What MassINC does

MassINC (legally The Massachusetts Institute for a New Commonwealth, Inc.) is a private nonprofit 501(c)(3) civic organization founded in 1996 and headquartered at 11 Beacon Street, Suite 500, Boston, MA. It operates three independent divisions under unified governance: the MassINC Policy Center (nonpartisan research on housing, education, transportation, criminal justice, and economic development), CommonWealth Beacon (a digital civic news publication rebranded from CommonWealth Magazine in November 2023), and The MassINC Polling Group (a wholly-owned for-profit polling subsidiary founded in 2010, rated among the most accurate U.S. pollsters by FiveThirtyEight). The organization also houses the Gateway Cities Innovation Institute, a network of 26 Massachusetts mid-size cities, and runs the Greg Torres Senior Fellows Program (est. 2024) and Greg Bialecki Leadership Seminar (est. 2025).

Name

MassINC

Legal name

The Massachusetts Institute for a New Commonwealth, Inc.

Website

https://massinc.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

MassINC is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit civic organization that produces nonpartisan policy research, digital journalism (CommonWealth Beacon), and public opinion polling (The MassINC Polling Group), serving Massachusetts policymakers, civic leaders, and the general public since 1996.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonpartisan Policy Research and Civic Journalism

NAICS

Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Civic and Social Organizations (81341), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Think Tanks, Policy Research & Public Policy Institutes (BPAGAFAO)

akta.pro secondary industry

News, Politics & Current Affairs Magazines (MPAJAEAO)

Keywords

• Nonpartisan policy research
• Civic journalism
• Public opinion polling
• Foundation grantmaking
• Civic engagement

Headquarters

HQ city

Clayton

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Foundation and Institutional Grants: MassINC receives support from foundations including Barr Foundation, Cummings Foundation, Gardiner Howland Shaw Foundation, Nellie Mae Education Foundation, and others. These grants support specific research initiatives and organizational operations.
2. Corporate Sponsorships: Corporate sponsors including Arbella Insurance Foundation, Eastern Bank Foundation, Ernst & Young, MassMutual, and others sponsor MassINC events and initiatives, providing financial support in exchange for association with the organization's work.
3. Individual Donations: MassINC receives individual donations through its Citizens Circle ($1,000+ donors) and other giving programs. Donations support the organization's mission of evidence-based research, journalism, and civic engagement.
4. Polling Services Revenue: The MassINC Polling Group, a for-profit subsidiary founded in 2010, provides nonpartisan polling services to government clients, nonprofits, and private sector organizations. While its roots are in Massachusetts, MPG now serves clients across the country.
5. Sponsorship Programs: Companies can sponsor MassINC's work through various sponsorship tiers, aligning their brand with the organization's policy research and journalism mission.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels12 records

Core offering

MassINC operates three divisions under one nonprofit umbrella: the MassINC Policy Center produces nonpartisan policy research on Massachusetts issues (housing, education, transportation, criminal justice, Gateway Cities, middle class); CommonWealth Beacon publishes independent civic journalism covering politics, policy, and civic life in Massachusetts; and The MassINC Polling Group, a wholly-owned for-profit subsidiary, provides full-service survey opinion research to public, private, and social sector clients. The organization additionally convenes civic leaders through the Gateway Cities Innovation Institute and leadership development programs.

Product overview

MassINC is a nonprofit civic organization operating across three independent divisions: the MassINC Policy Center (research), CommonWealth Beacon (civic journalism), and The MassINC Polling Group (survey research). The organization also houses the Gateway Cities Innovation Institute as a specialized program within the Policy Center. Additional offerings include leadership development programs (Greg Bialecki Leadership Seminar, Greg Torres Senior Fellows Program), multiple newsletter products (MassINC Matters, Gateway Cities Journal, The Download, The Saturday Send, CommonWealth Voices), and annual events including the Gateway Cities Innovation Summit.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Gateway Cities Innovation Institute: Works to unlock the economic potential of small to mid-size regional cities, strengthening connections across communities and helping Gateway City leaders develop and advance a shared policy agenda.
• Greg Bialecki Leadership Seminar
• Greg Torres Senior Fellows Program

Products and services

• MassINC Policy Center The nonprofit research division of MassINC that produces rigorous, nonpartisan research and collaborates with civic leaders to find solutions to complex social and economic challenges in Massachusetts, covering housing, education, transportation, criminal justice, economic development, and the middle class.
• CommonWealth Beacon Civic news organization publishing in-depth, balanced, and independent journalism covering politics, policy, ideas, and civic life in Massachusetts, with emphasis on investigative reporting and in-depth analysis; freely accessible to readers and supported through donations, sponsorships, and foundation funding.
• The MassINC Polling Group A full-service survey opinion research company (a wholly-owned for-profit subsidiary of MassINC) offering public opinion research to public, private, and social sector clients across the country, routinely rated as one of the most accurate pollsters in the country by FiveThirtyEight.
• Gateway Cities Innovation Institute A division of the MassINC Policy Center that works to unlock the economic potential of small to mid-size regional Gateway Cities across Massachusetts by strengthening connections across communities and helping Gateway City leaders develop and advance a shared policy agenda.
• Greg Bialecki Leadership Seminar A leadership development program housed within the Gateway Cities Innovation Institute that cultivates bold and innovative leadership among Gateway City leaders including mayors, city managers, department heads, employers, and executives from anchor institutions.
• Greg Torres Senior Fellows Program A two-year fellowship program where experienced professionals partner with MassINC to explore opportunities in research, policy leadership, convening, and public-facing storytelling across key issues facing Massachusetts.
• Gateway Cities Innovation Summit An annual convening bringing together leaders from across Massachusetts to explore how regional collaboration can drive inclusive growth, with research report releases and policy discussions.

Quantifiable outcome

• MassINC Polling Group serves clients across the country despite roots in Massachusetts
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• TransitMatterscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTransitMatters is a key strategic partner for MassINC's Regional Rail policy research. The two organizations jointly produce a policy brief series exploring investments and policy choices needed to create a more reliable, equitable, and connected rail system across Massachusetts. TransitMatters provides expertise on people-focused and data-driven public transportation solutions.
• Boston IndicatorsmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBoston Indicators partnered with MassINC on immigration research examining how recent federal immigration restrictions could affect the Commonwealth's workforce and economy. The partnership produced 'An Uncertain Future: How the Immigration Crackdown Threatens Massachusetts' Labor Force' report.
• GBHmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGBH partnered with MassINC on public convenings including the FORUM Network series featuring Greg Torres Senior Fellows. MassINC has hosted events with GBH including 'Shaping the Next Chapter for Massachusetts' and other policy discussions.
• MassDOTmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMassDOT partnered with the MassINC Polling Group and Way Finders to release a report on transit barriers in Western Massachusetts. The collaboration examined transportation challenges and policy implications for the region.
• Worcester Regional Research BureaumajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe MassINC Policy Center and Worcester Regional Research Bureau convened leaders at the State House to discuss research on inequities in school facilities and the need for equitable state investment, releasing the 'Fixing the Foundation' report.
• WBURmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWBUR partnered with the MassINC Polling Group for the 30th anniversary middle class research initiative, conducting a statewide poll to examine how Massachusetts residents view the middle class, its barriers and pathways.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• WBUR: Boston's flagship NPR member station and confirmed MassINC polling partner. Comparable in covering Massachusetts politics, policy, and civic life, but at much larger scale and as a broadcast-driven news organization.
• Pew Research Center: National nonpartisan polling and research organization where MassINC COO Maeve Duggan previously worked. Comparable in mission and methodology to the MassINC Polling Group but operating nationally with substantially greater resources.
• GBH (WGBH): Major Boston public media organization and confirmed MassINC partner (FORUM Network convenings). Comparable as a civic journalism and convening platform serving Massachusetts audiences, but with a much broader content portfolio than CommonWealth Beacon.
• The Brookings Institution: National public policy think tank where MassINC Policy Center Director Ben Forman previously worked as a research assistant. Comparable in producing rigorous, nonpartisan research across education, urban policy, and economic opportunity, but at a vastly larger scale.

Direct peers

• Boston Foundation: Greater Boston's community foundation and a confirmed MassINC funder/partner (gold 30th anniversary sponsor). Comparable as a Massachusetts civic institution funding and often publishing civic research with statewide reach.
• MassBudget (Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center): Massachusetts-focused nonprofit policy organization conducting research on budget, tax, and economic equity issues. Direct peer in producing nonpartisan state-level policy research aimed at policymakers and civic audiences.
• Boston Indicators: Boston Foundation-affiliated research center producing data-driven analysis on Greater Boston's economy, education, and quality of life. Already a confirmed MassINC research partner; comparable in mission, geography, and analytical output.
• Pioneer Institute: Boston-based public policy think tank producing independent research on Massachusetts issues in education, healthcare, and economic opportunity. Directly comparable as a MA-focused policy research nonprofit operating in the same civic discourse space as the MassINC Policy Center.
• Commonwealth Magazine (legacy brand): MassINC's own prior print publication, rebranded as CommonWealth Beacon in 2023. Included as a structural reference point showing the evolution from a quarterly magazine to a fully digital civic news outlet supported by the same nonprofit parent.

Emerging players

• Rappaport Institute for Greater Boston: Harvard Kennedy School policy center focused on Greater Boston urban policy, with research and convening functions. Comparable to MassINC Policy Center in producing urban/economic research, though anchored to an academic institution.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/massinc
• Facebookfacebook.com/massinc
• Xx.com/massinc
• Instagraminstagram.com/massincma
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@massincpollinggroup

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles21 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about MassINC