What Progressive Technology Project does

Progressive Technology Project (PTP) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1998 that builds and hosts movement-controlled technology infrastructure for grassroots social justice organizations in the United States and abroad. Its flagship product is PowerBase, a web-based constituent relationship management (CRM) database built on the free, open-source CiviCRM platform (PHP and JavaScript) and hosted on PTP and May First/People Link servers with encryption at rest, regular log purges, and an explicit policy of resisting government subpoenas. PTP complements PowerBase with in-person and online training services — including the PowerBase Live! Online Training Series, Grassroots Fundraising & Technology trainings, and digital security consulting — and with political education aimed at moving social justice organizations off corporate Big Tech platforms (Google, Facebook, Zoom, Salesforce/ngpVAN, ActionKit) onto movement-owned alternatives (CiviCRM/PowerBase, Jitsi Meet, Signal, Nextcloud, Riseup, Mastodon).

The organization operates with a core team of approximately three staff — Executive Director Alice Aguilar (Austin, TX, since 2011), Technology Systems Director Jamie McClelland (Brooklyn, NY, since 2011), and Director of Resource Mobilization Natalie Brenner (St. Paul, MN, since early 2011) — and runs on an outreach model that is community-led and event-driven: participation in Allied Media Conference and GIFT conferences, joint webinars with May First Movement Technology and the National Network of Abortion Funds, blog-driven content marketing, and word-of-mouth within social justice networks. Its primary customer segments are social justice movement organizations (racial, environmental, reproductive, immigrant, voting, and LGBTQIA+ justice) and BIPOC-led organizations with elevated surveillance risk.

Revenue mechanics are diversified but not publicly itemized: PowerBase hosting and support contracts (annual billing, pricing not disclosed), training and professional services fees, and tax-deductible donations accepted through PTP's own CiviCRM donation portal (Tax ID 52-2173971). PTP also routes a portion of PowerBase income back to the CiviCRM core development team to support the underlying open-source platform. There is no publicly disclosed revenue, no outside investment, and no parent company — governance is through a Board of Directors, with the Executive Director additionally serving on May First Movement Technology's Board and Coordination Committee.

Name

Progressive Technology Project

Legal name

Progressive Technology Project

Website

https://progressivetech.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Progressive Technology Project is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that builds and hosts PowerBase, a movement-controlled CRM database built on open-source CiviCRM, and delivers digital security training and political education to help U.S. social justice and BIPOC-led grassroots organizations move off corporate Big Tech platforms.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Technology Services

NAICS

Human Rights Organizations (813311), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services (5182)

SIC

Services-Prepackaged Software (7372), Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370), Services-Computer Programming Services (7371)

akta.pro primary industry

Digital Inclusion & Civic Tech (Connectivity, GovTech for Social Good) (BPAGALAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Social CRM & Community Engagement Platforms (HDAEAFAF), Digital Inclusion & Public Tech Access Training (Device/Internet/Basic IT) (EDAAAFAE), Open-Source & Developer Communities (BPAMABAM), Digital Rights, Privacy & Free Expression Advocacy (BPAGAFAL)

Keywords

• Nonprofit technology services
• Crm hosting platform
• Digital security training
• Movement technology
• Constituent relationship management

Headquarters

HQ city

Austin

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. PowerBase Hosting and Support Services: PTP provides hosting and support services for PowerBase CRM. Organizations pay for hosting and support while the underlying software (CiviCRM) remains free. PTP sends a portion of income to CiviCRM core team to support development.
2. Training and Education Services: PTP conducts technology training programs — both in-person and online — for social justice organizations on topics including PowerBase usage, grassroots fundraising with technology, digital security, surveillance protection, and strategic technology planning.
3. Donations and Charitable Contributions: PTP accepts donations through its website (powered by their own infrastructure). The organization is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit with Tax ID 52-2173971. Donations are a revenue stream supporting operations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Progressive Technology Project provides hosted PowerBase CRM database services (built on the open-source CiviCRM platform) and accompanying technology training, digital security education, and movement-building support to grassroots social justice organizations. The organization helps these groups transition away from corporate Big Tech platforms (Google, Zoom, Facebook, Salesforce/ngpVAN) to movement-controlled, privacy-protecting technology infrastructure hosted on dedicated, encrypted servers.

Product overview

Progressive Technology Project (PTP) operates as a movement technology organization offering a portfolio of products and services focused on providing people-controlled technology for social justice movements. The primary product is PowerBase, a web-based CRM database built on CiviCRM, designed specifically for grassroots organizers to manage constituent data securely. PTP complements this core product with technology training services including workshops on organizing, strategic communications, and database management, as well as movement building support that helps organizations transition away from corporate Big Tech platforms toward liberatory alternatives.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• PowerBase: A web-based database designed for organizers, based on CiviCRM free and open source software, that collects organizational data in one place.
• Power On Network

Products and services

• PowerBase A web-based constituent relationship management (CRM) database designed for grassroots community organizers and social justice organizations. PowerBase is built on the free and open-source CiviCRM platform, collects all organizational data in one place (organizing, communications, fundraising, event management), and is hosted by PTP and May First/People Link on movement-controlled, encrypted servers as a privacy-protecting alternative to corporate CRMs.
• Technology Training Services Political education and training programs for social justice organizations covering PowerBase usage, organizing and strategic communications, Grassroots Fundraising & Technology, digital security, surveillance protection, and strategic technology planning. Delivered as in-person workshops in various cities and online via the PowerBase Live! Online Training Series and security webinars co-hosted with May First/People Link.
• Movement Building and Big Tech Transition Services Organizing resistance to oppressive corporate technologies through political education, movement building, and creating people-controlled technology for community organizations. Services include helping organizations transition away from Big Tech platforms (Google, Zoom, Facebook, Salesforce/ngpVAN) toward liberatory alternatives (Signal, Jitsi Meet, Nextcloud, Mastodon), digital security consulting, surveillance protection guidance, and technology strategy planning.

Quantifiable outcome

• Worked with hundreds of movement organizations over 20+ years
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration9 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• May First Movement TechnologycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMay First Movement Technology is PTP's closest sister and ally organization — a member-led, movement-building technology provider. PTP's Executive Director serves on May First's Board of Directors and Coordination Committee. May First hosts PTP's PowerBase and other infrastructure on their servers. They co-host webinars, conduct trainings together, and co-authored research reports on autonomous technology. They share a history of fighting government subpoenas and protecting movement data.
• CiviCRMcoreTechnology or IntegrationPowerBase is built on CiviCRM, a free and open source CRM software. PTP sends a significant portion of its income to the CiviCRM core development team to support ongoing development, security updates, and feature improvements. The CiviCRM community provides the underlying software platform that PTP customizes for social justice organizing.
• Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerEFF is referenced as a key partner that PTP directs organizations to for digital security resources. EFF's Surveillance Self-Defense guide is recommended as a key resource for organizations considering technology transitions. PTP and EFF share the goal of digital rights and privacy protection for activists.
• Media JusticesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerMedia Justice is an allied organization working at the intersection of media policy, activism, and technology justice. PTP references Media Justice as a partner for organizations seeking guidance on technology transitions and alternatives to Big Tech.
• Association for Progressive Communications (APC)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerAPC is a global network of organizations working on technology and progressive social change. PTP references APC as a partner organization in the broader movement technology ecosystem, especially for international organizing and cross-border technology coordination.
• National Network of Abortion FundssupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPTP co-organized a webinar with the National Network of Abortion Funds and May First on June 21, 2022, discussing the relationship between reproductive justice, privacy, surveillance, and technology. This partnership addresses the intersection of bodily autonomy and digital security.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• NationBuilder: Mainstream CRM, website, and organizing platform used by campaigns and nonprofits. Broad incumbent with overlapping constituent relationship management capabilities for the same customer segment.
• ActionKit: Commercial CRM and organizing platform built for nonprofits and progressive campaigns. Broad incumbent with overlapping CRM functionality for the same grassroots organizing customer base.
• Bonterra (formerly NGP VAN / Network for Good): Large, VC-backed provider of CRMs and organizing databases for progressive campaigns and nonprofits. Broad incumbent in the same customer category as PTP, competing against PowerBase in the political/nonprofit CRM market.

Direct peers

• Deflect: DDoS-protection project that has kept movement websites (including Black Lives Matter) online. Directly comparable as a movement-infrastructure protection service referenced by PTP.
• May First Movement Technology: Member-led, movement-building technology cooperative that co-hosts PTP's infrastructure and shares staff/board overlap. Directly comparable as a movement-controlled hosting and technology services provider for social justice organizations.
• Koumbit: Canadian worker cooperative offering hosting and technology services, identified by PTP as part of the same movement-technology ecosystem with overlapping service offerings.
• CiviCRM: The open-source CRM on which PTP's PowerBase is built. Directly comparable as the underlying platform technology and a recipient of PTP's revenue share for core development.
• Riseup: Activist-run collective providing secure email, VPN, and communications services. Directly comparable as a values-aligned, movement-owned technology provider referenced by PTP as part of its ecosystem.
• Electric Embers: Worker cooperative providing hosting and technology services, explicitly referenced by PTP as part of the North American ecosystem of independent, nonprofit/cooperative tech providers.

Others

• Electronic Frontier Foundation: Digital rights and privacy advocacy organization referenced by PTP as a partner. Not a direct competitor but a thematically aligned organization addressing the same movement concerns about surveillance and corporate technology.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/progressivetech
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/progressive-technology-project

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Progressive Technology Project