BUILDING CIVIC POWER WITHOUT COMPROMISING INTEGRITY
Commentary provided by De J. Lozada, Founder and Exec. Dir., of the TPPI
Across the country, civic organizations rooted in Black communities are asking a practical question: how do we expand engagement, build capacity, and protect our mission in a political and economic environment that is increasingly hostile to Black participation and Black prosperity?
At the Texas Progressive Policy Institute, we believe the answer begins with clarity. Clarity about what partnerships can be. Clarity about what they cannot be. And clarity about how individuals can participate ethically without putting organizations at risk.
TPPI is a communications and civic engagement consultancy focused on helping candidates and policymakers build authentic, sustained relationships with Black voters. Our work is intentionally structured to respect nonprofit governance rules and protect the tax status and credibility of the organizations we collaborate with. For that reason, TPPI does not offer commission-based payments to nonprofit or civic organizations for recruitment, referrals, or outcomes. We do not pay organizations based on the number of members signed up, and we do not tie compensation to performance metrics that could jeopardize nonprofit status.
What we can do is partner around education, training, and visibility through flat fee or fee for service agreements that are clearly defined and compliant. These partnerships center learning, civic capacity building, and long-term engagement rather than transactions.
At the same time, we recognize a parallel reality that cannot be ignored. More than 1.6 million Black professionals have been pushed out of the workforce, and Black unemployment remains roughly double the national average. This is not accidental. It is part of a broader pattern of economic displacement that strips wealth, stability, and opportunity from Black households and communities.
That is why TPPI also offers an individual participation pathway that is completely separate from organizational partnerships.
Members of civic organizations may choose to engage with TPPI independently as contractors, acting on their own behalf and not as agents, representatives, or employees of their organization. This distinction matters. Independent contractors work for themselves. They are not directed by the organization.
They do not represent the organization. They do not share compensation with the organization. Their participation does not create liability or private benefit for the nonprofit.
In this independent role, individuals may earn recurring monthly income by helping campaigns and candidates access TPPI membership services, which costs $250 per month. That’s it; that’s all. Earnings are tied to retention, not hype. A contractor who supports five active members earns $375 per month for the life of the membership. Ten members yields $750 per month. Twenty-five members yields $1,875 per month. At scale, retention can easily build toward six figure annual income with little more than 100 sustaining sales. This is not guaranteed income, but it is real, transparent, and earned through relationship-based work.
TPPI provides tools, scripts, and support to help contractors keep members engaged and active. When memberships pause, commissions pause. Accountability flows in both directions.
This model is deliberate. It creates opportunity for individuals without compromising organizations. It supports economic resilience while respecting nonprofit law. And it reflects a belief that Black led civic power and Black economic stability are not competing goals. They are inseparable.
For organizations aligned with this work, the invitation is simple. Explore partnership rooted in education and integrity. Encourage individual agency without institutional risk. And help build a civic ecosystem where engagement and economic dignity reinforce one another rather than collide.