DONATING AND SUPPORTING

SAMPLE OF SPECIAL CAUSES TO DONATE TO — MANY MORE TO COME

CIVIL RIGHTS

• American Civil Liberties Union — “For almost 100 years, the ACLU has worked to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed by the Constitution and laws of the United States.”

• The Center for Constitutional Rights —  ” . . .is dedicated to advancing and protecting the rights guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Founded in 1966 by attorneys who represented civil rights movements in the South, CCR is a non-profit legal and educational organization committed to the creative use of law as a positive force for social change.”

ECONOMIC, TAX

• The Tax Foundation — ” . . . is the nation’s leading independent tax policy nonprofit. Since 1937, our principled research, insightful analysis, and engaged experts have improved lives through smarter tax policy.”

• The Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy — “(ITEP) is a non-profit, non-partisan research organization that works on federal, state, and local tax policy issues. ITEP’s mission is to ensure that elected officials, the media, and the general public have access to accurate, timely, and straightforward information that allows them to understand the effects of current and proposed tax policies. ITEP’s work focuses particularly on issues of tax fairness and sustainability. ITEP works directly with lawmakers, non-governmental organizations, the public, and the media to achieve these goals.”

•  Tax Policy Center The Tax Policy Center — “(TPC), a joint venture of the Urban Institute and the Brookings Institution, has been educating the public and its leaders about tax and budget policy for over a decade.”

• The Peterson Institute for International Economics — “(PIIE) is a private, nonpartisan nonprofit institution for rigorous, intellectually open, and indepth study and discussion of international economic policy. Its purpose is to identify and analyze important issues to make globalization beneficial and sustainable for the people of the United States and the world and then develop and communicate practical new approaches for dealing with those issues. The Institute attempts to anticipate emerging issues and to be ready with practical ideas, presented in useful, accessible formats, to inform and shape public debate. Its audience includes government officials and legislators, business and labor leaders, management and staff at international organizations, university-based scholars and their students, experts at other research institutions and nongovernmental organizations, the media, and the public at large.”

• American for Financial Reform Americans — ”  . . ,  for Financial Reform is a nonpartisan and nonprofit coalition of more than 200 civil rights, consumer, labor, business, investor, faith-based, and civic and community groups. Formed in the wake of the 2008 crisis, we are working to lay the foundation for a strong, stable, and ethical financial system – one that serves the economy and the nation as a whole. AFR has been called “the leading voice for Wall Street accountability” in Washington (by Zach Carter of the Huffington Post).”

• End Citizen’s United —  “The Supreme Court’s 2010 decision in Citizens United v. F.E.C. completely changed the landscape of American elections. It further established the legal basis for the idea that “corporations are people” and opened the door for billionaires and special interests to spend unlimited, untraceable money in America’s elections.”

• Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington — “CREW  uses aggressive legal action, in-depth research, and bold communications to reduce the influence of money in politics and help foster a government that is ethical and accountable. We highlight abuses, change behavior, and lay the groundwork for new policies and approaches that encourage public officials to work for the benefit of the people, not powerful interests.”

• Economic Policy Institute –The Perkins Project on Worker Rights and Wages is a policy response team tracking the wage and employment policies coming out of the White House, Congress, and the courts. This watchdog unit of economists and lawyers keeps an especially close eye on the federal agencies that establish and defend workers’ rights, wages, and working conditions, including the Department of Labor, the National Labor Relations Board, and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The Perkins Project is headed by former Labor Department Chief Economist Heidi Shierholz and is named for Frances Perkins, Labor Secretary under FDR and principal architect of the New Deal labor reforms. Inspired by Perkins’s legacy, the Perkins Project monitors, analyzes, and publicizes any attempts to dismantle the laws and regulations that protect worker rights and wages. Perkins Project reporting on this site arms activists, journalists, lawmakers, and lawyers with the facts they need to fight for working people.

• Washington Center for Equitable Growth — We are a new research and grantmaking organization founded to accelerate cutting-edge analysis into whether and how structural changes in the U.S. economy, particularly related to economic inequality, affect economic growth.

EDUCATION

• The News Literacy Project — “(NLP) is a nonpartisan national education nonprofit that works with educators and journalists to teach middle school and high school students how to sort fact from fiction in the digital age. NLP provides these students with the essential skills they need to become smart, active consumers of news and information and engaged, informed citizens.”

• Union of Concerned Scientists — “Our scientists and engineers develop and implement innovative, practical solutions to some of our planet’s most pressing problems—from combating global warming and developing sustainable ways to feed, power, and transport ourselves, to fighting misinformation, advancing racial equity, and reducing the threat of nuclear war.” 
  

ENVIRONMENT

• 350.org — “We believe in a safe climate and a better future — a just, prosperous, and equitable world built with the power of ordinary people.”

• The BlueGreen Alliance — ” . . . unites America’s largest labor unions and its most influential environmental organizations to solve today’s environmental challenges in ways that create and maintain quality jobs and build a stronger, fairer economy.

• Friends of the Earth — ” . . . strives for a more healthy and just world. We understand that the challenges facing our planet call for more than half measures, so we push for the reforms that are needed, not merely the ones that are politically easy. Sometimes, this involves speaking uncomfortable truths to power and demanding more than people think is possible. It’s hard work. But the pressures facing our planet and its people are too important for us to compromise.We are one of 75 national member groups of Friends of the Earth International, a global network representing more than two million activists in 75 different countries. In the United States, we advocate in the halls of Congress, in state capitals, and with community groups around the country. With offices in Washington, D.C., and Berkeley, CA, and members in all 50 states, we urge policymakers to defend the environment and work towards a healthy environment for all people.”

• Environmental Defense Fund — “Clean air and water. Abundant fish and wildlife. A stable climate. Our work protects nature and helps people thrive. What sets us apart is how we make this happen: By creating solutions that also carry economic benefits.”

•  Sierra Club –– “Founded by legendary conservationist John Muir in 1892, the Sierra Club is now the nation’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization — with more than two million members and supporters. Our successes range from protecting millions of acres of wilderness to helping pass the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, and Endangered Species Act. More recently, we’ve made history by leading the charge to move away from the dirty fossil fuels that cause climate disruption and toward a clean energy economy. For more information, see our Mission Statement and Strategic Plan Overarching Visionary Goals.”

FOREIGN RELATIONS

• The Wilson Center —  ” . . . seeks to be the leading institution for in-depth research and dialogue to inform actionable ideas on global issues. The Wilson Center, chartered by Congress as the official memorial to President Woodrow Wilson, is the nation’s key non-partisan policy forum for tackling global issues through independent research and open dialogue to inform actionable ideas for the policy community.”
• Center for Strategic and International Studies — “Established in Washington, D.C. over 50 years ago, the  (CSIS) is a bipartisan, nonprofit policy research organization dedicated to providing strategic insights and policy solutions to help decision-makers chart a course toward a better world.”

• Atlantic Council — :”Working Together to Secure the Future. Renewing the Atlantic Community for Global Challenges.The Atlantic Council promotes constructive leadership and engagement in international affairs based on the Atlantic Community’s central role in meeting global challenges. The Council provides an essential forum for navigating the dramatic economic and political changes defining the twenty-first century by informing and galvanizing its uniquely influential network of global leaders. Through the papers we write, the ideas we generate, and the communities we build, the Council shapes policy choices and strategies to create a more secure and prosperous world.”

• Syria Deeply — “Syria Deeply is an independent digital media project led by journalists and technologists that explores a new model of storytelling around a global crisis. Our goal is to build a better user experience of the story by adding context to content, using the latest digital tools of the day. Over time the hope is to add greater clarity, deeper understanding and more sustained engagement to the global conversation. . . . We receive no government funding, instead earning our revenues through a mix of foundation grants and digital-design services. Our client partners include the World Economic Forum, Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism and the Baker Institute at Rice University.”

GUN VIOLENCE

• The Trace — “The Trace is an independent, nonprofit journalism startup dedicated to shining a light on America’s gun violence crisis. Every year in our country, a firearm is used in nearly 500,000 crimes, resulting in the deaths and injuries of more than 110,000 people. Shootings devastate families and communities and drain billions of dollars from local, state, and federal governments. Meanwhile, the problem of gun violence has been  compounded by another: the shortage of knowledge about the issue.

5 Organizations Taking a Stand Against Gun Violence

The Washington Post reviewed gun violence organizations in 2015

• The Brady Campaign — “The mission of the Brady organization is to create a safer America for all of us that will lead to a dramatic reduction in gun deaths and injuries.”

• The Coalition to Stop Gun Violence — “CSGV seeks to secure freedom from gun violence through research, strategic engagement and effective policy advocacy.”

• Newtown Action Alliance — “Newtown Action is an action-based grassroots organization founded by Newtown residents in the weeks after December 14, 2012. We are dedicated to reversing the escalating gun violence epidemic in this nation through the introduction of smarter, safer gun laws and broader cultural change.”

•  States United to Prevent Gun Violence — “States United to Prevent Gun Violence is a national non-profit organization dedicated to making our families and communities safer. Our mission is to support state-based gun violence prevention organizations and to bring new partners into the movement.”

• Everytown for Gun Safety — “Everytown is a movement of Americans working together to end gun violence and build safer communities.”

IMMIGRATION and HUMAN RIGHTS

• The United Nations — ” . . . came into being in 1945, following the devastation of the Second World War, with one central mission: the maintenance of international peace and security. The UN does this by working to prevent conflict; helping parties in conflict make peace; peacekeeping; and creating the conditions to allow peace to hold and flourish. These activities often overlap and should reinforce one another, to be effective. The UN Security Council has the primary responsibility for international peace and security. The General Assembly and the Secretary-General play major, important, and complementary roles, along with other UN offices and bodies.”
• The American Immigration Council — “(“Council”), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, is a powerful voice in promoting laws, policies, and attitudes that honor our proud history as a nation of immigrants. Through research and policy analysis, litigation and communications, and international exchange, the Council seeks to shape a twenty-first century vision of the American immigrant experience.”
• International Refugee Assistance Project –The International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP) organizes law students and lawyers to develop and enforce a set of legal and human rights for refugees and displaced persons. Mobilizing direct legal aid and systemic policy advocacy, IRAP serves the world’s most persecuted individuals and empowers the next generation of human rights leaders. IRAP believes in action, accountability, innovation, and candor. We are nimble, collaborative, and nonpartisan. We believe in the power of individuals to change their own circumstances. And we believe in results.

HATE

• Southern Poverty Law Center — ” . . . is dedicated to fighting hate and bigotry and to seeking justice for the most vulnerable members of our society. Using litigation, education, and other forms of advocacy, the SPLC works toward the day when the ideals of equal justice and equal opportunity will be a reality.”

• Anti Defamation League — “We are activists, educators and experts. We fight anti-Semitism and all forms of hate. We advocate for a safe and secure democratic Jewish State of Israel and combat efforts to delegitimize it. We help shape laws locally and nationally, and develop groundbreaking model legislation. We work with students to respect inclusion and to challenge bias and bullying. We train law enforcement officers about extremism, terrorism and hate crimes.”

HEALTHCARE

• Kaiser Family Foundation — Kaiser is a non-profit organization focusing on national health issues, as well as the U.S. role in global health policy.  Unlike grant-making foundations, Kaiser develops and runs its own policy analysis, journalism and communications programs, sometimes in partnership with major news organizations. We serve as a non-partisan source of facts, analysis and journalism for policymakers, the media,  the health policy community and the public. Our product is information, always provided free of charge — from the most sophisticated policy research, to basic facts and numbers, to in depth health policy news coverage provided by our news service, KHN, to information young people can use to improve their health or the general public can use to understand the health reform law.”

• Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) — ” . . .is a private, international association. The association is made up mainly of doctors and health sector workers and is also open to all other professions which might help in achieving its aims. All of its members agree to honor the following principles: MSF provides assistance to populations in distress, to victims of natural or man-made disasters, and to victims of armed conflict. They do so irrespective of race, religion, creed, or political convictions. MSF observes neutrality and impartiality in the name of universal medical ethics and the right to humanitarian assistance and claims full and unhindered freedom in the exercise of its functions.”

MEDIA

• Center for Media and Democracy — The Center for Media and Democracy is a national watchdog group that conducts in-depth investigations into corruption and the undue influence of corporations on media and democracy.  CMD’s breakthrough investigations of the Koch Brothers, the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) and its American City County Exchange (ACCE), the State Policy Network (SPN), and numerous corporations and corporate-front groups have sparked national debate and ignited waves of related reporting by other journalists in numerous outlets and in leading national magazines. CMD’s reporting has also built on excellent investigative reports in magazines like the New Yorker, Mother Jones, and more.”

SOCIAL SECURITY AND MEDICARE

• American Association of Retired People —  “AARP enhances the quality of life for all as we age. We champion positive social change and deliver value through advocacy, information, and service. Our Vision Statement: A society in which all people live with dignity and purpose, and fulfill their goals and dreams.”

• Social Security Works –“The mission of Social Security Works is to 1) Protect and improve the economic security of disadvantaged and at-risk populations 2) Safeguard the economic security of those dependent, now or in the future, on Social Security 3) Maintain Social Security as a vehicle of social justice.”

• National Committee To Preserve Social Security and Medicare — “The National Committee is one of the most effective and trustworthy sources for Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid advocacy. Since 1982, we have been working for generations of older Americans who want our nation’s health and income security programs secured for the future. Join us and learn more about how you can be a part of our intergenerational crusade.”

WOMEN’S ISSUES

• Planned Parenthood — “In October 2016, Planned Parenthood turned 100 years strong. Planned Parenthood was founded on the revolutionary idea that women should have the information and care they need to live strong, healthy lives and fulfill their dreams — no ceilings, no limits. Learn more about how 100 years of care, education, and activism have changed everything.”

• NARAL  — “We are made up of pro-choice women and men across the United States. Together, we protect a woman’s right to choose.”

• National Organization of Women — “As the grassroots arm of the women’s movement, the National Organization for Women is dedicated to its multi-issue and multi-strategy approach to women’s rights, and is the largest organization of feminist grassroots activists in the United States. NOW has hundreds of chapters and hundreds of thousands of members and activists in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Since our founding in 1966, NOW’s purpose is to take action through intersectional grassroots activism to promote feminist ideals, lead societal change, eliminate discrimination, and achieve and protect the equal rights of all women and girls in all aspects of social, political, and economic life.”

• All* Above All — ” . . .unites organizations and individuals to build support for lifting bans that deny abortion coverage. Our vision is to restore public insurance coverage so that every woman, however much she makes, can get affordable, safe abortion care when she needs it.”