Data is our friend!

by Leigh Graham

Published January 15, 2009 @ 12:30PM PT

There's a theme today: how can we use data to further our anti-poverty efforts?  To that end, here's a non-exhaustive list of helpful organizations and websites that study poverty at the national level and publish poverty data, research reports, and policy briefs.  Not listed here are the plethora of regional or local poverty research centers in universities around the country, as well as state-wide or local non-profit organizations that study poverty.

The Feds

US Department of Health & Human Services: For the federal poverty guidelines, and links to poverty research centers, many of which are included below.

US Census Bureau: For data on poverty, income, employment, etc.

Bureau of Labor Statistics: For official data and research on employment and unemployment.

USDA Economic Research Service: "ERS conducts...research...to inform public and private decisionmaking on economic and policy issues involving food, farming, natural resources, and rural development."  Includes research on hunger, a.k.a. "food security."

Major university-based research centers

Institute for Research on Poverty: "IRP is a center for interdisciplinary research into the causes and consequences of poverty and social inequality in the United States. As one of three Area Poverty Research Centers sponsored by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, it has a particular interest in poverty and family welfare in the Midwest."

National Poverty Center: NPC "is charged with promoting high-quality research on the causes and consequences of poverty, evaluating and analyzing policies to alleviate poverty, and training the next generation of poverty researchers."

National Center for Children in Poverty: NCCP is "the nation’s leading public policy center dedicated to promoting the economic security, health, and well-being of America’s low-income families and children. NCCP uses research to inform policy and practice with the goal of ensuring positive outcomes for the next generation. We promote family-oriented solutions at the state and national levels."

Rural Poverty Research Center: The Center "examines the causes and consequences of poverty in rural areas and the factors affecting the success of policies to improve the self-sufficiency and well-being of low-income workers and families in rural America."

Special populations

Children's Defense Fund: "The Children's Defense Fund (CDF) is a non-profit child advocacy organization that has worked relentlessly for 35 years to ensure a level playing field for all children. We champion policies and programs that lift children out of poverty; protect them from abuse and neglect; and ensure their access to health care, quality education, and a moral and spiritual foundation."

Brookings Institution Center on Children and Families: "The Center...studies policies on the well-being of America's children and their parents, especially children in less-advantaged families, and seeks a more effective means of addressing poverty, inequality and lack of opportunity in the United States."

National Women's Law Center: "The Center uses the law in all its forms...An experienced staff of more than 50 takes on the issues that cut to the core of women's and girls' lives in education, employment, family economic security, and health -- with special attention given to the needs of low-income women and their families."

Applied Research Center: ARC is a "racial justice think tank and home for media and activism.  ARC is built on rigorous research and creative use of new technology.  Our goal is to popularize the need for racial justice and prepare people to fight for it."

Center for Immigration Studies: CIS "is an independent, non-partisan, non-profit research organization founded in 1985. It is the nation's only think tank devoted exclusively to research and policy analysis of the economic, social, demographic, fiscal, and other impacts of immigration on the United States."  Topics include wages and poverty.

Demos Economic Opportunity Program: The EOP "addresses the economic insecurity and inequality that characterize American society today. We offer fresh analysis and bold policy ideas to provide new opportunities for low-income individuals, young adults and financially-strapped families to achieve economic security."  This is one of the newer centers focusing on middle-class insecurity.

Issue Areas

National Low-Income Housing Coalition: The 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.  NLIHC provides data on housing affordability nationwide.

Food Research and Action Center: "FRAC is the leading national nonprofit organization working to improve public policies and public-private partnerships to eradicate hunger and undernutrition in the United States. FRAC works with hundreds of national, state and local nonprofit organizations, public agencies, and corporations to address hunger and its root cause, poverty."

statehealthfacts.org: An initiative of the Kaiser Family Foundation, website provides "free, up-to-date, and easy-to-use health data on all 50 states", including info on Medicaid, uninsured populations, etc.

Institute on Assets and Social Policy: IASP is a "research institute at the Heller School for Social Policy and Management at Brandeis University, dedicated to promoting a better understanding of how assets and asset-building opportunities improve the well-being and financial stability of individuals and families left out of the economic mainstream."

National League of Cities: "The National League of Cities is the oldest and largest national organization representing municipal governments throughout the United States. Its mission is to strengthen and promote cities as centers of opportunity, leadership, and governance."  NLC publishes survey data from city leaders on trends such as poverty, foreclosures, fiscal stress, etc.

D.C. / Think tanks

The Urban Institute: UI "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."  Topics include welfare, work, housing, the economy, etc.

Center for American Progress: CAP "is a think tank dedicated to improving the lives of Americans through ideas and action. We combine bold policy ideas with a modern communications platform to help shape the national debate, expose the hollowness of conservative governing philosophy, and challenge the media to cover the issues that truly matter."  Poverty analysis is in their Domestic & Economy issue area.

Center on Budget & Policy Priorities: CBPP "is one of the nation’s premier policy organizations working at the federal and state levels on fiscal policy and public programs that affect low- and moderate-income families and individuals."

Economic Policy Institute: EPI is "a nonprofit Washington D.C. think tank...created in 1986 to broaden the discussion about economic policy to include the interests of low- and middle-income workers. Today, with global competition expanding, wage inequality rising, and the methods and nature of work changing in fundamental ways, it is as crucial as ever that people who work for a living have a voice in the economic discourse."

Brookings Institution Metropolitan Policy Program: The Metro Program...chronicles the dynamic demographic, economic, social, and cultural forces sweeping the country and interprets what these forces means for cities and metropolitan areas. Our aim is to unveil the new spatial geography of work and opportunity in the U.S. and identify the new sets of challenges and opportunities."

Policy Research & Program Evaluators

Mathematica Policy Research, Inc.: Mathematica helps "state and federal officials get the information they need to make sound decisions about welfare and other publicly funded programs. We continue to be in the forefront of evaluating welfare issues and modeling the impacts of welfare reform."

MDRC: "MDRC is best known for mounting large-scale evaluations of real-world policies and programs targeted to low-income people. MDRC is also studying public school reforms, employment programs for ex-prisoners and people with disabilities, and programs to help low-income people succeed in college."

(Photo by ttarasiuk.  I'm not a cat person, unlike a hefty segment of the blogosphere, it seems)