Here is a collection of Internet resources related to the progressive tradition in social work policy. Our thanks to Mimi Abramovitz, Kathleen Panndhorst, Cathy Kaufmann, Barbara Kasper, Pam Linden, and Lara Edwards for compiling this list.
Low Income Networking and Communications Project (LincProject)
Contains database of resources, a Directory of grass roots organizations, and links to important TANF reauthorization information. Offers technical assistance to help low-income groups access and use internet technology for organizing purposes. A project of the Welfare Law Center.
Growl: Grass Roots Organizing For Welfare Leadership
A national movement of welfare rights and economic justice organizations that challenges the dominant framework around welfare reform from a grassroots perspective.
Kensington Welfare Rights Union (KWRU)
A multiracial organization of, by and for poor and homeless people based in Kensington, a poor neighborhood in North Philadelphia.
Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN)
Advocates for local involvement and control over issues affecting communities.
Center for Community Change
Helps local groups run by low-income people to organize themselves and their communities, build affordable housing, and develop successful issues.
National Campaign For Jobs And Income Support
National Campaign a multi-racial, multi-class constituency-based organization committed to increasing engagement of disenfranchised communities in public life and action. Web site includes publications on welfare as well as new of various action campaigns.
Jobs with Justice
A national campaign for workers' rights; local chapters include coalitions of religious, labor, and community organizations active throughout the country.
II. INFORMATION, EDUCATION, ADVOCACY
University of the Poor
The educational arm of the Poor People's Economic Human Rights Campaign.
Poor People’s Economic Human Rights Campaign
The Poor People's Economic Human Rights Campaign is committed to uniting the poor across color lines as the leadership base for a broad movement to abolish poverty. We work to accomplish this through advancing economic human rights as named in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights such as the rights to food, housing, health, education, communication and a living wage job.
Alliance for Justice
National association of child welfare, environment, civil rights, mental health, child and consumer advocacy organizations. Organizations work to advance public interest and community ability to influence policy.
American Civil Liberties Union
Works for every man, woman, and child to ensure everyone's rights that are guaranteed in the Constitution and Bill of Rights. Contains information on the legal rights of welfare recipients and information on pending law suits against unconstitutional aspects of the 1996 Welfare Reform Law.
American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO)
Main federation of unions. Conducts organizing, research, education, and advocacy on labor issues. Mission is to improve the lives of working families.
American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME)
Union of state and local public employees. Web site includes resources on welfare reform, links to federal and state information.
American Public Human Services Association
Mission is to develop, promote, and implement public human services policies that improve the health and well-being of families, children, and adults.
Association For Community Organization and Social Administration (ACOSA)
A membership organization for community organizers, planners, activists, administrators, policy practice specialists, students, and professors from a variety of disciplines and professional fields.
Call to Renewal
A network of churches and faith-based organizations, has launched a national Campaign to Overcome Poverty.
Center For Law And Social Policy (CLASP)
Conduct research and policy analysis on issues affecting low-income families.
Center on Social Welfare Policy and Law (Welfare Law Center)
A national legal and policy organization that focuses on means-tested cash public assistance programs. Provides representation for poor people in litigation and before administrative and legislative bodies.
Center on Urban Poverty and Social Change
National and local clearinghouse on census information, statistics and welfare programs.
Children's Defense Fund
Provides research, advocacy, public education, monitoring of federal agencies, assistance to state and local groups, and community organizing on a wide range of issues that affect children and youth.
Coalition Of Human Needs
The Coalition on Human Needs is an alliance of national organizations, including NASW, working together to promote public policies that address the needs of low-income and other vulnerable populations.
Corpwatch
Counters corporate-led globalization through education and activism. We work to foster democratic control over corporations by building grassroots globalization--a diverse movement for human rights, labor rights and environmental justice. web site includes news, research and action alerts.
Electronic Policy Network
Web site provides access to a variety of liberal policy institutes, foundations, journals, and resources on welfare Project of The American Prospect.
Feminist Activist Resources On The Web Food Research and Action Center HandsNet If Not Now Inequality.Org Institute for Global Communication International Gay And Lesbian Human Rights Campaign National Council of Churches NOW Legal Defense And Education Fund National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) National Coalition for the Homeless National Council of La Raza National Jobs for All Coalition National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty National Organization of Women (NOW) National Rainbow Coalition National Urban League National Welfare Monitoring & Advocacy Partnership (NWMAP) Public Citizen Public Interest Clearinghouse Protest.Net State Action Organization/Center for Policy Alternatives Welfare Information Network (WIN) WelfareWatch Wider Opportunity for Women Women's Committee of 100 (WC100) Applied Research Center Council on Economic Priorities (CEP) Center On Budget And Policy Priorities Center on Hunger and Poverty Child Trends Citizens For Tax Justice Economic Policy Institute Institute for Research on Poverty Institute For Women's Policy Research Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies Joint Center for Poverty Research Manpower Demonstration Research Corporation (MDRC) Mathematica Policy National Center for Children in Poverty National Housing Institute Pew Partnership for Civic Change Pew Research Center for the People and the Press Political Research Associates: The Public Eye Research Forum on Children, Families, and the New Federalism The Brookings Institute Urban Institute AlterNet Color Lines Magazine Common Dreams: News and Views for Progressives Dollars and Sense Insight & Action: The Human Needs Report In These Times Monthly Review Mother Jones / MoJo Wire New Internationalist Community Change Poverty & Race Poverty Research News Survival News The American Prospect The Nation The Progressive Tom Paine.Com Utne Reader Center for Law And Social Policy Welfare News Znet Administration for Children and Families - U.S. Department of Health and Human Services American Public Welfare Association/Welfare News in the State Child Welfare League of America Children's Defense Fund Plans Federal Electronic Research and Review Extraction Tool (FERRET) Federal Statistics Green Book: Background Material and Data on Major Programs within the Jurisdiction of the Committee on Ways and Means (of the U.S. House of Representatives). Government Information Sharing Project -- USA Counties 1996 Local Government Home Page Money Income in the United States (Current Pop Reports) National Association for Welfare Research and Statistics National Conference of State Legislatures/Welfare Reform Connection National Governor's Association/Welfare Reform Poverty in the United States (Current Population Reports) U.S. Census Bureau United States General Accounting Office Welfare Reform Bill of 1996: HR3734, Personal Responsibility, Work Opportunity, and Medicaid Restructuring Act of 1996 FAIR (Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting) Institute for Public Accuracy Just Think Foundation Media Channel Project Censored The Daily Howler
Seeks to enhance public awareness of the problems of hunger and poverty and provides assistance to groups working on these issues.
National, non-profit that promotes information sharing and advocacy among individuals working on a broad range of public interest issues.
Brings advocacy groups together in one web site to follows issues.
A non-profit organization that is a network of journalists, writers, and researchers trying to look beyond conventional economics and its notions of prosperity and progress.
Actively promotes changes toward a healthy society, one which is founded on principals of social justice. Offers progressive individuals and groups a place on the internet to learn, meet, and organize. Contains links to PeaceNet, WomensNet, LaborNet, EcoNet, and AntiracismNet.
Seeks to protect and advance the human rights of all people and communities subject to discrimination or abuse on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity, or HIV status. Web site include publications and action alerts.
Has made TANF reauthorization a top priority.
Uses the power of the law to define and defend women's rights. Web site includes reports and actions related to welfare and poverty, women and violence, immigrant rights ,education, child care the workplace among others.
Works to achieve equal rights through the democratic process and to eliminate racial prejudice by removing discrimination in housing, employment, voting, education, the courts, transportation, recreation, and business.
Provides information and education to people and organizations working with the homeless and promotes housing for low-income families. Contains Directory of National, Statewide, and Local Homeless Advocacy Coalitions and Organizations.
National umbrella organization working for civil rights and economic opportunities for Latinos.
Dedicated to providing jobs with sufficient pay for all who want them and to demonstrating the linkages between unemployment and other problems facing the nation, such as women's rights, the environment, and economic justice.
Advocates to protect rights of homeless people and to implement solutions to end homelessness through impact litigation, policy advocacy, and public education.
Works to end discrimination and gender inequality in all facets of life and to increase the number of women elected to political office. Open to all who support gender equality.
Encourages the development of a progressive political leadership dedicated to economic justice, peace, and human rights.
Works for racial equality for African-Americans and other minorities in all phases of life. Fights institutional racism and provides direct service to minorities in the areas of employment, housing, education, social welfare, health, law, consumer rights, and community and minority business development.
Collaboration of organizers, advocates, service providers, and researchers concerned with the well-being of low income people. Activities include: monitoring, advocacy, and organizing.
Founded by Ralph Nader fights for safer drugs and medical devices, cleaner and safer energy sources, a cleaner environment, fair trade, and a more open and democratic government.
Supports organizations that make our legal system more accessible and responsible to people who are traditionally excluded (i.e., people of color, women, poor people).
A community of activists working together to create their own media which takes stand against the established media.
Contains research and directory of over 800 progressive organizations. Compiles reports on welfare, affirmative action, domestic violence, family leave, crime, education, TANF funds, and heath-care for states. Disseminates information on policy and leadership initiatives.
Extensive clearinghouse for information, policy analysis, and technical assistance on welfare reform.
Provides data for journalists and policy makers seeking to understand how the welfare law is being implemented around the country. Tracks the effects and outcomes of welfare.
Works nationally and locally to achieve economic independence and equality of opportunity for women and girls. Provides organizing, skills training, and technical assistance for women workers.
Feminists supporting progressive welfare policy including a caregivers allowance.
The Applied Research Center is a public policy, educational and research institute whose work emphasizes issues of race and social change. Publishes a magazine called Color Lines (selected articles available on-line)
A public service research organization, dedicated to the accurate and impartial analysis of the social and environmental records of corporations.
A nonpartisan research organization and policy institute that conducts research and analysis on a wide range of government policies and programs with an emphasis on those affecting low and moderate income people.
Conducts applied research and policy analysis, disseminates analytical information on poverty and hunger, and carriers out public education initiatives.
Non-profit, nonpartisan research organization dedicated to studying child, youth, and families through research, data collection, and data analysis. Major research areas include: the effects of welfare and poverty on children, issues related to parenting, family structure, teen pregnancy, and childbearing.
A nonpartisan, nonprofit research and advocacy organization dedicated to fair taxation at the federal, state, and local levels. Web site includes report on tax issues.
Conducts research and promotes dialogue on economic policy issues, particularly the economics of poverty, unemployment, inflation, American industry, international competitiveness, and problems of economic adjustment as they affect people.
Organizes academic research conferences and publishers papers on all aspects of poverty. Publishes Focus featuring research summaries.
Researches economic issues important to women and families, including low-wage work, poverty, welfare reform, child care, family leave, and health care. Maintains list-serve of welfare reform, WELFAREM-L.
Through research and information dissemination, aims to improve the socioeconomic status of black Americans, increase their political and public policy influence, and facilitate coalition building across racial lines. Contains Data Bank giving fast access to current and trend data.
Organizes academic research conferences and publishes papers on all aspects of poverty. Focuses on the causes of poverty and the effectiveness of policies aimed at reducing poverty.
A nonprofit, nonpartisan social policy research organization. Dedicated to learning what works to improve the well-being of low-income people. Contains research on welfare reform, working poor people, communities, families and children, and education.
Strives to improve public well-being by producing high-quality, objective research to support decisions abut our nations most pressing social policy problems. Contains a direct data collection and evaluations.
Conducts research and education on children in poverty.
A non-profit organization that examines issues causing the crisis in housing and communities. Research on housing, jobs, safety, and education.
Civic research organization that identifies documents promising solutions crucial to strong communities. Disseminates information to practitioners and citizens.
Independent opinion research group sponsored by Pew Charitable Trust. Studies public attitudes toward the press and public policy issues.
An independent, nonprofit research center, based on progressive values, that serves as a national resource for information on antidemocratic, authoritarian, and other oppressive movements and trends. Seeks to provide reliable research and analysis to activists, journalists, educators, policy makers, and the public at large.
Encourages collaborative research and informed policy on welfare reform and child well-being. Contains a clearinghouse of an on-line database with up-to-date summaries of welfare research projects.
This site has research information on the impact of the 1996 welfare law.
This site offers welfare information for each state as well as briefing papers on reauthorization.
IV. PROGRESSIVE RESEARCH, NEWS & REPORTS
An alternative to the corporate conglomerates that dominate the media marketplace that offers provocative opinions, hard facts, thorough research and a place for those ideas to be discussed.
Published quarterly by the Applied Research Center. A national multi-racial magazine devoted to covering the politics and creation of communities of color. Discusses issues of welfare, human rights, urban planning, art, culture, etc.
Breaking news and links to highlights from the day's progressive press.
Bimonthly popular economics magazine. Explains the working of the US and international economies and provides left perspectives on current economic affairs. Selected full text articles can be downloaded from this site.
A bimonthly newsletter and legislative update published by the Coalition on Human Needs, Updates information about pressing Congressional action, administrative decisions, Supreme Court decisions, and major new human needs related studies.
Newsmagazine committed to extending political and economic democracy in the US and around the world and to opposing the dominance of transnational corporations and the tyranny of the marketplace values over human values.
Critical essays on current realities, their historical roots and the prospects for change.
Exposes and politics from Mother Jones magazinerooted in a commitment to social justice and investigative reporting.
Report on issues of world poverty and inequality and the unjust relationship between the powerful and the powerless in both rich and poor nations.
Shares efforts of grassroots organizations around the country to move low income people into the welfare reform debate. Contains state and federal updates, resource lists, and opinion pieces.
Contains topical articles as well as listings of recent reports and meetings. Published six times a year by the Poverty and Race Research Action Council.
A quarterly publication of the Joint Center for Poverty Research, featuring research summaries.
Grassroots welfare rights newspaper published by recipients.
Published bi-weekly. Available on-line and in hardcopy at. Publishes articles for the general reader and attempts to reframe public questions around welfare, peace, science and politics.
Offers a progressive critique of social, economic and political question, both domestic and international. Allows you to select articles and e-mail them to others. Has good links to other alternative resources.
A journalistic voice for peace and social justice at home and abroad.
Features the ideas, opinions, and analyses too often overlooked by the mainstream media.
Reprints articles from over 2,000 alternative media sources on a wide range of issues" social change, the environment, gender issues, community, society, politics, humor and more.
Lists the most recent developments in welfare issues. Published by the Center for Law and Social Policy.
Tracks recent legislative developments. Published by the Center for Social Welfare Policy and Law.
A political magazine of critical thinking on political, cultural, social, and economic life in the United States.
V. GOVERNMENT AND STATISTICAL RESOURCES
Assists state, county, and city government through funding, policy direction, and information services to provide family assistance. The federal agency that administers Temporary Assistance to Needy Families. Resources include links to welfare, children, and families web pages.
State-by-state descriptions of welfare reform initiatives.
Works with state child welfare agencies to present a comprehensive interactive child welfare database: The National Data Analysis System (NDAS).
Profiles state welfare plans.
Provides access to statistics from the Current Population Survey and the Survey of Income and Program Participation.
"One stop shopping" for U.S. federal government statistics.
Detailed information on major federal entitlement programs.
Provides a Web interface to U.S. county-level Census data. Includes poverty data by race, age, and family composition.
Links to the official home pages of many city and county governments.
Annual summary of income data for households, families, and individuals in the United States, based on a survey of one in 1,000 families. Issued by the Census Bureau.
Aims to promote and exchange ideas for the betterment of research and statistics in the field of public welfare.
Provides information about state and federal actions and analyses of key welfare issues.
Includes state information on welfare reform and links to state's home pages on welfare reform.
Annual summary of poverty data for households, families, and individuals in the United States, based on a survey of one in 1,000 families. Issued by the Census Bureau.
Contains statistical abstracts, housing and household economic statistics, income inequality, income statistics, and poverty graphs. Of particular interest: The Census Bureau's Poverty Web site provides poverty definitions and the most recent national and state level poverty estimates.
Provides analysis options and recommendations for Congress to make improved and effective policy. Checks the constitutionality of legislation, evaluates use of public funds and federal programs and activities.
This site offers direct and easy access to the complete text version of the Welfare bill passed in 1996.
A national media watch group offers well-documented criticism of media bias and censorship. Publishes EXTRA, a magazine of media criticism, and produces the weekly radio program CounterSpin.
Seeks to broaden public discourse by gaining media access for those whose perspectives are commonly drowned out by corporate-backed think tanks and other influential institutions.
Stimulates critical thinking about popular media and seeks to equip young people with the literacy tools critical for their future.
Concerned with the political, cultural and social impacts of the media, large & small.
Explores and publicizes societal censorship in the US.
An insightful Web-based column on media inaccuracy and arrogance.