US Nonprofit and Advocacy Groups
This page is intended for the benefit of individuals in the social work profession, public policy advocates, and other community activists. The organizations and resources listed below have been selected because they provide:
- Advocacy
- Linkages to other social service agencies and programs
- Information regarding federally funded programs
- Alternative funding streams
- Offer empowerment to low-income families
- Technical assistance to social service professionals
- AARP - is the nation's leading organization for people age 50 and older. It provides information, education advocacy, and community services through a network of local chapters and volunteers
- AFL-CIO - the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) is a voluntary federation of 56 national and international labor unions, created in 1955 by the merger of the AFL and the CIO
- American Community Survey - is an ongoing survey that provides data every year -- giving communities the current information they need to plan investments and services. Information from the survey generates data that help determine how more than $400 billion in federal and state funds are distributed each year
- American Public Human Services Association - a mission to develop, promote, and implement public human service policies that improve the health and well-being of families, children, and adults (Formerly known as the American Public Welfare Association)
- APPRISE - a nonprofit research institute dedicated to collecting and analyzing data and information to assess and improve public programs
- The Carter Center - a nonprofit, nonpartisan public policy institute dedicated to fighting disease, hunger, poverty, conflict, and oppression
- Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance - a government-wide compendium of Federal programs, projects, services, and activities which provide assistance or benefits to the American public
- Center for Community Change - helping low-income people, especially people of color, build powerful, effective organizations through which they can change their communities and public policies for the better
- Center on Budget and Policy Priorities - a nonpartisan research organization and policy institute that conducts research and analysis on a range of government policies and programs, with an emphasis on those affecting low and moderate income people
- Charity Navigator - America's leading independent charity evaluator
- Children's Defense Fund - exists to provide a strong and effective voice for all the children of America, who cannot vote, lobby, or speak for themselves
- Coalition on Human Needs - is an alliance of national organizations working together to promote public policies which address the needs of low-income and other vulnerable populations
- Corporation for Supportive Housing - helps build housing that lets homeless and disabled people connect to homes, health care, jobs, and the community
- Electronic Frontier Foundation - a donor funded nonprofit, founded in 1990, confronting cutting-edge issues defending free speech, privacy, innovation and consumer rights
- Emergency Food and Shelter National Board Program (EFSP) - works as a public/private partnership in association with local communities
- Family Promise - is committed to helping low-income families nationwide to achieve lasting independence by helping communities mobilize to provide safe shelter, meals, and support services for homeless families and through programs designed to redress the underlying causes of homelessness
- Federal Poverty Guidelines - the poverty guidelines issued each February by the Department of Health and Human Services
- Feeding America - their mission is to feed America's hungry through a nationwide network of member food banks and engage our country in the fight to end hunger - formerly America's Second Harvest
- Food Research and Action Center (FRAC) - a leading national organization working to improve public policies to eradicate hunger and under nutrition in the United States
- Foundation Center - an independent nonprofit information clearinghouse established in 1956 with a mission to disseminate information on foundations, corporate giving and related subjects
- Half in Ten - a campaign to reduce poverty in the United States by 50 percent within ten years
- Idealist - a global website for nonprofits
- Mathematica Policy Research - a program evaluation and policy research organization
- MDRC - a nonprofit, nonpartisan, tax exempt organization focused on improving the employmnet opportunities and life opportunites of low-income Americans
- National Alliance to End Homelessness - a nonpartisan organization that works collaboratively with the public, private, and nonprofit sectors to build state and local capacity, leading to stronger programs and policies that help communities achieve their goal of ending homelessness
- National Coalition for the Homeless - a national advocacy network of homeless persons, activists, service providers, and others committed to a single goal - to end homelessness
- National Community Tax Coalition - the largest, most comprehensive membership organization for community-based organizations offering free tax and financial services to low-income working families
- National Consumer Law Center - a consumer law resource center offering services to the legal profession, consumer and low-income community organizations in areas of consumer fraud, debt collection, energy assistance programs and sustainable home ownership programs
- National Low Income Housing Coalition - is dedicated solely to achieving socially just public policy that assures people with the lowest incomes in the United States have affordable and decent homes
- OpenSecrets.org/Center for Responsive Politics - a non-partisan, non-profit research group based in Washington, D.C. that tracks money in politics, and its effect on elections and public policy
- Public Citizen - protecting health, safety and democracy since 1971
- Public Interest Research Groups (U.S. PIRG) - advocates for the public interest
- Social Security Administration - provides access to their programs and benefits
- Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Pre-Screening Eligibility Tool
- The Granstmanship Center (TGCI) - leader in grant information and grantsmanship training
- Urban Institute - gathers data, conducts research, evaluates programs, offers technical assistance overseas, and educates Americans on social and economic issues — to foster sound public policy and effective government
- U.S. Department of Health & Human Services - Administration for Children and Families
