Together in Public.
The places where we encounter people across difference — across race, class, age, background — are foundational to how communities function, how trust is built, and how cities stay resilient when things get hard.
Commons + Company invests in those places. And in the people, organizations, and businesses that make them viable over time.
Because being together in public matters.
About
Together with our partners, Commons + Company is strengthening civic infrastructure for modern life by investing in the places, businesses, and ideas that enable us to be together in public.
As an investment fund nested in a nonprofit, our goal is not just to fund good projects but to demonstrate that community impact is measurable, that civic infrastructure is investable, and that the two are not in tension.
Developers, civic organizations, government agencies, and philanthropies all play a role in creating civic infrastructure — and occasionally, when the stars align, something extraordinary gets built. But that alignment is fragile and rare. What's missing is a partner who can bring outside perspective and inside relationships together, who knows what's been done elsewhere and can help imagine what's possible. Commons + Company exists to make the alignment necessary to strengthening civic infrastructure a practice, not a miracle.
We are relational, rigorous, and creative. We stay in it with our partners — not just at the moment of investment but for the long haul. And our partners get more than capital. They get each other — a growing community of practitioners, investors, and civic leaders who share a conviction that the places where we come together are worth fighting for.
If this sounds like the kind of partnership you've been looking for, or the kind of work you want to support, we'd love to be in conversation.
What we invest in
Places
Mixed-use real estate that blends civic purpose and commercial viability, creating spaces that anchor communities for the long term.
Businesses
Civic-minded companies that strengthen how communities gather, work, and create together, with approaches that can travel across geographies.
Ideas
Early explorations that aren't yet ready for traditional capital but are too important to wait. Our nonprofit structure gives these concepts room to breathe.
Who we are
Christine Johnson
With a career spanning public finance consulting, nonprofit and startup management, and public service, Christine is fascinated by the interplay between the physical architecture of a place, its residents, and those who serve them. She brings deep expertise in operationalizing change, whether through built environments, government initiatives, or technology systems. In addition to leading Commons + Company, Christine is a board member of Designing Justice + Designing Spaces, a nonprofit architecture firm to which she brings real estate strategy and finance operations expertise.
Sara Fenske Bahat
Sara fundamentally believes in the power of place to pull us together. From helping New York City recover from 9/11 to leading San Francisco’s first mayoral transition in 30 years, the highlights of her career are about creating the conditions in which people can come together to unlock possibility. In addition to leading Commons + Company, she is an advisor to Partners for Public Good, providing strategic planning and roadmapping guidance to this group dedicated to making government work better and scaling infrastructure to meet the moment.
Contact Us
Being in conversation with thinkers and doers across sectors and geographies is essential to the change we’re creating. If you too are passionate about creating a strong civic infrastructure that brings people together across differences, and have ideas or case studies to share, we’d love to hear from you.