Links & resources for economic opportunity

	Colorado organizations
	9 to 5 Colorado, The National Association of Working Women A grassroots membership organization dedicated to improving the workplace and achieving economic justice for Colorado women. Action-oriented information on many important issues.
	Colorado Alliance for Microenterprise Initiatives An organization working to create a sustainable network of microenterprise resources in order to assist microentrepreneurs and to promote self-sufficiency, alleviate poverty, and create jobs through small business development in Colorado.
	Colorado Center on Law and Policy Promotes justice and economic security for lower income Coloradans through legislative, administrative and legal advocacy. Resources include information on the state budget, welfare reform, and healthcare.
	The Colorado Fiscal Policy Institute Research in support of adequate and fair fiscal policies that benefit all Coloradans. Excellent analysis of state budget issues, including TABOR. Available publications include: the State of Working Colorado, the Self-Sufficiency Standard, and issue briefs on working immigrants, tobacco securitization and other topics.
	Colorado Public Interest Research Group Public interest advocates for the consumer, the environment, a fair economy and a responsive, democratic government. Website resources include the annual Colorado Legislative Scorecard, information on predatory lending, and other consumer issues.
	Colorado Women’s Agenda A statewide network that champions economic security, social justice and political power for all Colorado women through public education, political advocacy, communications and grassroots activism.
	Front Range Economic Strategy Center Dedicated to building, fueling, and sustaining a long-term strategic partnership between Colorado labor unions and the region’s progressive community-based organizations to promote and protect the interests of working families.
	Micro Business Development Founded in 1993 to eliminate barriers to economic independence for disadvantaged entrepreneurs, both youth and adult, through access to markets, resources, and business capital. MBD envisions a world where microenterprise will be taught, thought, and employed as a core strategy to foster economic health in our communities. We’ll get there by ensuring that every micro-entrepreneur has access to affordable, effective business services, capital, and market opportunities.
	Mile High United Way Coordinates donors, businesses, nonprofit organizations and community resources to deliver long-term solutions for thousands of people in metro Denver.
	National organizations
	American Public Human Services Association A bipartisan organization of individuals and agencies concerned with human services, that educates members of Congress, the media, and the broader public on what is happening in the states around child welfare, health care reform, and other issues involving families and the elderly.
	The Brookings Institution An independent organization devoted to research, analysis, and public education on economics, foreign policy, governance, and metropolitan policy. Excellent research and publications on U.S. economic, political and social policy developments.
	Center for American Progress Progressive research and educational institute dedicated to promoting a strong and free America that ensures opportunity for all.
	Center on Budget and Policy Priorities A national policy organization working at the federal and state levels on fiscal policy and public programs that affect low- and moderate-income families and individuals.
	Center for Economic and Policy Research Promotes democratic debate on the most important economic and social issues that affect people's lives. Check out CEPR's Housing Cost Calculator
	The Century Foundation Provides facts and analyses to correct widespread misconceptions and persuade those who care about issues such as economic inequality, population aging, homeland security, discontent with government, and national security that significant improvements are possible even when conventional wisdom says they are not.
	Center for Law and Social Policy An organization providing research, policy analysis, technical assistance, and advocacy on issues of economic security for low-income families with children.
	The Center for Responsible Lending is a nonprofit, nonpartisan research and policy organization dedicated to protecting homeownership and family wealth by working to eliminate abusive financial practices.
	The Center for the Study of Social Policy Public policy analysis and technical assistance to states in the areas of family and children's services, neighborhood-based services, education reform, family support, disability, health care policy, and long term care for the elderly.
	Center on Urban Poverty and Social Change Organization addressing the problems of persistent and concentrated urban poverty and dedicated to understanding how social and economic changes affect low-income communities.
	Center for Urban Policy Research, Rutgers University The center conducts research on affordable housing, land use policy, arts and cultural policy, the costs of sprawl, transportation information systems, environmental impacts, and community economic development.
	CFED (formerly the Corporation for Enterprise Development) To ensure that every person can participate in, contribute to and benefit from the economy by bringing together community practice, public policy and private markets in new and effective ways. Publishes the annual Development Report Card of the States.
	Coalition on Human Needs An alliance of national organizations working together to promote public policies that address the needs of low-income and other vulnerable people.
	The Committee for Economic Development Brings the best of business thinking to bear on critical public policy issues that are in the nation’s interest, promotes policies that guarantee a vibrant U.S. economy, sound domestic policies and strong democratic institutions, an educated American work force, a reformed public education system from the early childhood years through postsecondary education, and enhanced global trade and competitiveness.
	Economic Policy Institute A nonprofit, nonpartisan think tank that seeks to broaden the public debate about strategies to achieve a prosperous and fair economy. Publishes the annual State of Working America Report.
	Joint Center for Poverty Research Research collaboration between Northwestern Universityand the University of Chicago, the center seeks to advance our understanding of what it means to be poor in America.
	MDRC A nonpartisan social policy research organization dedicated to exploring effective policies and programs that improve the well-being of low-income people.
	Urban Institute A policy research and educational organization established to examine the social, economic, and governance problems facing the nation, by providing information and analysis to decision makers to help address these challenges.
	Working for America Institute of the AFL-CIO A union-sponsored, nonprofit organization dedicated to creating good jobs and building strong communities.
	The Working Poor Families Project Created in 2001 by the Annie E. Casey Foundation to assess state efforts to assist the working poor. Included on this site are links to 15 individual state assessment reports and links to each of the state organizations that have completed the indicator project. Policy centers in the following states participated in the project: Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New York, Ohio, Texas, Washington, and Wisconsin.

Links & resources for economic opportunity

Gateways to Opportunity