Listed below are research centers and advocacy groups devoted to studying California or advocating for challenging public policy within the state. To locate descriptions of additional organizations, special interest groups, and research centers, search the Gale Directory Library database.
Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment
The Alliance is dedicated to raising the voices of everyday Californians, neighborhood by neighborhood, so that our children have stronger communities and expanded opportunities. ACCE is a new, independent, state-based nonprofit that was started by former members and staff of the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN), which closed many of its operations in California.
Asian Health Services
The mission of Asian Health Services (AHS) is to serve and advocate for the immigrant and refugee Asian community regarding its health rights, and to assure access to health care services regardless of income, insurance status, language, or culture.
Association of California School Administrators
Established in 1971, ACSA is the largest umbrella organization for school leaders in the nation, serving more than 16,000 school leaders. The mission of ACSA is to support California's educational leaders, ensure all students have the essential skills and knowledge needed to excel, and champion public education.
California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform [copy and paste this link: http://www.canhr.org/]
A statewide nonprofit advocacy organization dedicated to improving the choices, care and quality of life for California's long term care consumers through direct advocacy, community education, legislation, and litigation.
California Alliance for Retired Americans
The California Alliance for Retired Americans (CARA) is a statewide nonprofit organization that unites retired workers and community groups to win social and economic justice, full civil rights, and a better, more secure future for ourselves, our families, and future generations.
California Association of Public Hospitals
The California Association of Public Hospitals (CAPH), a non-profit trade organization representing California's public hospitals and health systems since 1983, works to strengthen the capacity of its members to advance community health, ensure access to comprehensive, high-quality, culturally sensitive health care services for all Californians, and educate the next generation of health care professionals.
California Budget and Policy Center
A nonpartisan, research and analysis nonprofit committed to advancing public policies that improve budget choices and public policies affecting low and middle income households, women, immigrants, American Indians, Asian, Black, Latinx, and Pacific Islander Californians, as well as other Californians of color, people with disabilities, and LGBTQ+ Californians.
California Evidence Based Clearinghouse for Child Welfare
The California Evidence Based Clearinghouse helps to identify and disseminate information regarding evidence-based practices relevant to child welfare.
California Food Policy Advocates
An advocacy organization dedicated to preventing hunger and improving the health and well-being of low-income Californians by improving their access to nutritious, affordable food.
California Housing Law Project
Focuses on affordable housing advocacy in the state legislature, as well as outreach and education on a wide variety of affordable housing and land use issues. Through the Housing Advocates website, the Law Project seeks to provide comprehensive and up-to-date information on statewide housing policy issues of interest to affordable housing and homeless advocates in California.
California Immigrant Policy Center
CIPC is a nonpartisan, nonprofit statewide organization that seeks to inform public debate and policy decisions on issues affecting the state's immigrants and their families in order to improve all Californians' quality of life. CIPC advances inclusive policies through policy analysis, advocacy, and capacity-building.
California Institute for Federal Policy Research
A non-profit research organization conceived by the state's bipartisan elected leaders, but sustained with the advice and support of the business, labor, and academic communities committed to shaping federal policies that improve the economic situation in California.
California Institute for Rural Studies
The purpose of the California Institute for Rural Studies (CIRS) is to promote social justice, in particular as it relates to economically sustainable and ecologically balanced public policy. The site includes links to organization publications, research data, and a descriptions of current projects related to its mission.
California Labor Federation
The California Labor Federation is a statewide association of unions and other labor groups throughout California. With over 1300 affiliates, the Federation facilitates a united voice for labor, to gain improvements and protections for working families around the state.
California Pan-Ethnic Health Network
The California Pan-Ethnic Health Network (CPEHN) is a statewide network of multicultural health organizations working together to improve health care access and eliminate health status disparities in California's communities of color. The mission of CPEHN is to promote changes to health policy decision-making and health care delivery systems that improve the health status of our diverse communities.
California Primary Care Association
The mission of the California Primary Care Association (CPCA) is to promote and facilitate equal access to quality health care for individuals and families through organized primary care clinics and clinic networks that, among other things, seek to maintain cost-effective, affordable medical services, as well as meet the linguistic and cultural needs of California's diverse population.
California Public Interest Research Group
The California Public Interest Research Group (CALPIRG) takes on powerful interests on behalf of Californians, working to win concrete results for our health and our well-being. With researchers, advocates, organizers, and students, we stand up to powerful special interests to stop identity theft, fight political corruption, provide safe and affordable prescription drugs, strengthen voting rights, and more.
California State Association of Counties
The primary purpose of CSAC is to represent county government before the California Legislature, administrative agencies and the federal government. CSAC places a strong emphasis on educating the public about the value and need for county programs and services.
California Taxpayer’s Organization
Founded in 1926, the mission of this special interest group is to protect California taxpayers from unnecessary taxes and to promote efficient, quality government services. We serve our members through research and advocacy on significant tax and spending issues in the legislative, executive and judicial branches of government.
California Voter Foundation
A nonprofit, non-partisan organization dedicated to applying new technologies to provide the public with access to the information needed to participate in public life in a meaningful way. The site includes links to issues under consideration on the year’s election ballot and information about current projects sponsored by the organization, such as “Initiative Watch,” which follows measures as they move through the qualification process, and features official titles and summaries, proponent and opponent contact information, and links to proposition campaign web sites, official text, and news articles.
Children Now
The leading, nonpartisan, multi-issue research, policy development, and advocacy organization dedicated to promoting children's health and education in California and creating national media policies that support child development.
Disability Rights California
Disability Rights California works in partnership with persons with disabilities - to protect, advocate for, and advance their human, legal, and service rights. It strives towards a society that values all people and supports their rights to dignity, freedom, choice, and quality of life.
The Greenlining Institute
The Institute's mission is to empower communities of color and other disadvantaged groups through multi-ethnic economic and leadership development, civil rights, and anti-redlining activities. Understanding that our communities are often unheard in major policy debates, The Greenlining Institute works to ensure that the needs of these communities are addressed proactively and positively in major policy discussions.
EdSource
An advocacy organization that works to engage Californians on key education challenges with the goal of enhancing learning success. It does so by providing timely, useful information to policymakers, advancing awareness among the larger public on complex education issues, and highlighting effective models and strategies intended to improve student outcomes.
League of California Cities
An advocacy group, the League of California Cities is an association of California city officials who work together to enhance their knowledge and skills, exchange information, and combine resources so that they may influence policy decisions that affect cities. Founded in 1898 on the principles of local control and interagency cooperation, the League has grown from a handful of public officials to include the voluntary membership of all of California’s 475 cities.
Public Policy Institute of California
The Institute is a private, nonprofit organization dedicated to independent, objective, nonpartisan research on California's economic, social, and political issues. The organization focuses on a research agenda in three program areas: population, the economy, and governance and public finance and engages in the study of complex public policy problems from the perspectives of economics, demography, political science, city and regional planning, sociology, and policy analysis. Excellent site for obtaining detailed information on current public policy issues in the state.
Western Center on Law and Poverty
The Western Center on Law and Poverty (WCLP) is a nonprofit legal services program devoted to high-impact poverty law litigation and legislative advocacy in the state of California. Headquartered in Los Angeles with offices in Oakland and Sacramento, WCLP focuses its work in the areas of welfare, housing, and health care.
Descriptions of resources are adapted or quoted from vendor websites.
Listed below are California state government watchdog agencies and research organizations: