Public Democracy America

What Public Democracy America does

Public Democracy America (PDA) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, and the charitable arm of Public Democracy, Inc., a Public Benefit Corporation co-founded by Eric Sapp. With a 1-10 person team led by Executive Director Scott Shalett, PDA operates a portfolio of civic-tech programs organized around two pillars: the Better Angels Program, a network of 100+ nonprofits receiving shared infrastructure (fiscal sponsorship, 501(c)(3) assistance, Google Grants management of up to $10,000/month in search ad credits, and AI-powered content tools), and The Lab, a social impact incubator that prototypes solutions in partnership with mission-aligned organizations. Active Lab projects span opioids behavioral modeling under a sole-source White House ONDCP contract, COVID-19 vaccine trial recruitment with Ochsner Health (the first fully representative sample of Black Americans, published in The Lancet), Opportunity Zone community engagement with the City of Birmingham BIG Program, the Vet the Vote coalition that recruited 60,000+ veteran poll workers in 2022, climate-tech incubation for Partanna, and economic equity initiatives under United for Equity.

The organization's core technical asset is Values Data, a proprietary behavioral dataset that combines digital engagement signals with offline data to model patterns in communities historically undervalued by markets and institutions, while preserving anonymity and avoiding PII. This dataset feeds AI/NLP applications including AI-powered content optimization, detection of AI-generated disinformation, and the Gabriel App, a community-driven robocall blocker built with Forward Edge-AI using swarm intelligence, machine learning, and an encrypted blockchain database. A separate Data Trusts initiative extends the data into Community Insights and Indices for policymakers, corporate ESG, and impact investors.

Revenue is generated through three streams with no commercial product pricing: charitable donations, government contracts (anchored by the ONDCP sole-source award), and partnership/program fees. Distribution runs through direct partnerships with nonprofits, government agencies, and healthcare organizations, plus app-store distribution for the Gabriel App on Google Play. The organization operates exclusively in the United States and has no disclosed funding rounds, M&A activity, or patents.

Name

Public Democracy America

Legal name

Public Democracy America

Website

https://publicdemocracyamerica.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Public Democracy America is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that runs a 100+ nonprofit Better Angels Network and a social impact Lab using proprietary Values Data and AI to address health equity, voter participation, opportunity zones, and underserved communities across the United States.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Social Impact Services

NAICS

Political Organizations (813940), Human Rights Organizations (813311), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)

SIC

Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370)

akta.pro primary industry

Civil Society Strengthening & Civic Space (BPADAGAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Democratic Governance & Public Administration Reform (BPADAGAJ), Digital Development & ICT4D / GovTech Technical Assistance (BPADAEAL), Responsible AI, AI Governance & Compliance Services (BPAEAHAJ)

Keywords

• Nonprofit social impact
• Community engagement services
• Behavioral data analytics
• Digital outreach programs
• Nonprofit incubation

Headquarters

HQ city

Arlington

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, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: As a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit, Public Democracy America relies on donations from supporters and charitable contributions to fund operations.
2. Government Contracts: They received a sole-source contract from the White House ONDCP (Office of National Drug Control Policy) to identify behavior patterns related to addiction.
3. Partnership and Program Fees: Revenue generated through partnerships with mission-aligned organizations, including lab incubation services and community engagement programs.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Public Democracy America operates The Lab, a social impact incubator that uses digital tools, proprietary behavioral Values Data, and AI to design and scale solutions for communities traditionally undervalued by markets and institutions. It also operates the Better Angels Program, a network of 100+ nonprofits providing fiscal sponsorship, 501(c)(3) IRS assistance, AI-powered content tools, and Google Grants management to support racial and economic justice, democracy, health equity, and environmental stewardship.

Product overview

Public Democracy America (PDA) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that operates as a social impact organization using digital tools to improve access and outcomes for undervalued communities. The organization's offerings center around The Lab, its social impact incubator that prototypes solutions by listening to communities and scaling them with mission-aligned partners. Key products include: Better Angels Program (a 100+ nonprofit network providing fiscal sponsorship, 501c3 assistance, and AI-powered content tools); United for Equity (economic justice initiative addressing racial wealth gaps); Building Better AI (featuring the Gabriel App for robocall protection); Faithful Media (uplifting media repository); Data Trusts (community data cooperative using Values Data); plus Vet the Vote, COVID Trial, Opioids research, Opportunity Zones, and Partanna initiatives. The portfolio integrates proprietary Values Data, behavioral modeling, and AI capabilities to address systemic biases and create more equitable systems.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Lab: Social impact incubator that partners with mission-aligned organizations to address digital redlines and create real world impacts.
• Better Angels Program
• United for Equity
• Building Better AI
• Faithful Media
• Data Trusts

Products and services

• The Lab (Social Impact Incubator) A social impact incubator that partners with mission-aligned organizations to address digital redlines and create real-world impacts by listening to undervalued audiences and prototyping scalable solutions with partners.
• Better Angels Program A network of 100+ nonprofits working for racial and economic justice, democracy, health equity, environmental stewardship, and diversity in data and AI. Provides fiscal sponsorship, 501(c)(3) IRS assistance, AI-powered content tools, and Google Grants management for partner nonprofits.
• United for Equity An initiative combating the racial wealth gap through coalition building, empowering Black Americans with tools and access, expanding lending and investments, and securing commitments from economically powerful institutions.
• Building Better AI (Gabriel App) AI solutions partnership with Forward Edge-AI to create tools that reflect desired societal values, featuring the Gabriel App—a community-driven robocall blocker using swarm intelligence, AI, and machine learning to protect communities from online fraud and scams.
• Faithful Media A repository of uplifting messages promoting love of neighbor and compassion through music and media, featuring a curated network of artists and content appealing to positive human nature.
• Data Trusts A community data cooperative model stewarding Values Data and nonprofit partners' data, transforming disparate sources into Community Insights and Indices to inform outcomes-driven decisions by policymakers, corporate ESG teams, and impact investors.

Quantifiable outcome

• Achieved first population research study to successfully enroll a fully representative sample of Black Americans and marginalized communities in COVID-19 vaccine trial, published in The Lancet
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability6 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• We the VeteranscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Vet the Vote coalition partner working to recruit veterans as poll workers during the 2022 midterm elections. Public Democracy America leveraged their Better Angels Network and digital tools to support recruitment efforts.
• Vet Voice FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Vet the Vote coalition partner for recruiting veterans as poll workers. Part of the broad coalition of veterans organizations supporting democracy through civic participation.
• Forward Edge-AIcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2021Partnership to create AI solutions for community protection from online fraud and scams. Collaborated on the Gabriel App, using swarm intelligence, AI, machine learning, and NLP to combat robocallers.
• Ochsner HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Partnership to recruit participants for COVID-19 vaccine clinical trials, specifically addressing underrepresentation of minority communities in clinical research. The collaboration used Values Data Recruitment methods.
• City of Birmingham BIG ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Partnership to engage and map community interest as part of Birmingham's national leadership in the Opportunity Zone movement. Program enabled communication with OZ residents and generated over a thousand survey responses.
• PartannasupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPublic Democracy America's Lab supports Partanna (carbon-negative housing technology founded by Rick Fox and Sam Marshall) with community impact data and insights. Through Better Angels Network, they raise awareness and help engage civic leaders and communities.
• GooglecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerThrough the Better Angels Program, helps nonprofits navigate the Google Grants application process and provides management services for ad accounts. Google provides up to $10,000/month in search ad credits to qualifying nonprofits.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Protect Democracy: Nonpartisan organization dedicated to preventing authoritarianism and defending democratic norms in the U.S. Closely aligned with PDA's democratic governance focus (Vet the Vote, election integrity, civic participation).
• Demos: Public policy organization working at the intersection of racial and economic justice, democracy, and equitable systems. Directly comparable to PDA's United for Equity initiative and Values Data approach to addressing data gaps in marginalized communities.
• More in Common: Nonprofit that builds cross-partisan bridges between communities and institutions, with a similar focus on reaching groups underserved by traditional civic infrastructure. Directly comparable mission and target audience to PDA's community-engagement work.
• Brennan Center for Justice: Nonpartisan law and policy institute focused on democracy, voting rights, and justice reform. Directly comparable to PDA's election protection and civic participation work (Vet the Vote, anti-disinformation).
• Center for Common Ground: Nonpartisan nonprofit increasing civic participation and voter registration in underrepresented communities. Direct peer to PDA's Vet the Vote and community-engagement work, particularly in BIPOC and rural populations.

Broad incumbents

• New America: Major think tank with programs on democracy, technology policy, and inclusive economy. Operates as a broader portfolio player in the civic-engagement space that PDA targets with the Better Angels Network and Data Trusts.
• Knight Foundation: Major national foundation investing in journalism, the arts, and the success of cities and communities where its founders once published newspapers. Similar civic-engagement mission and provides comparable grant funding in the same space as PDA.
• Carnegie Corporation of New York: Major foundation supporting democratic engagement, education, and international peace. Both a potential funder for PDA's civic work and a comparable actor in the democratic-governance funding ecosystem.

Emerging players

• Mobilize: Civic engagement platform used by nonprofits and advocacy groups to organize events, recruit volunteers, and drive turnout. Comparable technology-enabled approach to mobilizing underrepresented communities for civic action.
• Forward Edge-AI: Technology partner that co-developed the Gabriel App with PDA. Comparable AI/civic-protection focus and overlapping technical capabilities (swarm intelligence, NLP, blockchain-based fraud detection).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/scott_shalett
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/public-democracy-america

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 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 Public Democracy America