U.S. Nonprofits

This page is intended for the benefit of individuals in the social work profession, public policy advocates, and community activists. The organizations and resources listed below have been selected because they provide advocacy, technical assistance, a progressive philosophy, needed social benefit programs, or public policy expertise.

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.
Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services – a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
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.
Assistance Listings (formerly 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. Name change occured May, 2018.
Candid – connects people who want to change the world to the resources they need to do it. Created in 2019 through a merger of the Foundation Center and GuideStar.
The Carter Center – a nonprofit, nonpartisan public policy institute dedicated to fighting disease, hunger, poverty, conflict, and oppression.
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.
Demos – a public policy organization working for an America where we all have an equal say in our democracy and an equal chance in our economy.
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.
Families USA – a leading national voice for health care consumers, is dedicated to the achievement of high-quality, affordable health care and improved health for all.
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 January 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.
Idealist – a global website for nonprofits.
Mathematica – a program evaluation and policy research organization.
MDRC – a nonprofit, nonpartisan, tax exempt organization focused on improving the employment opportunities and life opportunities 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 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 Employment Law Project – fights for policies to create good jobs, expand access to work, and strengthen protections and support for low-wage workers and the unemployed.
National Immigration Law Center – established in 1979, NILC is one of the leading organizations in the U.S. exclusively dedicated to defending and advancing the rights of low-income immigrants.
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 – 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.
Social Security Works – their mission: protect and improve the economic security of disadvantaged and at-risk populations; safeguard the economic security of those dependent, now or in the future, on Social Security; maintain Social Security as a vehicle of social justice.
TalkPoverty.org – a project of the Center for American Progress is dedicated to demonstrating that we know how to dramatically reduce poverty.
The Granstmanship Center – 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. PIRG – advocates for the public interest.

Last updated: January 22, 2022

Share this:

Like this: