Democracy Collaborative Foundation Inc

THE DEMOCRACY COLLABORATIVE WAS ESTABLISHED IN 2000 TO ADVANCE UNDERSTANDING OF DEMOCRACY FOR THE 21ST CENTURY AND TO PROMOTE EMERGING STRATEGIES AND INNOVATIONS IN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT THAT ENHANCE DEMOCRATIC LIFE. IN PARTICULAR, OUR WORK FOCUSES ON THE CRITICAL ROLE LOCAL ECONOMIC STABILITY PLAYS IN STRENGTHENING CIVIC LIFE, PROVIDING MEANINGFUL EMPLOYMENT, ENHANCING FAMILY SECURITY, AND PROMOTING ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY. THE DEMOCRACY COLLABORATIVE SPONSORS A RANGE OF EDUCATION PROJECTS INVOLVING RESEARCH, TRAINING, AND COMMUNITY-FOCUSED WORK DESIGNED TO INCREASE SUPPORT FOR WEALTH BUILDING INNOVATIONS AT THE LOCAL LEVEL.

COMMUNITY WEALTH BUILDING: IN 2022, THE DEMOCRACY COLLABORATIVE'S COMMUNITY WEALTH BUILDING (CWB) PROGRAM TEAM WORKED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH LOCAL STAKEHOLDERS TO PRODUCE THREE CWB ACTION PLANS FOR THE CITIES OF SOMERVILLE, MA, AND MEADVILLE, PA, AND ALAMEDA COUNTY IN CA. EACH OF THESE ACTION PLANS INCLUDED DIRECT RESEARCH AND INTERVIEWS, FOCUSED WORKSHOPS, AND THE DELIVERY OF A REPORT COMPLETE WITH LANDSCAPE ANALYSIS OF LOCAL CONDITION AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ACTION. IN 2021, WE PRODUCED AN ACTION PLAN FOR THE CITY OF CHICAGO WHICH WAS THE BASIS FOR A PUBLIC REPORT CALLED A "NEW ERA FOR COMMUNITY WEALTH BUILDING" WHICH WE WROTE A RELEASED IN JUNE OF 2022, ALONGSIDE A PUBLIC WEBINAR SHOWCASING THE ACTION PLANNING WORK IN PLACE. AT THE SAME TIME WE RE-WROTE AND LAUNCHED A NEW CWB LANDING PAGE AND SUBPAGES ON THE DEMOCRACY COLLABORATIVE'S WEBSITE AND PUT TOGETHER A CWB TASK FORCE TO ASSIST IN DELIVERY ON THE GROUND. GLOBALLY, THE CWB TEAM CHAIRED AN EXPERT ADVISORY PANEL IN NORTHERN IRELAND THAT WORKED WITH THE DEPARTMENT FOR COMMUNITIES TO PRODUCE A REPORT TO ADVANCE CWB IN THE AREA; ADVISED THE SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF THEIR CWB PROGRAM AND OVERSAW THE RELEASE OF A LOCAL GUIDE TO CWB AND THE DRAFTING OF EARLY STAGE NATIONAL LEGISLATION; BUILT RELATIONSHIPS IN AUSTRALIA, CANADA, AND AMSTERDAM TO LAY THE GROUND WORK FOR EVOLVING PARTNERSHIP TO ADVANCE CWB LOCALLY.

THEORY, RESEARCH AND POLICY PROGRAMS: TDC IS DOING NATIONAL WORK TO ADVANCE THE CONCEPT OF PUBLIC OWNERSHIP OF PHARMACEUTICAL FIRMS, AS A DEMONSTRATION PROJECT FOR THE DEMOCRATIC ECONOMY PRINCIPLE THAT CRITICAL, LIFE-SERVING AREAS OF THE ECONOMY HEALTH FOREMOST AMONG THEM SHOULD NOT BE SUBJECT TO MAXIMUM PROFIT EXTRACTION, BUT INSTEAD SHOULD BE OWNED IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST. OUR TEAM IN THIS AREA HELPED ADVANCE THE COALITION THAT LED TO THE 2022 MOVE BY CALIFORNIA GOV. GAVIN NEWSOM TO CREATE PUBLIC OWNERSHIP/CONTROL OF INSULIN PRODUCTION IN CALIFORNIA. TDC IS CONVENING KEY RESEARCHERS AND SCHOLARS WORKING ON THE BROAD THEORY OF SYSTEM CHANGE, GATHERING AS THE START OF A LEARNING LAB TO EXTEND THROUGH 2024. THE LEARNING LAB BEGAN IN 2022 TO BRING TOGETHER A SMALL, HAND-PICKED COHORT OF NEXT SYSTEM THINKERS AND CHANGE AGENTS, INNOVATIVE FACULTY, AND GRADUATE STUDENTS TO LEARN ABOUT AND ARTICULATE COHERENT FRAMES AND MODELS FOR A NEXT SOCIO-ECONOMIC SYSTEM THAT IS EQUITABLE, DEMOCRATIC, AND ECOLOGICALLY SUSTAINABLE.