diff --git a/rails/app/controllers/api/base_controller.rb b/rails/app/controllers/api/base_controller.rb
index 6bb714a06..fae5c11d8 100644
--- a/rails/app/controllers/api/base_controller.rb
+++ b/rails/app/controllers/api/base_controller.rb
@@ -4,6 +4,21 @@ class BaseController < ActionController::Base
 
     rescue_from ActiveRecord::RecordNotFound, with: :not_found
 
+
+    helper_method :envelope
+    def envelope(json, pageMeta = nil)
+      json.data do
+        yield if block_given?
+      end
+      if pageMeta
+        json.meta do
+          json.total @page.total
+          json.hasNextPage @page.has_next_page?
+          json.nextPageMeta @page.next_page_meta
+        end
+      end
+    end
+
     protected
 
     def not_found
diff --git a/rails/app/views/api/communities/index.json.jbuilder b/rails/app/views/api/communities/index.json.jbuilder
index 7ce2dd06d..2d4fde710 100644
--- a/rails/app/views/api/communities/index.json.jbuilder
+++ b/rails/app/views/api/communities/index.json.jbuilder
@@ -1,27 +1,29 @@
-json.array! @communities do |community|
-  json.extract! community, :name, :description, :slug
+envelope(json) do
+  json.array! @communities do |community|
+    json.extract! community, :name, :description, :slug
 
-  json.createdAt community.created_at
-  json.updatedAt community.updated_at
+    json.createdAt community.created_at
+    json.updatedAt community.updated_at
 
-  if community.display_image.attached?
-    json.displayImage rails_blob_url(community.display_image)
-  end
+    if community.display_image.attached?
+      json.displayImage rails_blob_url(community.display_image)
+    end
 
-  if community.theme.static_map.attached?
-    json.staticMapUrl rails_blob_url(community.theme.static_map)
-  end
+    if community.theme.static_map.attached?
+      json.staticMapUrl rails_blob_url(community.theme.static_map)
+    end
 
-  json.mapConfig do
-    json.mapboxAccessToken community.theme.mapbox_access_token
-    json.mapboxStyle community.theme.mapbox_style
-    json.mapbox3dEnabled community.theme.mapbox_3d
-    json.mapProjection community.theme.map_projection
+    json.mapConfig do
+      json.mapboxAccessToken community.theme.mapbox_access_token
+      json.mapboxStyle community.theme.mapbox_style
+      json.mapbox3dEnabled community.theme.mapbox_3d
+      json.mapProjection community.theme.map_projection
 
-    json.center community.theme.center
+      json.center community.theme.center
 
-    json.zoom community.theme.zoom
-    json.pitch community.theme.pitch
-    json.bearing community.theme.bearing
+      json.zoom community.theme.zoom
+      json.pitch community.theme.pitch
+      json.bearing community.theme.bearing
+    end
   end
-end
+end
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/rails/app/views/api/communities/show.json.jbuilder b/rails/app/views/api/communities/show.json.jbuilder
index a3c9a3327..4c33ae419 100644
--- a/rails/app/views/api/communities/show.json.jbuilder
+++ b/rails/app/views/api/communities/show.json.jbuilder
@@ -1,45 +1,47 @@
-json.(@community, :name, :slug, :description)
-
-# Details are used specifically in the Explore Panel
-json.details do
-  json.(@community, :name, :description)
-  json.sponsorLogos @community.sponsor_logos do |logo|
-    json.url rails_blob_url(logo)
-    json.blobId logo.blob.id
+envelope(json) do
+  json.(@community, :name, :slug, :description)
+
+  # Details are used specifically in the Explore Panel
+  json.details do
+    json.(@community, :name, :description)
+    json.sponsorLogos @community.sponsor_logos do |logo|
+      json.url rails_blob_url(logo)
+      json.blobId logo.blob.id
+    end
+    if @community.display_image.attached?
+      json.displayImage rails_blob_url(@community.display_image)
+    end
   end
-  if @community.display_image.attached?
-    json.displayImage rails_blob_url(@community.display_image)
+
+  # Initial Map Configuration
+  stories = @community.stories.preload(:places).where(permission_level: :anonymous)
+  json.storiesCount stories.size
+  json.points stories.flat_map(&:public_points).uniq
+
+  # Side Panel Filter Categories
+  json.categories Community::FILTERABLE_ATTRIBUTES
+
+  # Side Panel Filter Options (generated from available content)
+  json.filters @community.filters
+
+  json.mapConfig do
+    json.mapboxAccessToken @community.theme.mapbox_access_token
+    json.mapboxStyle @community.theme.mapbox_style
+    json.mapbox3dEnabled @community.theme.mapbox_3d
+    json.mapProjection @community.theme.map_projection
+
+    json.centerLat @community.theme.center_lat
+    json.centerLong @community.theme.center_long
+    json.swBoundaryLat @community.theme.sw_boundary_lat
+    json.swBoundaryLong @community.theme.sw_boundary_long
+    json.neBoundaryLat @community.theme.ne_boundary_lat
+    json.neBoundaryLong @community.theme.ne_boundary_long
+
+    json.center @community.theme.center
+    json.maxBounds @community.theme.boundaries
+
+    json.zoom @community.theme.zoom
+    json.pitch @community.theme.pitch
+    json.bearing @community.theme.bearing
   end
-end
-
-# Initial Map Configuration
-stories = @community.stories.preload(:places).where(permission_level: :anonymous)
-json.storiesCount stories.size
-json.points stories.flat_map(&:public_points).uniq
-
-# Side Panel Filter Categories
-json.categories Community::FILTERABLE_ATTRIBUTES
-
-# Side Panel Filter Options (generated from available content)
-json.filters @community.filters
-
-json.mapConfig do
-  json.mapboxAccessToken @community.theme.mapbox_access_token
-  json.mapboxStyle @community.theme.mapbox_style
-  json.mapbox3dEnabled @community.theme.mapbox_3d
-  json.mapProjection @community.theme.map_projection
-
-  json.centerLat @community.theme.center_lat
-  json.centerLong @community.theme.center_long
-  json.swBoundaryLat @community.theme.sw_boundary_lat
-  json.swBoundaryLong @community.theme.sw_boundary_long
-  json.neBoundaryLat @community.theme.ne_boundary_lat
-  json.neBoundaryLong @community.theme.ne_boundary_long
-
-  json.center @community.theme.center
-  json.maxBounds @community.theme.boundaries
-
-  json.zoom @community.theme.zoom
-  json.pitch @community.theme.pitch
-  json.bearing @community.theme.bearing
-end
+end
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/rails/app/views/api/places/show.json.jbuilder b/rails/app/views/api/places/show.json.jbuilder
index f69054b6a..cc322088f 100644
--- a/rails/app/views/api/places/show.json.jbuilder
+++ b/rails/app/views/api/places/show.json.jbuilder
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
-json.(@place, :id, :name, :description, :region)
+envelope(json) do
+  json.(@place, :id, :name, :description, :region)
 
-json.placenameAudio @place.name_audio_url(full_url: true)
-json.typeOfPlace @place.type_of_place
+  json.placenameAudio @place.name_audio_url(full_url: true)
+  json.typeOfPlace @place.type_of_place
 
-json.points [@place.public_point_feature]
+  json.points [@place.public_point_feature]
+end
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/rails/app/views/api/stories/index.json.jbuilder b/rails/app/views/api/stories/index.json.jbuilder
index 021761f4e..681cb7385 100644
--- a/rails/app/views/api/stories/index.json.jbuilder
+++ b/rails/app/views/api/stories/index.json.jbuilder
@@ -1,17 +1,14 @@
-json.total @page.total
-
-# Regardless of Story list page, all points in the data relation
-# should be returned for map markers.
-json.points @page.relation.flat_map { |s| s.public_points }.uniq
-
-json.stories @stories do |story|
-  json.extract! story, :id, :title, :topic, :desc, :language
-  json.mediaContentTypes story.media_types
-  json.mediaPreviewUrl story.media_preview_thumbnail
-
-  json.createdAt story.created_at
-  json.updatedAt story.updated_at
-end
-
-json.hasNextPage @page.has_next_page?
-json.nextPageMeta @page.next_page_meta
\ No newline at end of file
+envelope(json, @page) do
+  # Regardless of Story list page, all points in the data relation
+  # should be returned for map markers.
+  json.points @page.relation.flat_map { |s| s.public_points }.uniq
+
+  json.stories @stories do |story|
+    json.extract! story, :id, :title, :topic, :desc, :language
+    json.mediaContentTypes story.media_types
+    json.mediaPreviewUrl story.media_preview_thumbnail
+
+    json.createdAt story.created_at
+    json.updatedAt story.updated_at
+  end
+end
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/rails/app/views/api/stories/show.json.jbuilder b/rails/app/views/api/stories/show.json.jbuilder
index a3c2d2669..13277f374 100644
--- a/rails/app/views/api/stories/show.json.jbuilder
+++ b/rails/app/views/api/stories/show.json.jbuilder
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+envelope(json) do
 json.(@story, :id, :title, :desc, :topic, :language)
 json.media @story.media do |media|
   json.contentType media.content_type
@@ -46,3 +47,4 @@ json.places @story.places do |place|
 end
 
 json.points @story.public_points
+end
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/rails/spec/requests/api/public_communities_spec.rb b/rails/spec/requests/api/public_communities_spec.rb
index 18d0c5964..e49979d65 100644
--- a/rails/spec/requests/api/public_communities_spec.rb
+++ b/rails/spec/requests/api/public_communities_spec.rb
@@ -4,10 +4,6 @@
   let!(:public_community) { FactoryBot.create(:public_community, name: "Cool Community") }
   let!(:community) { FactoryBot.create(:community, name: "Private Community") }
 
-  def json_response
-    JSON.parse(response.body)
-  end
-
   it "returns an array of public communities" do
     get "/api/communities"
 
diff --git a/rails/spec/requests/api/public_community_spec.rb b/rails/spec/requests/api/public_community_spec.rb
index 2f83a5fdb..0c9559a89 100644
--- a/rails/spec/requests/api/public_community_spec.rb
+++ b/rails/spec/requests/api/public_community_spec.rb
@@ -3,10 +3,6 @@
 RSpec.describe "Public Community (show) Endpoint", type: :request do
   let!(:public_community) { FactoryBot.create(:public_community, name: "Cool Community") }
 
-  def json_response
-    JSON.parse(response.body)
-  end
-
   it "returns 404 when community can't be found" do
     get "/api/communities/unknown"
 
diff --git a/rails/spec/requests/api/public_place_spec.rb b/rails/spec/requests/api/public_place_spec.rb
index ad5a08cef..a607c7fa2 100644
--- a/rails/spec/requests/api/public_place_spec.rb
+++ b/rails/spec/requests/api/public_place_spec.rb
@@ -24,11 +24,6 @@
     )
   end
 
-
-  def json_response
-    JSON.parse(response.body)
-  end
-
   it "returns a 404 not found if community is not found" do
     get "/api/communities/unknown/places/123"
 
diff --git a/rails/spec/requests/api/public_stories_spec.rb b/rails/spec/requests/api/public_stories_spec.rb
index 569d7e444..715d182bc 100644
--- a/rails/spec/requests/api/public_stories_spec.rb
+++ b/rails/spec/requests/api/public_stories_spec.rb
@@ -3,10 +3,6 @@
 RSpec.describe "Public Stories Endpoint", type: :request do
   let!(:community) { FactoryBot.create(:public_community, name: "Cool Community") }
 
-  def json_response
-    JSON.parse(response.body)
-  end
-
   it "returns 404 when community can't be found" do
     get "/api/communities/unknown/stories"
 
@@ -25,7 +21,8 @@ def json_response
     get "/api/communities/cool_community/stories"
 
     expect(response).to have_http_status(:ok)
-    expect(json_response.keys).to contain_exactly("total", "points", "stories", "hasNextPage", "nextPageMeta")
+    expect(json_response.keys).to contain_exactly("points", "stories")
+    expect(json_meta.keys).to contain_exactly("total", "hasNextPage", "nextPageMeta")
   end
 
   context "filters and sort" do
@@ -90,43 +87,43 @@ def json_response
       # filter by place (id / name)
       get "/api/communities/cool_community/stories", params: {places: [place_2.id]}
 
-      expect(json_response["total"]).to eq(1)
+      expect(json_meta["total"]).to eq(1)
       expect(json_response["stories"].map { |s| s["id"] }).to contain_exactly(story_1.id)
 
       # filter by region
       get "/api/communities/cool_community/stories", params: {region: ["the internet"]}
 
-      expect(json_response["total"]).to eq(2)
+      expect(json_meta["total"]).to eq(2)
       expect(json_response["stories"].map { |s| s["id"] }).to contain_exactly(story_2.id, story_3.id)
 
       # filter by type of place
       get "/api/communities/cool_community/stories", params: {type_of_place: ["online"]}
 
-      expect(json_response["total"]).to eq(1)
+      expect(json_meta["total"]).to eq(1)
       expect(json_response["stories"].map { |s| s["id"] }).to contain_exactly(story_1.id)
 
       # filter by topic
       get "/api/communities/cool_community/stories", params: {topic: ["nonprofit work", "tech"]}
 
-      expect(json_response["total"]).to eq(2)
+      expect(json_meta["total"]).to eq(2)
       expect(json_response["stories"].map { |s| s["id"] }).to contain_exactly(story_2.id, story_3.id)
 
       # filter by language
       get "/api/communities/cool_community/stories", params: {language: ["Spanish", "Other"]}
 
-      expect(json_response["total"]).to eq(1)
+      expect(json_meta["total"]).to eq(1)
       expect(json_response["stories"].map { |s| s["id"] }).to contain_exactly(story_3.id)
 
       # filter by speaker
       get "/api/communities/cool_community/stories", params: {speakers: [speaker_1.id, speaker_2.id]}
 
-      expect(json_response["total"]).to eq(3)
+      expect(json_meta["total"]).to eq(3)
       expect(json_response["stories"].map { |s| s["id"] }).to contain_exactly(story_1.id, story_2.id, story_3.id)
 
       # filter by speaker community
       get "/api/communities/cool_community/stories", params: {speaker_community: ["ruby for good"]}
 
-      expect(json_response["total"]).to eq(2)
+      expect(json_meta["total"]).to eq(2)
       expect(json_response["stories"].map { |s| s["id"] }).to contain_exactly(story_1.id, story_2.id)
     end
 
@@ -136,7 +133,7 @@ def json_response
       get "/api/communities/cool_community/stories"
 
 
-      expect(json_response["total"]).to eq(1)
+      expect(json_meta["total"]).to eq(1)
       expect(json_response["stories"].map { |s| s["id"] }).to contain_exactly(story_1.id)
     end
 
@@ -145,7 +142,7 @@ def json_response
 
       get "/api/communities/cool_community/stories"
 
-      expect(json_response["total"]).to eq(2)
+      expect(json_meta["total"]).to eq(2)
       expect(json_response["stories"].map { |s| s["id"] }).to contain_exactly(story_1.id, story_3.id)
     end
 
@@ -172,16 +169,16 @@ def json_response
     it "correctly paginates with filters" do
       get "/api/communities/cool_community/stories", params: {limit: 1}
 
-      expect(json_response["total"]).to eq(3)
+      expect(json_meta["total"]).to eq(3)
       expect(json_response["stories"].count).to eq(1)
-      expect(json_response["hasNextPage"]).to be true
+      expect(json_meta["hasNextPage"]).to be true
 
       # filter down to one place
       get "/api/communities/cool_community/stories", params: {limit: 1, places: [place_2.id]}
 
-      expect(json_response["total"]).to eq(1)
+      expect(json_meta["total"]).to eq(1)
       expect(json_response["stories"].count).to eq(1)
-      expect(json_response["hasNextPage"]).to be false
+      expect(json_meta["hasNextPage"]).to be false
     end
   end
 end
diff --git a/rails/spec/requests/api/public_story_spec.rb b/rails/spec/requests/api/public_story_spec.rb
index c68952c08..b2e31e39c 100644
--- a/rails/spec/requests/api/public_story_spec.rb
+++ b/rails/spec/requests/api/public_story_spec.rb
@@ -20,10 +20,6 @@
     )
   end
 
-  def json_response
-    JSON.parse(response.body)
-  end
-
   it "returns 404 when community can't be found" do
     get "/api/communities/unknown/stories/123"
 
diff --git a/rails/spec/support/api_helpers.rb b/rails/spec/support/api_helpers.rb
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b65b44edb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/rails/spec/support/api_helpers.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+def json_body
+  JSON.parse(response.body)
+end
+
+def json_response
+  json_body["data"]
+end
+
+def json_meta
+  json_body["meta"]
+end