Public Powered Policy is a civic education platform that helps people understand and participate in the federal rulemaking process. It explains how government agencies craft policies and provides practical tools—like plain-language breakdowns and submission guidance—so individuals can comment on proposed rules without a law degree. The site documents real-world examples where public comments have changed or paused federal regulations.
Funding
Funding not disclosed
Founders
Product
Problem
Federal rulemaking—the process by which government agencies translate laws into specific policies—is opaque and intimidating to most people, despite the fact that these rules affect daily life. Public comment periods, the primary formal mechanism for citizen input, are underused because the process is unfamiliar and requires navigating dense legal language and official portals.
Solution
Public Powered Policy is building a civic education and participation platform that demystifies federal rulemaking. The organization explains how policy gets made)Skip why it matters, and shows how ordinary people can influence outcomes. It provides practical guidance on how to find proposed rules on regulations.gov, craft a concise comment that explains personal or community impact, and submit it effectively. The site compiles case studies of public comments that changed real rules—such as an exception removed from Department of Justice accessibility rules in 2024 and 20,000 comments pausing a Department of Energy rule change in 2025—demonstrating that participation works. Public Powered Policy is additionally developing plain-language tools, alerts, and educational resources to make participation easier, especially for communities historically left out of the process.
Target Audience
Public Powered Policy serves individuals, advocacy groups, and community organizations—especially those without legal expertise—who want to understand and influence the federal rules that affect their daily lives.
Features
- Step-by-step instructions for finding, commenting on, and submitting feedback on federal rules via regulations.gov
- Plain-language explanations of the federal rulemaking process and why public participation matters
- Documented case studies showing how public comments have changed or paused real federal rules, including examples from the DOJ, DOE, FCC, and FDA
- Practical guidance tailored for non-experts, emphasizing that even a short paragraph of personal impact is sufficient
- Educational resources designed for communities too often left out of the policy process
- Tools and alerts currently under development to make public participation easier