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Spotlight is perhaps the leading non-partisan forum on poverty in the country, known for presenting “big tent” ideas and solutions for reducing poverty and increasing economic opportunity through its comprehensive website, weekly e-newsletter; policy events, and original research and surveys. Spotlight has attracted interest from public figures of all political stripes who write for the website’s exclusive commentary section, participate in webcasts and rely on the one-stop shop website for the latest news, research, data and commentary about poverty and opportunity. Check out Spotlight on Poverty....

06 May, 2016

Next Century Cities supports community leaders across the country as they seek to ensure that all have access to fast, affordable, and reliable Internet. Across the country, innovative municipalities are already recognizing the importance of leveraging gigabit level Internet to attract new businesses and create jobs, improve health care and education, and connect residents to new opportunities. Next Century Cities is committed to celebrating these successes, demonstrating their value, and helping other cities to realize the full power of truly high-speed, affordable, and accessible broadband. Check out Next Century Cities....

06 May, 2016

This report, developed with support from the NetGain partnership, draws on 60 interviews with field experts, scholars, and policy leaders to identify opportunities to improve technology capacity and talent of those working on behalf of the public interest. The interventions described in the report may be implemented by a variety of stakeholders and target a diverse set of elements of public interest technology....

03 May, 2016

San Jose Mercury News - December 29, 2014 By Tom Freedman, Alan Davidson, and Alexander C. Hart As we look to the New Year, we should recognize that there is a new trend in politics. The digital world isn’t just changing the way election campaigns are run; it is also changing the way voters think. From specific issues like net neutrality to a general willingness to support building our national communications infrastructure, this trend will change American politics. Immediately after the 2014 elections, we conducted a national poll of midterm voters. Digital voters, those who spend more than three hours a day on...

29 December, 2014

Anzalone Liszt Grove Research and Freedman Consulting, LLC This memo presents findings from July 2015 polling on issues related to online privacy and Internet access that was conducted by Anzalone Liszt Grove Research in collaboration with Freedman Consulting, LLC. Key findings include the fact that more than 80 percent of Americans are concerned about their privacy online and that there is overwhelming support for proposals to strengthen online privacy protections. Read the full report here....

03 February, 2016

USA Today – September 18, 2012 By Sam Gill and Katharine Wilkinson As a new NFL season kicks off, we're seeing a greater emphasis on safety at all levels of organized football, all the way down to the Pop Warner League's decision to limit contact in practice. While this has been a refreshing shift, the current approach won't achieve the "culture of sportsmanship, fairness and safety" promised by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. If the NFL wants to achieve culture change, it will take more than punishments and new rules. It will take meaningful rewards as well. These policies have had a limited effect. Just last season, Cleveland...

18 September, 2012

The Foundation Review - October 1, 2014 By Sam Gill and Tom Freedman This article proposes a new methodology for planning and evaluating public-policy advocacy. The methodology is designed around a series of stages, each with a different set of strategic planning and assessment requirements. The article suggests that both planning and evaluative approaches that fail to take account of the necessary stages required to develop and then implement an advocacy strategy will likely assign the wrong indicators of success. This analysis is based on direct experience working with both policy processes and a wide range of foundations and nonprofits that have invested in...

01 October, 2014

The Christian Science Monitor – February 18, 2011By Sam Gill Among all the programs that face cuts in President Obama's new budget, education is a clear winner. Charter school funding, however, suffers a slight decrease. And this may be a good thing. Charter schools have become another silver-bullet 'idea fad' racing through education reform. President Obama released his 2012 budget proposal earlier this week to a fanfare of predictable criticism from the right and a few cries from the left. In a budget that saw cuts to many cherished programs, one of the big winners was education – with an 11 percent boost in total funding. Within...

18 February, 2011

The Chronicle of Philanthropy - February 26, 2009 By Franklin Foer, Tom Freedman, and Elizabeth Wilner It's hardly breaking news that high-quality journalism is facing severe economic challenges. Nor is it news that many philanthropies are grasping at ways to draw more attention to important problems. As veterans of the worlds of media, public policy, and philanthropy, we propose an endeavor to put more philanthropic might behind supporting effective journalism. Some worthwhile experimentation has been done in this area. The time has come for a broader and more systematic effort. The newspaper industry's troubles have gone from being bad news to almost old news. Even...

26 February, 2009

MinnPost - November 26, 2008By Sam Gill No matter who prevails in the recount for U.S. Senate, I fear an unheralded chapter in Minnesota politics will come to a close. Call it the “Eccentric Era.” Whether incumbent Norm Coleman or challenger Al Franken wins, Minnesota’s role as the engine of business as not-quite-usual politics will end, and the national political scene will suffer as a consequence. Minnesota has always produced senators who did not quite fit into the Washington culture. When Hubert H. Humphrey was successfully elected to the Senate in 1948 on the Democratic-Farmer-Labor ticket (which he helped to found), he was the...

26 November, 2008

The Christian Science Monitor - June 2, 2002By Tom Freedman The unlikely sight of rock star Bono and Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill touring Africa together last week underscored an old symbolic debate, as well as the possibility of a new consensus, on American aid to the developing world. The two sides of the debate have long had simple and static arguments: Supporters of aid complain that America does not give enough; opponents say US help is wasted by corrupt governments. But now, challenged by the moral issue of suffering abroad, and the reality that terrorists are exploiting poor countries, conservative American policymakers are...

02 June, 2002

Washington Post - March 4, 2001By Tom Freedman The current fevered interest in Bill Clinton's last-minute pardons is endangering the real debate the Democratic Party needs to have: How do we go forward? The peril comes only partly from the sheer amount of attention focused on Clinton's exit from the White House. Media fascination has prompted an avalanche of Clinton psychological profiles and has tempted too many prominent Democrats to form circular firing squads. Ultimately, the pardons are done and irrevocable. After the investigations and interrogations, we must still confront our future. The pardons are the past. The greater danger posed by pardon...

04 March, 2001

The Christian Science Monitor - January 26, 2011By Daniel Altschuler and Sam Gill In a speech as significant as the State of the Union, what is left unsaid matters as much as what is said. Last night, President Obama laid out a clear charge: to “win the future.” Focusing on the steps to help America compete in the 21st century, the president outlined a vision to “out-innovate, out-educate, and out-build the rest of the world” in order to secure greater prosperity for all. Yet the modest sampling of policy proposals seemed to pivot away from the ambitious attempt to take on long-term problems that marked the first two...

26 January, 2011

The Chronicle of Philanthropy - November 13, 2011 By Sam Gill As the political-campaign season heats up, so have debates about whether courts should interpret the Constitution based on exactly what it says or more as a set of principles to guide contemporary affairs. Foundation and nonprofit leaders should ask themselves the same kind of question. Nonprofit organizations are beholden to their stated missions in a way profit-seeking corporations are not. As new pressures complicate how charities and foundations carry out their missions, the issue has become more significant than many organizations may recognize. The political debate boils down to some simple questions: Can courts...

13 November, 2011

The Christian Science Monitor - October 28, 2010By Daniel Altschuler and Sam Gill As 20-somethings, we are often accused of having an exaggerated sense of self-importance. But this political season, we have every reason to be self-absorbed. After voting for Democrats in record numbers in 2008, our generation has retreated from the political arena, and the Democratic Party has failed to bring us back. Losing our generation may now cost them control of Congress. Just how crucial is the Millennial vote to Democratic success? Consider this: If young people voted in this upcoming election at the same rate as in 2008, it could completely...

28 October, 2010

Los Angeles Times – August 2, 2010 By Sam Gill I often dream about retirement. But at 27, I’m unlikely to leave the workforce for at least another 40 years. If existing law doesn’t change, that’s when I will take my full Social Security benefit. To most Americans my age, collecting Social Security is a tenuous assumption — if they think about it at all. Polls show that my peers have lower confidence in its survival than any other age group. A 2009 National Academy of Social Insurance poll found that 67% of Americans between the ages of 18 and 34 are not...

02 August, 2010

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution – July 6, 2010 By Sam Gill
 and Katharine Wilkinson As 20-somethings who grew up under the shadow of the Exxon-Valdez spill, we don’t agree with those who believe Deepwater Horizon will create lasting momentum for energy reform. Even the president recently compared the spill to the 9/11 attacks, saying it would shape “how we think about the environment and energy for many years to come.” Far from an indelible mark on our national psyche, history tells us that the Gulf spill will be forgotten soon after the well is finally controlled. Despite a succession of environmental catastrophes, our nation suffers...

06 July, 2010

Huffington Post – February 24, 2010By Sam Gill There’s a battle brewing in Washington — one that may not garner much attention from insiders, but that could have unintended and unanticipated consequences for 2010 and beyond. As President Obama signs an executive order to convene a bipartisan commission to tackle deficits, many commentators are already demanding — and expecting — that the commission address what they consider the Prodigal Trinity behind long-term budget growth: Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security. While there’s a real policy debate to be had about which of these three programs really has a long-term spending problem, the political...

24 February, 2010

This report, developed with support from the Ford Foundation, highlights 11 communities from across the country that have conceptualized and deployed community wireless networks to achieve different goals. In addition to offering case studies of the 11 communities, the report examines the evolution of wireless technology and explores lessons learned by communities that have implemented these networks. Check out Best Practices in Community Wireless. This document summarizes the best practices identified by interviewees of the report. Further detail can be found in the report itself at the link above....

03 May, 2015

This report, developed with support from the Ford Foundation, examines successful technology innovation projects in health and human services, with particular attention on 11 ‘bright spot’ examples across the country. Lessons from these sites and other successful innovators provide an assessment of key challenges faced by would-be technology innovators in human services agencies, as well as useful strategies to be deployed in developing these projects. Check out Gaining Ground....

03 May, 2016

Commissioned by the Ford Foundation and the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation This report investigates the talent pipeline that connects technology experts to careers in government and civil society, and provides an unvarnished assessment of the current state of the pipeline, key challenges and barriers to the development of technology-oriented human capital in government and civil society, models of successful interventions, and recommendations for a more robust pipeline. Read the full report here....

03 February, 2016

This Bloomberg Philanthropies report surveys the unique environment of public-private partnerships in New York City, identifying key lessons for those seeking to emulate the city’s success. The report draws on interviews with dozens of city leaders involved in these partnerships, including senior officials, agency leaders, philanthropists, business leaders, and community-based partners. Check out The Collaborative City....

03 May, 2016

This Democratic Leadership Council proposal calls for the current outdated, inefficient textbook system to be replaced with an eTextbook program. eTextbooks will be better for students and teachers, will save money after the first few years, and will help America become a leader in education once again. Check out A Kindle in Every Backpack....

03 May, 2016

This report for Women's Voices. Women Vote. suggests an ambitious policy agenda to address the needs of America's unmarried women. The agenda focuses on increasing the opportunities available to unmarried women to thrive economically in an turbulent economy. Check out Overlooked So Far: The Nation's Unmarried Women in 2008....

03 May, 2016

From Spotlight on Poverty and Opportunity and Civic Enterprises This study examines U.S. media print coverage of the topic of poverty and politics from 2003 through 2007. Comparing the last pre-presidential year with 2007, we found a dramatic increase in the number of stories that mention “politics,” “candidate,” and “poverty.” Check out Issues on the Rise....

03 May, 2016

This memo presents findings from July 2015 polling on issues related to Internet access that was conducted by Anzalone Liszt Grove Research in collaboration with Freedman Consulting, LLC. It highlights a shared view that Internet access is essential and that Americans support actions by the government to increase access. The research demonstrates that nearly two-thirds think expanding Internet access should be a priority for the next president. Check out Americans Support Expanding Internet Access for All....

03 May, 2016

From The Center for the Next Generation Posted on The Center for the Next Generation’s blog: “We looked at all the media coverage of children and families issues from June to July and found that kids were definitely not on the press' agenda. The fiscal cliff, Social Security, and Medicare came up in news stories much more often, and although these all bear very heavily on the next generation, kids didn't enter into these discussions. Even Ann Romney's horse garnered more media attention than kids, getting nine times the coverage. Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes' divorce got over 200 times as much...

03 May, 2016

By Thomas Z. Freedman and Michael Weinstein This Democratic Leadership Council paper proposes that policymakers consider expanding on a model program called Single Stop, an initiative piloted by the Robin Hood Foundation in New York and now being replicated nationwide by SingleStop USA. Check out Helping Americans Help Themselves....

03 May, 2016

From Spotlight on Poverty and Opportunity and the Louisiana Disaster Recovery Foundation This study shows a steady and significant decline in U.S. print media coverage of the relationship between Gulf Coast poverty and hurricane Katrina. Coverage has dropped off significantly since the months following the storm and has paled in comparison with sports and celebrity news. Check out A Forgotten Crisis....

03 May, 2016

By Mark Penn & Thomas Z. Freedman This Democratic Leadership Council report describes the complex public opinions on globalization - how Americans feel a sense of optimism about the nation's future in a global economy and a sense of personal anxiety about how this new world will affect them. The polling includes an exploration of what policies and messages American officials should consider in order to ensure all Americans benefit from globalization. A brief synopsis of the research also appears in January 4, 2007 issue of Blueprint Magazine, under the article titled "The Politics of Globalization." Check out The Emerging Politics of...

03 May, 2016

USA Today – May 14, 2010 By Sam Gill As a former Rhodes Scholar who weighs 150 pounds on a good day, has a vertical leap under an inch, and probably couldn't run 40 yards in under 10 seconds if my life depended on it, I finally figured out why my career in professional football never got off the ground. I was too smart. That, at least, is the now widespread criticism of Myron Rolle, a former Florida State standout who decided to forgo the 2009 National Football League draft to study medical anthropology at the University of Oxford on a Rhodes Scholarship. During the recent 2010 NFL draft, Rolle...

14 May, 2010

This Democratic Leadership Council report presents a menu of new policy ideas designed for state and local leaders on dealing successfully with the challenges of globalization. The book, with a forward by the current Treasurer of Delaware and the Governor of Iowa, is divided into three sections: ideas for raising the bar in education, supporting growth and empowering workers in the economy, and new policy ideas for improving state and local security. Check out Winning America's Future....

03 May, 2016

This Partnership for Public Service study examines U.S. media print coverage of the topic of poverty and politics from 2003 through 2007. Comparing the last pre-presidential year with 2007, we found a dramatic increase in the number of stories that mention “politics,” “candidate,” and “poverty.” Check out Covering Katrina: Trends in Katrina Media Coverage....

03 May, 2016

Ending hunger in America is an achievable goal. This Democratic Leadership Council paper outlines an agenda to end childhood hunger. This agenda can both win middle-class support from across the political spectrum and empower low-income Americans to take charge of their lives. Check out Ending Hunger U.S. Child Hunger by 2012....

03 May, 2016

This Progressive Policy Institute paper describes recent public opinion surveys showing that voters care much more about the issues of poverty and hunger in America than conventional Washington political wisdom acknowledges, and are anxious to hear original formulations and solutions. The analysis suggests lessons for building a new majority. Check out Poverty and Public Opinion....

03 May, 2016

This Partnership for Public Service report is a survey of graduating college seniors in 2005, the first graduating class to have had their entire collegiate career after September 11th. The goal is to provide an authoritative and informative look at how 9/11 has shaped their worldview, influenced their thoughts on public service, and informed their upcoming career choices. We believe that it will serve as an important resource for government leaders, policymakers, journalists, and others with an interest in this unique class of young Americans. Check out Class of 9/11....

03 May, 2016

By Joel Berg and Tom Freedman This proposal is contained within the Progressive Policy Institute's Memos to the New President, a collection of proposals intended to aid the new president as he tries to move America forward and solve the major crises facing our nation. Tom and Joel's piece offers a five-step plan to achieve the president's goal of ending childhood hunger by 2015. Read the full chapter here....

03 February, 2016

By Tom Freedman This piece is part of the Center for American Progress' Change for America: A Progressive Blueprint for the 44th President, which calls on various thought-leaders to contribute their ideas on how the president can move the country forward. Tom's contribution details how the president can benefit from using a strong Domestic Policy Council to steer the White House agenda. Read the full chapter here....

03 February, 2016

Washington Post - February 2, 2007 By Thomas Z. Freedman If the House and Senate are able to agree on a minimum-wage hike and the president signs the bill, some may say we will have done enough to help low-income workers. It's true that low-wage workers urgently need a raise, that millions of Americans work full time and still live below the poverty line. But while an increase in the minimum wage is better than nothing, alone it is an incomplete instrument for really making work pay. We should raise the minimum wage while committing our country to a bigger bargain: If you...

02 February, 2007

Politico - March 21, 2007By Warren Bennis and Thomas Z. Freedman Amid the horse-race-like coverage of the 2008 presidential campaign and its focus on topics such as electability and likability, it's worth considering which candidate would make the best leader and president. At the end of the day, voters won't be having a beer with the next president, but we will depend on him or her to be a great leader and deal with the daunting challenges of globalization and terrorism. American history offers some clues about qualities that tend to show up in our great leaders. Here's a scorecard of...

21 March, 2007