The Massachusetts Institute For A New Commonwealth Inc

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.

COMMONWEALTH:COMMONWEALTH CONTINUED THE DAILY RIGOROUS JOURNALISM THAT IS PROVIDING QUALITY, NONPARTISAN REPORTING ON CIVIC LIFE IN MASSACHUSETTS. REPORTER SHIRA SCHOENBERG WROTE A SERIES OF ARTICLES LOOKING AT THE CHILD WELFARE SYSTEM IN MASSACHUSETTS AND REPORTED ON THE SEIZURE OF AN OXFORD MAN'S HOME FOR AN UNPAID TAX BILL OF $3,056. MEANWHILE, EXECUTIVE EDITOR MICHAEL JONAS CLOSELY FOLLOWED THE BOSTON MAYORAL RACE AND RECENTLY REPORTED ON THE EFFECT THE TERM 'LATINX' HAS ON POLITICAL CAMPAIGNS WHILE FEATURING LOCAL VOICES IN THE DISCUSSION. OVER THE SUMMER 2021, EDITOR BRUCE MOHL MODERATED MASSINC'S MOST-ATTENDED EVEN THIS YEAR, "DOES GIVING PEOPLE MONEY MAKE FOR GOOD POLICY"? THE COMMONWEALTH TOWN HALL ASKED THE QUESTION - IS GUARANTEED INCOME THE RIGHT POLICY FOR MASSACHUSETTS RESIDENTS? THIS EVENT WAS BROUGHT TO VIEWERS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE SHAH FAMILY FOUNDATION, THE UNITED WAY OF MASSACHUSETTS BAY, AND THE CAMBRIDGE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION. ON THE FISCAL SIDE, COMMONWEALTH HAS HAD AN EXCITING YEAR. WE RAN THREE SUCCESSFUL ONLINE FUNDRAISERS AND SURPASSED OUR $100,000 GOAL FOR 2021 INDIVIDUAL DONATIONS. WE'VE ALSO EMBARKED ON THE JOURNEY TO BUILD COMMONWEALTH AT A LARGER SCALE BY LAUNCHING OUR COMMONWEALTH BEACON CAMPAIGN WITH THE HELP OF CHARLIE KRAVETZ, FORMER GENERAL MANAGER OF WBUR.

EDUCATION AND EARLY COLLEGE:IN APRIL 2021, MASSINC RELEASED A REPORT ON THE PERFORMANCE OF THE FIRST TWO COHORTS OF STUDENTS TO GRADUATE FROM STATE DESIGNATED EARLY COLLEGE HIGH SCHOOLS. THE ANALYSIS, EARLY COLLEGE AS A FORCE FOR EQUITY IN THE POST-PANDEMIC ERA, SHOWS THAT THESE STUDENTS ARE CONTINUING DIRECTLY TO COLLEGE AND PERSISTING AT MUCH HIGHER RATES THAN THEIR PEERS. MASSINC ALSO WORKED WITH THE LEGISLATURE TO SECURE AMENDMENTS IN THE HOUSE AND SENATE BUDGETS FOR EARLY COLLEGE FUNDING AND EXPANSION. THE EARLY COLLEGE DISCUSSIONS CONTINUED IN OCTOBER 2021 DURING A VIRTUAL FORUM IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE MASSACHUSETTS BUSINESS ALLIANCE FOR EDUCATION AND LATINOS FOR EDUCATION. THIS FORUM CELEBRATED THE LEGISLATORS, EDUCATORS, AND CIVIC LEADERS POWERING THE EARLY COLLEGE MOVEMENT ACROSS THE STATE AND FEATURED REMARKS FROM COMMISSIONER CARLOS SANTIAGO, AND WAYS AND MEANS CO-CHAIRS, SENATOR MICHAEL RODRIGUES AND REPRESENTATIVE AARON MICHELWITZ. MASSINC FURTHER COLLABORATED WITH EXTERNAL PARTNERS IN THE RELEASE OF THE REPORT PATHWAYS TO ECONOMIC MOBILITY: IDENTIFYING THE LABOR MARKET VALUE OF COMMUNITY COLLEGE IN MASSACHUSETTS. PRODUCED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE BOSTON FOUNDATION AND THE KITTY AND MICHAEL DUKAKIS CENTER FOR URBAN AND REGIONAL POLICY, THE REPORT PRESENTS DATA ON THE IMPACT OF COMMUNITY COLLEGE ON EARNINGS AND EMPLOYMENT IN MASSACHUSETTS.

TRANSFORMATIVE TRANSIT-ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT / GATEWAY HUBS:TOD CONSULTANT ANDRE LEROUX CONTINUED OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE GBH FORUM NETWORK, AND PRESENTED SEVERAL "TTOD TALKS" FOCUSED ON THE CHANGING WORLD OF PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION IN MASSACHUSETTS AND THE GATEWAY CITIES. MASSINC ALSO WORKED WITH WALK BOSTON TO HOST WALK AUDITS IN FITCHBURG, BROCKTON, AND HAVERHILL TO HELP MUNICIPALITIES BETTER UNDERSTAND THE USE OF PUBLIC SPACES IN 2021 AND HOW THEY CAN WORK TO ACTIVATE THEM TO INVIGORATE THEIR COMMUNITIES AND BETTER CATER TO THEIR RESIDENTS' NEEDS. MASSINC'S TTOD PROGRAM CONTINUED TO AMPLIFY THE PERSPECTIVE OF GATEWAY CITIES AS LEGISLATIVE BUDGET CONVERSATIONS TOOK PLACE. ANDRE LEROUX PUBLISHED THREE THOROUGH TESTIMONIES TO THE JOINT TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION REVENUE BILLS, LOW-INCOME AND ZERO-FARE BILLS, AND REGIONAL TRANSIT AUTHORITY (RTA) ADVANCEMENT BILLS.