North Star creates collaborative spaces where civic leaders develop visionary solutions to complex public interest problems.
Our Mission
North Star creates collaborative spaces where civic leaders develop visionary solutions to complex public interest problems. We take an entrepreneurial approach and invest our time and financial resources to accelerate change. We focus on democracy and shared prosperity — because we believe that these are the building blocks for a hopeful future.
Learn more about us.
Latest Updates
Read our Spring Dispatch. A quarterly(ish) newsletter with updates on projects and our work.
Your City, Your Choice Survey: We’re proud to partner with Oregon Values and Beliefs Center to ask Portland residents for input on how our community is doing — and how we can revitalize our city together. Our 2025 survey focuses on public services, representation and connection to local governments, how Portlanders feel connected in our community, and our vision for the future. Please take the survey and share!
Collaborations for Impact
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Portland Center for Civic Leaders
With 180 leaders in government, business, philanthropy, arts, and culturally specific communities
Portland civic leaders can work more effectively and collaboratively to advance big ideas for the future of the city. In 2024-25 we piloted a new project to bring together executive civic leaders to build trust, collaborate, find alignment, and take action on issues facing Portland.
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Stumptown Stats
Driven by our volunteer civic research team
Explore civic data to chart Portland’s progress. We’re starting with historic data about Portland elections and Portlander's’ views on belonging and public services. We’ll track how civic life and government in Portland change over the coming decade.
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City of Possibility
Driven by the PDX Design Collaborative
An ongoing series of talks, charrettes, exhibits, and gatherings about Portland urban design, architecture, and civic ambition.
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PDX Charter Facts
With research from the Compass Fellows
In November 2022 Portlanders voted to pass a historic reforms to the city government. We developed a Fact Book as a resource for journalists in their coverage of the proposal.
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State Budget Stabilization
A project of the Mt. Goats team
Without raising taxes, Oregon policymakers could stabilize the general fund and dedicate one-time money to prioritized one-time projects like building housing, transportation, or protecting communities from wildfire.
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Our Next 20
A project of the Mt. Goats team
From Pendleton to Ashland, local governments in Oregon face persistent budget imbalances. Our 2019 report calls for new civic leadership, and outlines options to find balance and serve communities now and for the future.
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