GOLD2023

PUBLIC AGENDA

Building a democracy that works for everyone.

Brooklyn, NY   |  http://www.publicagenda.org

Mission

Public Agenda is a national research-to-action organization that thoughtfully explores key challenges facing our democracy to uncover insights and solutions. We engage with advocates, journalists, policymakers, and the philanthropic community to ensure public voice is heard in conversations that shape our shared future.

Ruling year info

1987

President

Andrew Seligsohn Ph.D.

Main address

WeWork 1 Dock 72 Way #6101

Brooklyn, NY 11205 USA

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EIN

13-2847587

NTEE code info

Public, Society Benefit - Multipurpose and Other N.E.C. (W99)

IRS filing requirement

This organization is required to file an IRS Form 990 or 990-EZ.

Sign in or create an account to view Form(s) 990 for 2022, 2021 and 2020.
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Communication

Programs and results

What we aim to solve

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Our programs

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?

The Hidden Common Ground Initiative

The Hidden Common Ground Initiative is a multi-year research project created to challenge the narrative that Americans are hopelessly divided and incapable of working together to create fair and effective solutions to today’s challenges.

Population(s) Served

Community Voices for Health is a multiyear initiative to strengthen community-engagement infrastructure by involving a broader range of people—especially marginalized and underserved communities—so their voices are counted in health policymaking and in the development of solutions to community health challenges.

Population(s) Served
Adults

Healthier Democracies is an initiative designed to bolster American democracy by highlighting case studies of community engagement across the globe, sharing best practices, and providing recommendations to elected public officials on how to better serve their communities.

Population(s) Served

The Public Agenda Democracy Renewal Project connects practitioners, researchers, and resources to identify important questions about democracy, investigate them rigorously, and offer actionable evidence that people can leverage to make change. The Democracy Renewal Project is our response to a pressing need for insight into the movement to renew American democracy.

Population(s) Served
Adults
Adults

Where we work

Goals & Strategy

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.

Charting impact

Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.

All of Public Agenda’s research is designed to uncover and understand people’s worries, concerns, aspirations, needs and ideas--often about sensitive topics with consequential decisions facing them and their families. Examples of our recent work include:
- “Still Searching,” our 2017 report based on surveys and focus groups with Americans nationwide and with residents of four selected states, including New York State, regarding how people seek and use health care price information: https://publicagenda.org/pages/still-searching
- “Qualities that Matter,” our 2017 report based on surveys and focus groups with people recently diagnosed with type 2 diabetes care, who recently had a joint replacement surgery or who recently gave birth regarding what they think makes for good quality health care: https://www.publicagenda.org/pages/qualities-that-matter

How we listen

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.

done We shared information about our current feedback practices.

  • How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?

    To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve

  • Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?

  • What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?

    We don't have any major challenges to collecting feedback

Financials

PUBLIC AGENDA
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Operations

The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.

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Connect with nonprofit leaders

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lock

Connect with nonprofit leaders

Subscribe

Build relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.

  • Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
  • Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
  • Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations

Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.

PUBLIC AGENDA

Board of directors
as of 08/10/2023
SOURCE: Self-reported by organization
Board chair

Betty Sue Flowers

University of Texas at Austin, Johnson Presidential Library

Chris Gates

Council on Foundations

Shirley Malcom

American Association for the Advancement of Science

Robert Y Shapiro

Columbia University

Lilian Wu

IBM Global University Programs

Hon. David Mathews

Charles F. Kettering Foundation

Nan Hayworth

Mitchel Wallerstein

Baruch College of The City University of New York

Claude Millman

Kostelanetz & Fink, LLP

Mizell Stewart III

Emerging Leaders, LLC

Board leadership practices

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.

  • Board orientation and education
    Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes
  • CEO oversight
    Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? No
  • Ethics and transparency
    Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes
  • Board composition
    Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes
  • Board performance
    Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Yes

Organizational demographics

SOURCE: Self-reported; last updated 8/7/2023
info Candid has made improvements to the race and ethnicity options.

Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.

Leadership

The organization's leader identifies as:

Race & ethnicity
White/Caucasian/European
Gender identity
Male, Not transgender (cisgender)

Race & ethnicity

Gender identity

 

Sexual orientation

No data

Disability

No data

Equity strategies

Last updated: 09/09/2019

GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more

Data
  • We review compensation data across the organization (and by staff levels) to identify disparities by race.
  • We ask team members to identify racial disparities in their programs and / or portfolios.
  • We analyze disaggregated data and root causes of race disparities that impact the organization's programs, portfolios, and the populations served.
  • We disaggregate data to adjust programming goals to keep pace with changing needs of the communities we support.
  • We employ non-traditional ways of gathering feedback on programs and trainings, which may include interviews, roundtables, and external reviews with/by community stakeholders.
  • We disaggregate data by demographics, including race, in every policy and program measured.
  • We have long-term strategic plans and measurable goals for creating a culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
Policies and processes
  • We use a vetting process to identify vendors and partners that share our commitment to race equity.
  • We have a promotion process that anticipates and mitigates implicit and explicit biases about people of color serving in leadership positions.
  • We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
  • We have community representation at the board level, either on the board itself or through a community advisory board.
  • We help senior leadership understand how to be inclusive leaders with learning approaches that emphasize reflection, iteration, and adaptability.
  • We measure and then disaggregate job satisfaction and retention data by race, function, level, and/or team.
  • We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.