Partners In Democracy Receives MassCollab Fund Grant

Partners In Democracy (PID) is thrilled to announce a new partnership with The Massachusetts Nonprofit Collaborative Fund (MassCollab Fund) in support of our formal integration across three previously distinct organizations: Partners in Democracy Education (PID-E), GenUnity, and CHIP.

With this support, PID will be able to meet people at every stage of their lives:

• Through the Civics & History Inquiry Partnership (CHIP), K-12 students are building strong baseline civic readiness. 
• Through GenUnity, residents are reconnecting to each other–across race, class, and age–and to their civic power, improving their individual civic wellness and unlocking community-centered policy and systems change. 
• Through civic technologies like the Massachusetts Platform for Legislative Engagement (MAPLE), people across Massachusetts now have a dedicated online space for civic dialogue and new ways to hold our state legislators accountable. 
• And PID’s MA Action team is mobilizing a growing pro-democracy coalition for structural change. 

This funding makes one collective impact organization possible, with a focus on shared decision-making, operations, fundraising, and communications. As we continue to bring these distinct efforts together under one organization, we create a powerful, unified pathway for civic participation in Massachusetts, and a model that sets a new standard for pro-democracy organizations across the country.

Jennie Segel, Initiative Manager of MassCollab Fund, on the impact of the Fund, reflects: “Collaboration isn’t just a way to increase impact; it’s a way to build nonprofits that last. By bringing PID-E, GenUnity, and CHIP together under shared operations, fundraising, and decision-making, Partners in Democracy is building a stronger, more sustainable foundation for civic engagement across Massachusetts. We’re proud to support an effort that shows what’s possible when organizations choose to grow together.”

About this integration, Jerren Chang, President & CEO of PID, says, “Our organizational merger creates a holistic civic journey for everyday people, where learning about democracy can be applied in meaningful ways to make institutions more responsive. This unlocks a virtuous cycle: engaged citizens help shape better public problem-solving which in turn reinforces civic engagement. We are grateful for MassCollab’s partnership as we build a truly integrated, statewide model for a healthier democracy in Massachusetts, and look forward to sharing further progress as this next phase unfolds.”

The Massachusetts Nonprofit Collaborative Fund is supporting technical assistance to nonprofit organizations across the Commonwealth as they explore and implement sustained collaborations. These investments span sectors from housing and health to education, civic engagement, and the arts, and reflect MassCollab’s commitment to strengthening the nonprofit sector through formal partnership. Grants are awarded to support the full spectrum of collaboration with the goal of strengthening the nonprofit sector and enabling organizations to serve their communities more effectively. MassCollab has made ten grants to date. To learn more, see https://masscollab.org/

To learn more about JCC Greater Boston, see https://www.bostonjcc.org/

To learn more about Springfield Empowerment Zone Partnership, see https://sezp.org/

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