Canva co-founder and CEO Melanie Perkins has announced the launch of the Goals Platform, an initiative designed to gather public input about the future people want to create. The platform begins with pilot programs in Wollongong, Australia, and across the United States.
The initiative asks participants to identify one goal they would like to see achieved during their lifetime. Those goals can focus on a person’s local community, country or the wider world.
Perkins positioned the project as part of Canva’s long-standing two-step plan. The first step involves building one of the world’s most valuable companies, while the second focuses on using that value to create a positive social impact.
Empowerment has been central to both parts of that strategy. Canva has sought to give people tools for communicating their ideas, while its philanthropic work has focused on enabling communities to define their own needs and priorities.
Perkins highlighted Canva’s work with GiveDirectly as an example of that approach. The partnership has supported unconditional cash transfers for people living in extreme poverty, allowing recipients to decide how the funds should be used.
The Goals Platform applies a similar principle by asking people directly what outcomes matter to them. The initiative is intended to give participants a public voice while identifying areas of shared ambition across different communities and backgrounds.
The first pilot, Wollongong Goals, is being conducted in partnership with Wollongong City Council. The program will invite approximately 220,000 residents to contribute ideas about the future of their community.
The organizers plan to use creative participation methods alongside the council’s existing community engagement programs. This approach is intended to reach residents who may not typically participate in local government consultations.
The second pilot, USA Goals, is being launched with the Ad Council. It will combine open public participation with nationally representative research covering communities, geographic regions and demographic backgrounds across the United States.
The U.S. program is designed to provide a broader picture of the goals held by Americans who may not regularly participate in traditional civic discussions. Combining direct submissions with research could also help the organizers evaluate which priorities are shared across different groups.
Perkins said the pilots will provide an opportunity to learn how the platform can collect, organize and elevate public goals. The initiative ultimately aims to identify a vision of the future that can unite communities and guide longer-term action.
The Goals Platform represents an ambitious effort to move beyond surveying public opinion toward creating a foundation for future community projects. Its development will depend on the participation generated by the initial programs and how effectively those responses can be translated into practical priorities.
KEY QUOTE:
“We hope that through these pilots we’ll start to see a vision of the future that we all hold, one that unites more than it divides and one that each community is excited to see turned into reality over the years to come. It’s certainly an ambitious project, and I’m excited for us to learn through these pilots.”
Melanie Perkins, Co-Founder and CEO of Canva
