Gateway Cities Innovation Institute

About the Gateway Cities Innovation Institute

The Gateway Cities Innovation Institute advances policies and partnerships that help Massachusetts’ 26 Gateway Cities thrive as regional centers of economic opportunity. Established by MassINC in 2012, the Institute builds on our landmark 2007 research, which introduced the Gateway Cities framework and helped secure state recognition of these communities’ shared challenges and assets.

We work with municipal leaders, policymakers, community organizations, and anchor institutions to connect local priorities with a stronger statewide policy agenda. In partnership with the MassINC Policy Center, we produce research and practical recommendations on housing, transportation, education, workforce development, and downtown revitalization. Through the Gateway Cities Journal, Innovation Summit and Awards, and leadership programs, we bring people together to exchange ideas, recognize progress, and turn evidence into action.

MassINC’s Gateway Cities work has helped shape initiatives such as MassDevelopment’s Transformative Development Initiative and the state’s Neighborhood Stabilization Fund, supporting downtown investment and the reuse of vacant properties for housing. The Institute carries that work forward by strengthening connections across communities and keeping Gateway Cities central to Massachusetts’ policy conversations. Our goal is to ensure that growth throughout the Commonwealth creates lasting pathways to the middle class.