Revealing how decisions made by small-city leaders shape economic opportunity and community resilience — in Pittsfield, and in the thousands of small cities like it.
Every episode currently airing on PTCV pairs an 8–12 minute host-led Brief Talk with a 35–45 minute Conversation with a local leader, recorded and released together as a single episode.
At twelve, our founder fled civil war in his town and spent over a year in the forest. Years later, he arrived in the United States as an international student. Pittsfield, Massachusetts became home — and that place shaped this venture.
Prosperity does not begin everywhere at once. It begins somewhere — with the choices we make.
More about the founder, Dr. Masachs Boungou →As our nation approaches its 250 years, the true enduring vision of America remains rooted in the promise that equal opportunity and collective progress are created, not given. Shared Prosperity honors this legacy by proving that the future of American economic resilience is still written at the local level. By transforming the decisions of our small-city leaders into actionable blueprints, we are ensuring that the next chapter of the American story is one where local opportunity still shapes global wealth — proving that when our hometowns thrive, their ideas, skills, and innovations lift communities across the country and beyond.
Through the support of our partners and collaborators, Shared Prosperity transforms small-city leadership decisions into public understanding and actionable civic insights that benefit our own community, regions across the country, and beyond.
A monthly video series pairing a host-led Brief Talk with a Conversation with a local decision-maker. Recorded at Pittsfield Community Television and Taconic High School. Aired on PCTV and shared on our own YouTube channel.
Direct community service — needs at understood scale, awareness, and engagement, having anyone.
Annual Pittsfield convening with cross-community learning, civic stakeholders, and public sector leaders.
An 8–12 week fellowship for high school/college students, featured in part in honor of Dr. Latifah Phillips.
An annual award for a small city that has shown its ability to adapt and embrace adversity as a catalyst for entrepreneurial creativity.
Ideas being evaluated, not yet committed — listed here alongside Corps of Volunteers, The Forum, The Fellowship, and Prize for Resilience as the fuller program roadmap.
An internal R&D function that tests new civic media formats — documentary video, audio-first segments, illustrated long-form, data dashboards — and publishes what works.
Connects US small-city leadership with local leadership in small communities across sub-Saharan Africa through co-productions, exchanges, and shared archives.
A light-touch incubator helping communities replicate a playbook from a Shared Prosperity episode, with consulting, peer connections, and a documented record.
An annual report synthesizing the season's coverage into the state of decision-making in American small cities — a citable reference for funders and civic leaders.
An adapted version of the venture's storytelling model for high schools and community colleges, with lesson plans and student-production guidance.
A structured mentorship pairing students and early-career creators with Shared Prosperity's team for hands-on civic media training.
Once the Corps of Volunteers, The Forum, The Fellowship, and Prize for Resilience are up and running, these are the next ideas in queue — built only when the venture and the team are ready for them.
Branded items, eventually.
Long-form thoughts and lessons from the field.
Public conversations, taping live.
Big ideas about how communities work, told in 5 minutes — for ages 8 to 14. This week's story: "Prometheus — The Gift of Fire."
