Our Partners

Most of the Forum's work is carried out with and through our four primary organizational partners: YES! Magazine  (YES!), the Business Alliance for Local Living Economies (BALLE), the Institute for Policy Studies (IPS), and the New Economy Working Group (NEWGroup). 

YES! Magazine

Changing the framing stories of the culture

YES! Magazine is a communications organization founded in 1996 to advance powerful ideas and practical actions for building a vibrant, fair, and healthy world. Through its print publication and website, it has become an influential voice within the progressive movement with its distinctive focus on framing the emerging new economic, political, and cultural mainstream. It is an essential resource for those working for economic and social transformation. David Korten is co-founder and board chair.

Business Alliance for Local Living Economies

Creating a new economic reality from the bottom up through grassroots action

The Business Alliance for Local Living Economies (BALLE) is North America's fastest growing network of socially responsible businesses, with over 80 community networks representing over 21,000 business members across the U.S. and Canada. BALLE networks create local living economies using a building blocks strategy focused on independent retail, sustainable agriculture, renewable energy, green building, local zero-waste manufacturing, and community capital. Founded in 2001, BALLE's mission is to catalyze, strengthen and connect networks of locally owned, independent businesses that work cooperatively by rebuilding local economies. David Korten is a founding board member.

Institute for Policy Studies

Changing the rules of the game through policy advocacy

As Washington's first progressive multi-issue "think tank," the Institute for Policy Studies (IPS) has served as a policy and research resource for visionary social justice movements for over four decades: from the anti-war and civil rights movements in the 1960s to the peace and global justice movements of the last decade. Rooted in social movements, IPS public scholars turn ideas into action for peace, justice and the environment. These movements include the hundreds of peace groups that make up United for Peace and Justice, grassroots networks like Jobs with Justice and Grassroots Global Justice, and the many groups that make up the U.S. and global "climate justice" movements. They also serve as a think tank resource for the 77-member Congressional Progressive Caucus, and for progressive local elected officials. IPS public scholars run a school for activists, and produce a steady stream of books, reports, popular education materials, and resource lists. David Korten is an IPS associate fellow. 

New Economy Working Group

Bringing it together and reaching out to like-minded organizations

New Economy Working Group (NEWGroup) is an informal alliance formed following the financial crash in 2008 to advance a bold vision and implementing strategy for a New Economy that works for all of Earth's people and the living systems on which their well-being depends. The Institute for Policy Studies (IPS) in DC serves as the secretariat. The other members are YES! Magazine, the Business Alliance for Local Living Economies (BALLE), the Living Economies Forum, the Democracy Collaborative, the Institute for Local Self-Reliance, and Gus Speth. David Korten is co-founder and co-chair with IPS Executive Director John Cavanagh.