understand policy choices, inform decision making, and hold the government accountable.
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
Event Recap | 11th Annual Gateway Cities Innovation Institute Awards & Summit
Event recognizes Gateway City clean energy efforts and presents strategies on building decarbonization and transportation in Gateway Cities
On November 14th, the 11th Annual Gateway Cities Innovation Institute Awards and Summit brought municipal officials together with experts on renewable energy, housing, and transportation to explore the pivotal role that our regional urban centers will play steering the commonwealth’s transition to a clean energy future. With Fitchburg State University graciously hosting us, the event
MassINC’s Gateway Cities Innovation Institute to Honor Six Clean Energy Efforts at Annual Awards and Summit
Event will focus on positioning Gateway Cities to play a leading role in the clean energy transition
November 8, 2023 MassINC’s Gateway Cities Innovation Institute to Honor Six Clean Energy Efforts at Annual Awards and Summit Event will focus on positioning Gateway Cities to play a leading role in the clean energy transition On Tuesday, November 14, 2023, MassINC’s Gateway Cities Innovation Institute will recognize six cutting-edge efforts to advance clean energy
Event Recap | Second Annual Friends of Longitudinal Data Systems (FOLDS) Fall Symposium
Symposium showcases valuable insights Massachusetts gleans from cross-agency data sharing
Together with the Workforce Solutions Group, MassINC hosted the Second Annual Friends of Longitudinal Data Systems (FOLDS) Fall Symposium at the State House on Wednesday, October 18th. The forum brought a diverse group of leaders together to talk about how Massachusetts can build on a decade of federal investment in our data quality and technology
GC Journal: Gov, Legislature deliver big for Gateway Cities
The Gateway Cities Journal
Wednesday, Governor Healey signed into law a tax cut package negotiated by the House and Senate that includes some big wins for Gateway City residents, businesses, and investors. Most notably, An Act to improve the Commonwealth’s competitiveness, affordability, and equity (H.4104) includes a longstanding MassINC policy recommendation to scale up the wildly successful Housing Development
Beacon Hill Roars Back to Life
The Gateway Cities Journal
Summer recess is a distant memory as Beacon Hill roars back to life. Monday featured two prime-time hearings with major implications for Gateway Cities. Lynn Mayor Jared Nicholson appeared before the education committee to testify in support of legislation to remedy inequitable flaws in school construction funding. Filed by Lynn Rep. Dan Cahill and Sen. Brendan Crighton,
MassINC Adds 5 New Members to Board of Directors
Diverse group brings additional expertise in business, nonprofit and public sector work
September 14, 2023 / BOSTON, MA – At a meeting held last week, the MassINC Board enthusiastically approved the addition of five new members who will together bring substantial expertise and diversity to the organization across a range of issues and industries (see below for bios): Rosalin Acosta, Managing Director, Ernst & Young LLP (EY)
CommonWealth’s Invest with Us Campaign
Donate to CommonWealth’s Fall Fundraiser
Change is coming to CommonWealth. We will be shining a brighter light on Massachusetts this fall with the introduction of CommonWealth Beacon—easier to use, simpler to navigate. Become a member today and invest in the growth of unbiased, unflinching journalism that is fair and always free. Please join this short CommonWealth fund drive so we can
Ben Forman offers testimony to Joint Committee on Higher Education
An Act Committing to Higher Education the Resources to Insure a Strong and Healthy Public Higher Education System
Testimony in Support of S. 816/H. 1260 An Act Committing to Higher Education the Resources to Insure a Strong and Healthy Public Higher Education System September 18, 2023 The Honorable Senator Jo Comerford Chair, Joint Committee on Higher Education State House, Room 410 24 Beacon Street Boston, MA 02133 The Honorable Representative David M. Rogers
26 Gateway City mayors and managers write to state legislators for HDIP
Letter of support to state senate leaders from mayors and managers representing 26 Gateway Cities
September 5, 2023 The Honorable Ron Mariano, Speaker of the House The Honorable Karen Spilka, Senate President The Honorable Aaron Michlewitz, Chair, House Committee on Ways and Means The Honorable Michael Rodrigues, Chair, Senate Committee on Ways and Means State House Boston, MA 02133 via email Time-sensitive: Housing Development Incentive Program (HDIP) Dear Speaker Mariano,
Celebrating summer in the city
Last weekend the Latin American Festival returned to Worcester Common for its 31st annual run. The event is a bookend of sorts, as Worcester started the summer by hosting the largest and oldest Albanian Festival in America. These revelries are by no means unique to New England’s second-largest city. Summer in the Gateway Cities stands out for its full blossom
Did you know?
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Massachusetts can increase the impact of Early College by lengthening academic pathways and enhancing their career development components. This will make the challenge more enticing to underserved high school students, and help ensure that these programs build their career self-efficacy. Learn more in our latest report.
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Tweets by MassINC - 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, Former 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 Chief Financial Officer, City of Worcester
- 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.
