Team Democracy

What Team Democracy does

Team Democracy is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2021 and headquartered in Mountain Top, Pennsylvania, that operates a portfolio of civic-engagement programs aimed at reducing partisan polarization around election administration. Its three core initiatives are the Civics Credentialing System (CCS), a digital badge program; Principles for Trusted Elections, a signature-driven consensus statement that has attracted 5,800+ individual signatories; and RAFT for America, an experiential civic-dialogue program that ran four rafting trips in 2025. The organization also fielded the SAFE Pledge, securing commitments from 775+ political candidates in 2022.

The underlying technology footprint is limited: the CCS functions as a digital badge/credentialing system, but the source material discloses no app, API, proprietary platform, or software product beyond this. The organization's competitive differentiation rests instead on its coalition — 30+ partner organizations including the Carter Center and the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation, a 20+ member advisory board, and a governance board featuring high-profile former government officials such as former CIA/NSA Director Michael Hayden and former DOD official Jesse Salazar.

Team Democracy's business model is donation-funded. It reports revenue from individual contributions and merchandise, with merchandise sold at cost (i.e., not a profit center). The organization employs 1-10 staff, co-founded by Ken Powley and Chris Newlon, and has recently begun professionalizing fundraising capacity through the March 2025 hire of a Senior Philanthropic Advisor.

Name

Team Democracy

Legal name

Team Democracy

Website

https://teamdemocracy.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Team Democracy is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2021 that runs the Civics Credentialing System, Principles for Trusted Elections, and RAFT for America to reduce partisan polarization around election administration, serving civic organizations, candidates, and individual signatories nationwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Civic Engagement and Democracy Advocacy

NAICS

Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Civic and Social Organizations (81341), Human Rights Organizations (813311)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Democracy, Voting Rights & Civic Participation Advocacy (BPAGAFAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Civil Liberties & Constitutional Rights Advocacy (BPAGAFAA), Civic Participation & Leadership Development (Voting, Advocacy, Community Leadership) (EDAAADAL), Civil Society Strengthening & Civic Space (BPADAGAD)

Keywords

• Civic engagement programs
• Voter education
• Democracy advocacy
• Nonprofit governance
• Depolarization initiatives

Headquarters

HQ city

Mountain Top

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, Team Democracy relies on charitable donations from individuals, foundations, and organizations to fund operations and initiatives.
2. Merchandise Sales: The organization sells branded merchandise (t-shirts, hats, mugs, water bottles, tote bags, notebooks) at cost through their online store. Products priced between $9-$26.99. Direct supporters are encouraged to donate separately.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Team Democracy operates three complementary, nonpartisan civic engagement initiatives: the Civics Credentialing System (CCS), a digital badge-based recognition program that rewards healthier civic participation; RAFT for America, an experiential program that hosts red/blue pairs of Americans on cross-partisan rafting adventures; and the Principles for Trusted Elections, a cross-partisan national program co-sponsored with The Carter Center and the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation that promotes candidate and supporter commitments to safe, fair elections. The organization also runs a merchandise store selling branded items at cost.

Product overview

Team Democracy operates three complementary, nonpartisan core initiatives focused on civic trust, democratic norms, and institutional integrity. The Civics Credentialing System (CCS) uses open digital badge technology to encourage civic participation. RAFT for America brings Americans together on river rafting trips to demonstrate cross-partisan collaboration. The Principles for Trusted Elections, sponsored by the Carter Center and Gerald R. Ford Presidential Center, promotes election integrity commitments. The organization also maintains a merchandise store selling branded products at cost.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Civics Credentialing System: Digital badge system that encourages and rewards broader civic participation by citizens, civic leaders and organizations
• RAFT for America
• Principles for Trusted Elections

Products and services

• Civics Credentialing System (CCS) A digital badge-based system, built on open digital badge technology, that creates pathways to encourage broader and deeper civic participation by citizens, civic leaders and organizations. Badges are shared across social media platforms to give added voice and visibility to actions and behaviors that strengthen Constitutional democracy.
• RAFT for America A national experiential program that hosts red/blue pairs of Americans (civic leaders, lawmakers and everyday citizens) on rafting adventures, demonstrating collaborative problem-solving across political differences through real-world shared experiences.
• Principles for Trusted Elections A cross-partisan national program, sponsored by The Carter Center and the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Center and managed by Team Democracy, that helps restore voters' confidence in the democratic republic through candidate and supporter commitments to safe, fair and secure elections.
• Team Democracy Store An online store selling branded merchandise (t-shirts, embroidered hats, baseball caps, mugs, spiral notebooks, water bottles, tote bags) priced at cost between $9.00 and $26.99 to support the organization's mission, with direct supporters encouraged to donate separately.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 5,800 signatures collected on Principles for Trusted Elections
• +1 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• The Carter CentercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 September 2023Strategic alliance to promote transparent and trustworthy electoral processes. The Carter Center co-leads the Candidate Principles for Trusted Elections initiative with Team Democracy and the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation.
• Gerald R. Ford Presidential FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-leads the Candidate Principles for Trusted Elections initiative alongside The Carter Center and Team Democracy.
• ActiVoteminorOthersPartner organization in the civic engagement ecosystem.
• Braver AngelsminorOthersPartner organization in the civic engagement ecosystem focused on depolarization.
• Bridge AllianceminorOthersNetwork of 100+ organizations working together to promote healthy self-governance; co-founded by Team Democracy advisor David Nevins.
• Business for AmericaminorOthersPartner mobilizing the business community to advance bipartisan political reforms.
• Listen First ProjectminorOthersPartner organization with 500+ member organizations bringing Americans together across differences.
• Living Room ConversationsminorOthersPartner organization connecting people within communities and across differences through dialogue.
• Protect DemocracyminorOthersPartner organization dedicated to preventing democracy backsliding.
• Renew Democracy InitiativeminorOthersPartner organization founded by Garry Kasparov, dedicated to renewing liberal democracy values.
• Issue OneminorOthersPartner organization working on political reform.
• More PerfectminorOthersPartner coalition of presidential foundations and 100+ nonprofit organizations dedicated to securing democratic future.
• Unite AmericaminorOthersPartner organization working to advance bipartisan political reforms.
• Vote USAminorOthersPartner organization empowering voters and providing counterbalance to money in politics.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Bridge Alliance: A network of 100+ civic organizations promoting healthy self-governance and depolarization. Co-founded by a Team Democracy advisor, and a direct partner — operates in the same civic bridge-building space.
• Business for America: A nonpartisan coalition mobilizing the business community to advance bipartisan political reforms. Listed as a Team Democracy partner with overlapping civic engagement objectives.
• Braver Angels: A nonpartisan nonprofit focused on depolarization through structured dialogue and workshops between red and blue Americans. Directly comparable to Team Democracy's bridge-building mission and listed as a partner organization.
• More Perfect: A coalition of presidential foundations and 100+ nonprofits dedicated to securing America's democratic future. Listed as a Team Democracy partner and shares the presidential-foundation-backed democracy defense model.
• Listen First Project: A coalition of 500+ organizations promoting positive dialogue across differences. Listed as a Team Democracy partner and shares the bridge-building, depolarization mission.
• Protect Democracy: A nonpartisan nonprofit dedicated to preventing democracy backsliding in the United States. Operates in the same democracy-defense category and is a listed partner organization of Team Democracy.
• Issue One: A cross-partisan political reform organization working on democracy, money in politics, and elections. Listed as a Team Democracy partner and operates in an overlapping civic reform space.
• Living Room Conversations: A nonpartisan nonprofit facilitating structured community dialogues across political, religious, and cultural differences. Listed as a Team Democracy partner and operates in the same civic dialogue space.
• Unite America: A nonpartisan nonprofit advancing electoral reforms with bipartisan support. Listed as a Team Democracy partner; operates in the same political reform and democratic norms space.
• Renew Democracy Initiative: A nonprofit founded by Garry Kasparov focused on renewing liberal democracy. Listed as a Team Democracy partner and works on overlapping democracy-advocacy themes.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/teamdemocracy
• Facebookfacebook.com/teamdemocracy
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/teamdemocracy

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 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 Team Democracy