The Institute for Common Power

What The Institute for Common Power does

The Institute for Common Power is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit educational organization founded in June 2022 and headquartered in Seattle, WA, with a secondary campus in Selma, AL at the foot of the Edmund Pettus Bridge. It operates as the educational branch of Common Power, a voting rights and civic engagement nonprofit. The Institute delivers experiential learning programs centered on American history, voting rights, and civic engagement, serving K-12 educators, healthcare professionals, economically marginalized high school students, academic scholars, and the general public. Its core offerings include Truth and Purpose Learning Tours through the American South, Institute Courses, Vision Conversations, K-12 lesson plans, Banned Book Club, Teach-Ins for Truth and Democracy, Scholars in Motion college-prep program, Scholar-in-Residence Program, We the People Public Scholar Fellowship, Education to Action grants ($1,000-$1,200), the Reclaiming Democracy anthology, and a merchandise storefront. Programs are led by award-winning historians including Director Dr. Terry Anne Scott and Dr. David Domke.

The Institute's business model is donation-supported nonprofit economics, with most educational programming offered free of charge and supported by individual contributions processed via Givebutter. Revenue diversification is limited: branded merchandise (hoodies $43-$54.50, t-shirts $14-$21, accessories, infant bodysuits) is sold through a Shopify storefront, and the Reclaiming Democracy hardcover anthology is sold for $75, with all profits earmarked for educator programs. The organization operates with approximately 6 employees and relies on a distributed network of academic scholars, civil rights foot soldiers, and educator ambassadors across 13 U.S. states and 3 countries to deliver programming. Underlying technology is conventional third-party SaaS — no proprietary platform, AI, or developer-facing APIs are built or sold. Strategic alliances with the University of Washington Department of Medicine, Equal Justice Initiative, Seattle Seahawks, Los Angeles Lakers, BlackPAC, and the Maryland Lynching Memorial Project extend distribution and credibility.

Name

The Institute for Common Power

Legal name

The Institute for Common Power

Website

https://instituteforcommonpower.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2022

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Institute for Common Power is a Seattle-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2022 that delivers free educational programming on American history, voting rights, and civic engagement to K-12 educators, healthcare professionals, scholars, and underserved youth through learning tours, courses, fellowships, and grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Civic and History Education Services

NAICS

Educational Services (611), Educational Support Services (611710), Human Rights Organizations (813311), Civic and Social Organizations (81341)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Social Studies & Civics Instruction (School-Delivered) (EDAJAFAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Open Lesson Plans & Teaching Units (K–12) (EDAGAJAI), Civic Literacy (Voting, Rights, Community Participation) (EDAAAAAH), Education Equity, Access & Inclusion Policy Research (EDADADAF), Think Tanks, Policy Research & Public Policy Institutes (BPAGAFAO)

Keywords

• Civic education programs
• Voting rights education
• Experiential learning tours
• Educator professional development
• History curriculum resources

Headquarters

HQ city

Seattle

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Donations and Contributions: As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, the Institute relies primarily on donations from individuals and organizations to support frontline educators and educational programming.
2. Merchandise Sales: The Institute operates a merchandise store selling branded apparel including hoodies ($43-$54.50), t-shirts ($14-$21), hats ($30.50-$32), tote bags ($26.50), and mugs ($16.50). All proceeds support educator programs.
3. Book Sales: The Institute publishes and sells 'Reclaiming Democracy: A History of Voter Disenfranchisement and the Future of Voter Empowerment' anthology for $75. All profits from book sales support educators on the frontlines of safeguarding truth.
4. Education to Action Grants: The Institute awards Education to Action grants ($1,000-$1,200) to educator ambassadors for implementing school or community-based programs. These grants are funded through donations and support implementation of democratic teaching projects.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Institute for Common Power is a 501(c)(3) educational nonprofit and educational branch of Common Power that delivers truth-centered civic education on American history, voting rights, and democracy. It offers free lectures, multi-week Institute Courses, Vision Conversations, K-12 lesson plans, Banned Book Club discussions, and national Teach-Ins, alongside fully scholarship-funded immersive Truth and Purpose Learning Tours through the American South. It also operates a merchandise store (apparel, accessories) and publishes the hardcover anthology 'Reclaiming Democracy,' with proceeds supporting educator-facing programs such as Scholars in Motion, Scholar-in-Residence, and the Education to Action Project Fund grants.

Product overview

The Institute for Common Power is an educational nonprofit organization (501(c)(3)) founded in June 2022 as an educational branch of Common Power. Rather than a unified software platform, it offers a portfolio of educational programs and resources centered on teaching truthful American history, voting rights, and civic engagement. Core offerings include: Lectures and Courses (taught by award-winning scholars on topics of race, culture, and politics); Vision Conversations (public discussions with changemakers); Banned Book Club (monthly discussions of challenged literature); K-12 Lesson Plans (free lesson plans created by educator ambassadors); Educational Resources (pages on African American and Indigenous history); Truth & Purpose Learning Tours (immersive multi-day journeys through the American South with full scholarships); Scholars in Motion (college prep program for underserved youth); Scholar-in-Residence Program (research residencies in Selma, AL); We the People Fellowship (educator recognition); Education to Action Award (annual recognition); Education to Action Project Fund (grants for educators); Teach-Ins for Truth and Democracy; Public History Endeavors (markers, exhibits, trading cards); and the anthology book Reclaiming Democracy ($75 hardcover). The organization also operates a merchandise store selling branded apparel including T-shirts, hoodies, hats, bags, mugs, and infant bodysuits. All programs aim to move people from Education to Action in service of voting justice and inclusive democracy.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Lectures and Courses Multi-week Institute Courses and individual lectures taught by award-winning scholars on topics related to race, culture, and politics in America, offered in-person and virtually with free registration.
• Vision Conversations Free public discussions connecting audiences with visionary changemakers, scholars, authors, and activists working to build a just and inclusive democracy.
• Banned Book Club Monthly facilitated discussions of banned or challenged literature, led by the Educators for Democracy team, covering works such as How the Word is Passed and The House on Mango Street.
• K-12 Lesson Plans Free downloadable lesson plans created by educators who completed the Truth and Purpose Learning Experience, covering Critical Moments in Black History, Civil Rights, Reconstruction, Jim Crow, and Black Representation in STEM.
• Educational Resources on History and Culture Curated resource pages on African American History and Culture, Indigenous American History and Culture, and History Shorts videos illuminating marginalized histories.
• Truth and Purpose Learning Tours Multi-day immersive journeys through Atlanta, Montgomery, Selma, and Birmingham examining Civil Rights, Voting Rights, and African American history, led by scholars and Civil Rights foot soldiers; accepted educators receive full scholarships covering airfare, hotels, ground transportation, and meals.
• Truth and Purpose Learning Tour for Healthcare Professionals Specialized experiential learning tour for healthcare professionals, developed in partnership with the University of Washington Department of Medicine, examining racial bias and structural racism in medicine through the American South.
• Scholars in Motion

Quantifiable outcome

• Educator ambassadors from 13 states and 3 countries trained through learning tours
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, notable and minor.

• University of Washington Department of MedicinecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Institute partners with the UW Department of Medicine to deliver the Truth and Purpose Learning Experience for Healthcare Professionals. This partnership focuses on providing healthcare professionals with experiential learning about racial bias in medicine and structural racism in healthcare systems. The collaboration includes lectures, learning tours, and ongoing programming to address health inequities.
• Common PowercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Institute is an educational 501(c)(3) branch of Common Power, a voting rights and civic engagement organization. Common Power provides organizational support, shared leadership (including Dr. David Domke as Associate Director), and joint programming including Action Academy for college students and the Truth and Purpose Learning Tours.
• Equal Justice Initiative (EJI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Institute works with EJI during Truth and Purpose Learning Tours, visiting the Equal Justice Initiative Legacy Museum and Peace and Justice Memorial. The partnership includes visits to EJI's healthcare clinic which provides free services to formerly incarcerated individuals and low-income citizens in Alabama.
• Seattle SeahawksnotableGTM or Marketing PartnerThe Seattle Seahawks NFL team has partnered with the Institute for Truth and Purpose Learning Tours. The Seahawks organization has participated in learning experiences through the American South focused on civil rights and voting rights history.
• Los Angeles LakersnotableGTM or Marketing PartnerThe Los Angeles Lakers NBA team has partnered with the Institute for Truth and Purpose Learning Tours, participating in experiential learning experiences through civil rights historical sites in the American South.
• Maryland Lynching Memorial ProjectnotableStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Institute has partnered with the Maryland Lynching Memorial Project to lead their staff and supporters on Truth and Purpose Learning Tours through Alabama and Georgia, focusing on civil rights and racial justice history.
• BlackPACnotableStrategic or Co-development PartnerBlackPAC, a political organization focused on Black voter engagement, has partnered with the Institute for Truth and Purpose Learning Tours to educate their team on the historical context of voting rights and voter suppression.
• Washington Women's FoundationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerThe Institute has partnered with Washington Women's Foundation to lead their members on Truth and Purpose Learning Tours focused on civil rights history and voting justice.
• Northwest African American MuseumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Institute distributes Modern Civil Rights Movement trading cards through the Northwest African American Museum in Seattle, making the free educational materials available to museum visitors.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Teaching for Change: Nonprofit offering K-12 social-justice curriculum, books, and educator professional development focused on accurate, inclusive history. Closely mirrors the Institute's mission to equip teachers with truthful American history content and teacher support.
• Learning for Justice (Southern Poverty Law Center): Provides free K-12 anti-bias and social-justice classroom resources, frameworks, and educator training. Operates in the same educational nonprofit space and competes for the same educator audience as the Institute.
• Equal Justice Initiative: Civil rights nonprofit operating the Legacy Museum and Peace and Justice Memorial in Montgomery, plus historical research and community education. Both an active partner and a peer in civil-rights education, public history, and scholar support.
• Zinn Education Project: National nonprofit that provides free, people’s-history K-12 lesson plans, teaching materials, and workshops on marginalized U.S. histories. Directly comparable mission and delivery model to the Institute for Common Power's K-12 lesson plans and educator ambassador work.
• Facing History & Ourselves: Educational nonprofit that provides K-12 professional development and classroom resources on identity, race, and democracy through the lens of historical case studies. Highly comparable educator-focused, history-centered model.

Emerging players

• Race Forward: National nonprofit advancing racial justice through research, media, and movement support including education policy. Comparable agenda around using education as a lever for racial equity.
• Abolitionist Teaching Network: Educator-led network developing K-12 curricula grounded in anti-racist and historical-accurate content. Smaller scale but overlaps with the Institute's teacher-resources and banned-book work.
• Schott Foundation for Public Education: Education-focused philanthropy and advocacy organization dedicated to equitable, well-resourced public K-12 schools. Adjacent peer in education equity space, particularly relevant to the Institute's mission around marginalized students and communities.

Broad incumbents

• National Museum of African American History and Culture: Smithsonian museum that researches, collects, and disseminates African American history through exhibitions, educational resources, and digital programming. Comparable public-history and educational-resource model at vastly greater scale.

Others

• Common Power (parent org): The Institute's parent nonprofit focused on voting rights and civic engagement. Listed as a peer because it shares mission, branding, leadership, and donor base with the Institute.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/watch?v=1rJyGyYb9Lk&t=237s
• Instagraminstagram.com/p/DY2NzKkAj3a
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/www.instituteforcommonpower.org

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 The Institute for Common Power