Freedman Consulting, LLC | Resources
14
blog,,qode-content-sidebar-responsive,qode-child-theme-ver-1.0.0,qode-theme-ver-17.2,qode-theme-bridge,wpb-js-composer js-comp-ver-6.10.0,vc_responsive
 

Resources

We invite you to view our recent reports & articles. The opinions listed do not necessarily reflect the views of the whole firm.
  • All
  • Articles
  • Book Chapters
  • Newsletters
  • Reports
  • Work In Action

In early 2023, our team led a mapping effort to track the emerging ecosystem of funders and intermediaries (i.e. organizations, projects, funds, initiatives, collaboratives) supporting communities to access and implement public funding for infrastructure, climate, workforce, and more in California. The findings from this mapping indicate that while many funders have been actively investing in technical assistance and capacity building efforts to support equitable access to funds, meeting the urgent need has resulted in a lack of coordination among philanthropies in the state.  Recognizing the once-in-a-generation influx in public resources and leveraging our team’s nearly five-year effort to support public-private partnerships in the state,...

16 May, 2023

The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation engaged Freedman Consulting to conduct a landscape analysis of Landmark Federal Funding and Opportunities for Impact. Prepared for economy funders interested in climate, labor, and equity outcomes, the analysis details the current federal funding implementation landscape as it pertains to the American Rescue Plan Act, Inflation Reduction Act, Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and CHIPS and Science Act. The analysis aims to 1) understand the relevant flows of funding from this legislation, 2) identify critical leverage points affecting successful implementation, and 3) identify opportunities for philanthropic intervention to support implementation and maximize impact. The findings are intended to provide insights to funders as they...

29 March, 2023

We are struck that one of the few certainties about the coronavirus outbreak is that low-income communities and workers in low-income, service sector occupations will be disproportionately impacted — likely in devastating fashion. One step in combatting this will be to share information about what is happening and what can be done. That’s why we are offering a news service summarizing relevant stories, which you can read below. As of September 13th, the team has switched this effort from a daily format to publishing every Monday. If you would like to receive a daily briefing, feel free to email schumitz@tfreedmanconsulting.com to subscribe. Briefing for...

22 November, 2021

We are struck that one of the few certainties about the coronavirus outbreak is that low-income communities and workers in low-income, service sector occupations will be disproportionately impacted — likely in devastating fashion. One step in combatting this will be to share information about what is happening and what can be done. That’s why we are offering a news service summarizing relevant stories, which you can read below. As of September 13th, the team has switched this effort from a daily format to publishing every Monday. If you would like to receive a daily briefing, feel free to email schumitz@tfreedmanconsulting.com to subscribe. Briefing for...

08 November, 2021

We are struck that one of the few certainties about the coronavirus outbreak is that low-income communities and workers in low-income, service sector occupations will be disproportionately impacted — likely in devastating fashion. One step in combatting this will be to share information about what is happening and what can be done. That’s why we are offering a news service summarizing relevant stories, which you can read below. As of September 13th, the team has switched this effort from a daily format to publishing every Monday. If you would like to receive a daily briefing, feel free to email schumitz@tfreedmanconsulting.com to subscribe. Briefing for...

01 November, 2021

We are struck that one of the few certainties about the coronavirus outbreak is that low-income communities and workers in low-income, service sector occupations will be disproportionately impacted — likely in devastating fashion. One step in combatting this will be to share information about what is happening and what can be done. That’s why we are offering a news service summarizing relevant stories, which you can read below. As of September 13th, the team has switched this effort from a daily format to publishing every Monday. If you would like to receive a daily briefing, feel free to email schumitz@tfreedmanconsulting.com to subscribe. Briefing for...

25 October, 2021

We are struck that one of the few certainties about the coronavirus outbreak is that low-income communities and workers in low-income, service sector occupations will be disproportionately impacted — likely in devastating fashion. One step in combatting this will be to share information about what is happening and what can be done. That’s why we are offering a news service summarizing relevant stories, which you can read below. As of September 13th, the team has switched this effort from a daily format to publishing every Monday. If you would like to receive a daily briefing, feel free to email schumitz@tfreedmanconsulting.com to subscribe. Briefing for...

18 October, 2021

We are struck that one of the few certainties about the coronavirus outbreak is that low-income communities and workers in low-income, service sector occupations will be disproportionately impacted — likely in devastating fashion. One step in combatting this will be to share information about what is happening and what can be done. That’s why we are offering a news service summarizing relevant stories, which you can read below. As of September 13th, the team has switched this effort from a daily format to publishing every Monday. If you would like to receive a daily briefing, feel free to email schumitz@tfreedmanconsulting.com to subscribe. Briefing for...

12 October, 2021

We are struck that one of the few certainties about the coronavirus outbreak is that low-income communities and workers in low-income, service sector occupations will be disproportionately impacted — likely in devastating fashion. One step in combatting this will be to share information about what is happening and what can be done. That’s why we are offering a news service summarizing relevant stories, which you can read below. As of September 13th, the team has switched this effort from a daily format to publishing every Monday. If you would like to receive a daily briefing, feel free to email schumitz@tfreedmanconsulting.com to subscribe. Briefing for...

04 October, 2021

We are struck that one of the few certainties about the coronavirus outbreak is that low-income communities and workers in low-income, service sector occupations will be disproportionately impacted — likely in devastating fashion. One step in combatting this will be to share information about what is happening and what can be done. That’s why we are offering a news service summarizing relevant stories, which you can read below. As of September 13th, the team has switched this effort from a daily format to publishing every Monday. If you would like to receive a daily briefing, feel free to email schumitz@tfreedmanconsulting.com to subscribe. Briefing for...

27 September, 2021

To find innovative solutions that meaningfully address the diverse needs of California’s communities, and to meet this unique moment in our nation’s history, California has developed a dedicated, statewide public-private partnership model that has yielded $4 billion in matching philanthropic investments, produced over 40 innovative partnerships, and engaged over 250 philanthropic partners in the last two years. Since the beginning of California Governor Gavin Newsom’s administration, Freedman Consulting has worked directly with state government, notably the Governor’s Senior Advisor on Social Innovation, and state and national philanthropic leaders to build a new model for partnership development that is forward-looking, dynamic, community-centered,...

22 September, 2021

We are struck that one of the few certainties about the coronavirus outbreak is that low-income communities and workers in low-income, service sector occupations will be disproportionately impacted — likely in devastating fashion. One step in combatting this will be to share information about what is happening and what can be done. That’s why we are offering a news service summarizing relevant stories, which you can read below. As of September 13th, the team has switched this effort from a daily format to publishing every Monday. If you would like to receive a daily briefing, feel free to email schumitz@tfreedmanconsulting.com to subscribe. Briefing for...

20 September, 2021

We are struck that one of the few certainties about the coronavirus outbreak is that low-income communities and workers in low-income, service sector occupations will be disproportionately impacted — likely in devastating fashion. One step in combatting this will be to share information about what is happening and what can be done. That’s why we are offering a news service summarizing relevant stories, which you can read below. As of September 13th, the team has switched this effort from a daily format to publishing every Monday. If you would like to receive a daily briefing, feel free to email schumitz@tfreedmanconsulting.com to subscribe. Briefing for...

13 September, 2021

We are struck that one of the few certainties about the coronavirus outbreak is that low-income communities and workers in low-income, service sector occupations will be disproportionately impacted — likely in devastating fashion. One step in combatting this will be to share information about what is happening and what can be done. That’s why we are offering a daily news service summarizing relevant stories, which you can read below. If you would like to receive a daily briefing, feel free to email schumitz@tfreedmanconsulting.com to subscribe. Briefing for September 10, 2021 Democrats ready $450 billion package to expand child care, pre-K: The Washington Post reports: “Congressional...

07 September, 2021

We are struck that one of the few certainties about the coronavirus outbreak is that low-income communities and workers in low-income, service sector occupations will be disproportionately impacted — likely in devastating fashion. One step in combatting this will be to share information about what is happening and what can be done. That’s why we are offering a daily news service summarizing relevant stories, which you can read below. If you would like to receive a daily briefing, feel free to email schumitz@tfreedmanconsulting.com to subscribe. Briefing for September 3, 2021 Survey shows large majorities support child care and nutrition proposals: From the School of Public...

30 August, 2021

We are struck that one of the few certainties about the coronavirus outbreak is that low-income communities and workers in low-income, service sector occupations will be disproportionately impacted — likely in devastating fashion. One step in combatting this will be to share information about what is happening and what can be done. That’s why we are offering a daily news service summarizing relevant stories, which you can read below. If you would like to receive a daily briefing, feel free to email schumitz@tfreedmanconsulting.com to subscribe. Briefing for August 27, 2021 Supreme court ends eviction moratorium: From the New York Times: “The Supreme Court on Thursday rejected the...

23 August, 2021

We are struck that one of the few certainties about the coronavirus outbreak is that low-income communities and workers in low-income, service sector occupations will be disproportionately impacted — likely in devastating fashion. One step in combatting this will be to share information about what is happening and what can be done. That’s why we are offering a daily news service summarizing relevant stories, which you can read below. If you would like to receive a daily briefing, feel free to email schumitz@tfreedmanconsulting.com to subscribe. Briefing for August 20, 2021 If the unvaccinated want to work, they face a number of hurdles: Kaiser Health News...

18 August, 2021

We are struck that one of the few certainties about the coronavirus outbreak is that low-income communities and workers in low-income, service sector occupations will be disproportionately impacted — likely in devastating fashion. One step in combatting this will be to share information about what is happening and what can be done. That’s why we are offering a daily news service summarizing relevant stories, which you can read below. If you would like to receive a daily briefing, feel free to email schumitz@tfreedmanconsulting.com to subscribe. Briefing for August 13, 2021 First round of child tax credit payments slashed hunger rates, data shows: Politico reports: “The...

09 August, 2021

We are struck that one of the few certainties about the coronavirus outbreak is that low-income communities and workers in low-income, service sector occupations will be disproportionately impacted — likely in devastating fashion. One step in combatting this will be to share information about what is happening and what can be done. That’s why we are offering a daily news service summarizing relevant stories, which you can read below. If you would like to receive a daily briefing, feel free to email schumitz@tfreedmanconsulting.com to subscribe. Briefing for August 6, 2021 Housing aid emerges as new housing fight after eviction ban: From The Hill: "Lawmakers and...

02 August, 2021

We are struck that one of the few certainties about the coronavirus outbreak is that low-income communities and workers in low-income, service sector occupations will be disproportionately impacted — likely in devastating fashion. One step in combatting this will be to share information about what is happening and what can be done. That’s why we are offering a daily news service summarizing relevant stories, which you can read below. If you would like to receive a daily briefing, feel free to email schumitz@tfreedmanconsulting.com to subscribe. Briefing for July 23, 2021 The pandemic drove women out of the workforce. Will they come back? From Politico: “Nearly 1.8 million...

19 July, 2021

We are struck that one of the few certainties about the coronavirus outbreak is that low-income communities and workers in low-income, service sector occupations will be disproportionately impacted — likely in devastating fashion. One step in combatting this will be to share information about what is happening and what can be done. That’s why we are offering a daily news service summarizing relevant stories, which you can read below. If you would like to receive a daily briefing, feel free to email schumitz@tfreedmanconsulting.com to subscribe. Briefing for July 16, 2021 How to get more Americans back to work: A Politico policy “hackathon” asked 10 top...

12 July, 2021

We are struck that one of the few certainties about the coronavirus outbreak is that low-income communities and workers in low-income, service sector occupations will be disproportionately impacted — likely in devastating fashion. One step in combatting this will be to share information about what is happening and what can be done. That’s why we are offering a daily news service summarizing relevant stories, which you can read below. If you would like to receive a daily briefing, feel free to email schumitz@tfreedmanconsulting.com to subscribe. Briefing for July 9, 2021 Kids and tax cuts — why Dems need a sales pitch to seal a major...

06 July, 2021

We are struck that one of the few certainties about the coronavirus outbreak is that low-income communities and workers in low-income, service sector occupations will be disproportionately impacted — likely in devastating fashion. One step in combatting this will be to share information about what is happening and what can be done. That’s why we are offering a daily news service summarizing relevant stories, which you can read below. If you would like to receive a daily briefing, feel free to email schumitz@tfreedmanconsulting.com to subscribe. Briefing for July 2, 2021 Damage to children’s education — and their health — could last a lifetime: Kaiser Health News...

28 June, 2021

We are struck that one of the few certainties about the coronavirus outbreak is that low-income communities and workers in low-income, service sector occupations will be disproportionately impacted — likely in devastating fashion. One step in combatting this will be to share information about what is happening and what can be done. That’s why we are offering a daily news service summarizing relevant stories, which you can read below. If you would like to receive a daily briefing, feel free to email schumitz@tfreedmanconsulting.com to subscribe. Briefing for June 17, 2021 For toddlers, pandemic shapes development during formative years: Kaiser Health News reports: “Day care and...

14 June, 2021

We are struck that one of the few certainties about the coronavirus outbreak is that low-income communities and workers in low-income, service sector occupations will be disproportionately impacted — likely in devastating fashion. One step in combatting this will be to share information about what is happening and what can be done. That’s why we are offering a daily news service summarizing relevant stories, which you can read below. If you would like to receive a daily briefing, feel free to email schumitz@tfreedmanconsulting.com to subscribe. Briefing for June 11, 2021 Despite ample shots and incentives, vaccination rates lag far behind in the South: From the...

07 June, 2021

We are struck that one of the few certainties about the coronavirus outbreak is that low-income communities and workers in low-income, service sector occupations will be disproportionately impacted — likely in devastating fashion. One step in combatting this will be to share information about what is happening and what can be done. That’s why we are offering a daily news service summarizing relevant stories, which you can read below. If you would like to receive a daily briefing, feel free to email schumitz@tfreedmanconsulting.com to subscribe. Briefing for June 4, 2021 College vaccine requirements present major hurdles for some students: The New York Times reports: “Since...

01 June, 2021

We are struck that one of the few certainties about the coronavirus outbreak is that low-income communities and workers in low-income, service sector occupations will be disproportionately impacted — likely in devastating fashion. One step in combatting this will be to share information about what is happening and what can be done. That’s why we are offering a daily news service summarizing relevant stories, which you can read below. If you would like to receive a daily briefing, feel free to email schumitz@tfreedmanconsulting.com to subscribe. Briefing for May 27, 2021 Black and Hispanic Americans seeing higher COVID case rates as vaccinations lag: From Axios: “Black...

24 May, 2021

We are struck that one of the few certainties about the coronavirus outbreak is that low-income communities and workers in low-income, service sector occupations will be disproportionately impacted — likely in devastating fashion. One step in combatting this will be to share information about what is happening and what can be done. That’s why we are offering a daily news service summarizing relevant stories, which you can read below. If you would like to receive a daily briefing, feel free to email schumitz@tfreedmanconsulting.com to subscribe. Briefing for May 21, 2021 Stark racial disparities persist in vaccinations, state-level CDC data shows: From Kaiser Health News: “Black...

17 May, 2021

We are struck that one of the few certainties about the coronavirus outbreak is that low-income communities and workers in low-income, service sector occupations will be disproportionately impacted — likely in devastating fashion. One step in combatting this will be to share information about what is happening and what can be done. That’s why we are offering a daily news service summarizing relevant stories, which you can read below. If you would like to receive a daily briefing, feel free to email schumitz@tfreedmanconsulting.com to subscribe. Briefing for May 14, 2021 Only 7% of vaccinated Floridians are Black: Politico reports that just 7% of the roughly...

10 May, 2021

We are struck that one of the few certainties about the coronavirus outbreak is that low-income communities and workers in low-income, service sector occupations will be disproportionately impacted — likely in devastating fashion. One step in combatting this will be to share information about what is happening and what can be done. That’s why we are offering a daily news service summarizing relevant stories, which you can read below. If you would like to receive a daily briefing, feel free to email schumitz@tfreedmanconsulting.com to subscribe. Briefing for May 7, 2021 U.S. schools turn to mental health needs of students reeling from the pandemic: Reuters reports:...

03 May, 2021

We are struck that one of the few certainties about the coronavirus outbreak is that low-income communities and workers in low-income, service sector occupations will be disproportionately impacted — likely in devastating fashion. One step in combatting this will be to share information about what is happening and what can be done. That’s why we are offering a daily news service summarizing relevant stories, which you can read below. If you would like to receive a daily briefing, feel free to email schumitz@tfreedmanconsulting.com to subscribe. Briefing for April 30, 2021 Some kids never logged on to online school – now what? Politico reports that after Connecticut...

26 April, 2021

We are struck that one of the few certainties about the coronavirus outbreak is that low-income communities and workers in low-income, service sector occupations will be disproportionately impacted — likely in devastating fashion. One step in combatting this will be to share information about what is happening and what can be done. That’s why we are offering a daily news service summarizing relevant stories, which you can read below. If you would like to receive a daily briefing, feel free to email schumitz@tfreedmanconsulting.com to subscribe. Briefing for April 23, 2021 Most common challenge for community health centers has shifted from vaccine supply to staffing to...

22 April, 2021

We are struck that one of the few certainties about the coronavirus outbreak is that low-income communities and workers in low-income, service sector occupations will be disproportionately impacted — likely in devastating fashion. One step in combatting this will be to share information about what is happening and what can be done. That’s why we are offering a daily news service summarizing relevant stories, which you can read below. If you would like to receive a daily briefing, feel free to email schumitz@tfreedmanconsulting.com to subscribe. Briefing for April 13, 2021 CDC studies find racial inequities in COVID hospitalizations, ER visits:  Days after declaring racism a serious...

12 April, 2021

We are struck that one of the few certainties about the coronavirus outbreak is that low-income communities and workers in low-income, service sector occupations will be disproportionately impacted — likely in devastating fashion. One step in combatting this will be to share information about what is happening and what can be done. That’s why we are offering a daily news service summarizing relevant stories, which you can read below. If you would like to receive a daily briefing, feel free to email schumitz@tfreedmanconsulting.com to subscribe. Briefing for April 9, 2021 12 months of trauma — More than 3,600 healthcare workers died in COVID-19’s first year: More...

05 April, 2021

We are struck that one of the few certainties about the coronavirus outbreak is that low-income communities and workers in low-income, service sector occupations will be disproportionately impacted — likely in devastating fashion. One step in combatting this will be to share information about what is happening and what can be done. That’s why we are offering a daily news service summarizing relevant stories, which you can read below. If you would like to receive a daily briefing, feel free to email schumitz@tfreedmanconsulting.com to subscribe. Briefing for April 2, 2021 Hunger crisis continues, particularly for kids, older adults: From the Associated Press: “America is starting...

29 March, 2021

We are struck that one of the few certainties about the coronavirus outbreak is that low-income communities and workers in low-income, service sector occupations will be disproportionately impacted — likely in devastating fashion. One step in combatting this will be to share information about what is happening and what can be done. That’s why we are offering a daily news service summarizing relevant stories, which you can read below. If you would like to receive a daily briefing, feel free to email schumitz@tfreedmanconsulting.com to subscribe. Briefing for March 26, 2021 Hundreds of migrant kids with positive COVID tests held in shelters: Nearly 2,900 unaccompanied minors tested...

22 March, 2021

We are struck that one of the few certainties about the coronavirus outbreak is that low-income communities and workers in low-income, service sector occupations will be disproportionately impacted — likely in devastating fashion. One step in combatting this will be to share information about what is happening and what can be done. That’s why we are offering a daily news service summarizing relevant stories, which you can read below. If you would like to receive a daily briefing, feel free to email schumitz@tfreedmanconsulting.com to subscribe. Briefing for March 19, 2021 Richest U.S. counties overwhelmed by surge in child hunger: From Kaiser Health News: “The financial...

15 March, 2021

We are struck that one of the few certainties about the coronavirus outbreak is that low-income communities and workers in low-income, service sector occupations will be disproportionately impacted — likely in devastating fashion. One step in combatting this will be to share information about what is happening and what can be done. That’s why we are offering a daily news service summarizing relevant stories, which you can read below. If you would like to receive a daily briefing, feel free to email schumitz@tfreedmanconsulting.com to subscribe. Briefing for March 12, 2021 Biden launches a second ‘War on Poverty’: Dylan Matthews of Vox puts the anti-poverty impact of...

08 March, 2021

Our nation is polarized: distrust in government is high and the zone of potential agreement between Americans is at an all-time low. We, as a country, are tribally divided into categories of “us versus them.” These in/out group categorizations are based on intersecting factors that include geography, demography, class, race, and education level, as well as how we get our news and information.Polarization is not a new phenomenon in America, nor is it inherently problematic. In a diverse multiracial, multi-ethnic democracy, there will always be some levels of disagreement. Nonetheless, on January 6th, as we watched the insurrection at the...

26 February, 2021

We are struck that one of the few certainties about the coronavirus outbreak is that low-income communities and workers in low-income, service sector occupations will be disproportionately impacted — likely in devastating fashion. One step in combatting this will be to share information about what is happening and what can be done. That’s why we are offering a daily news service summarizing relevant stories, which you can read below. If you would like to receive a daily briefing, feel free to email schumitz@tfreedmanconsulting.com to subscribe. Briefing for March 5, 2021 Life, death and grief in Los Angeles: A moving photo essay from the New York...

01 March, 2021

We are struck that one of the few certainties about the coronavirus outbreak is that low-income communities and workers in low-income, service sector occupations will be disproportionately impacted — likely in devastating fashion. One step in combatting this will be to share information about what is happening and what can be done. That’s why we are offering a daily news service summarizing relevant stories, which you can read below. If you would like to receive a daily briefing, feel free to email schumitz@tfreedmanconsulting.com to subscribe. Briefing for February 26, 2021 An unprecedented number of students have disappeared during the pandemic; Schools are working harder than ever...

22 February, 2021

We are struck that one of the few certainties about the coronavirus outbreak is that low-income communities and workers in low-income, service sector occupations will be disproportionately impacted — likely in devastating fashion. One step in combatting this will be to share information about what is happening and what can be done. That’s why we are offering a daily news service summarizing relevant stories, which you can read below. If you would like to receive a daily briefing, feel free to email schumitz@tfreedmanconsulting.com to subscribe. Briefing for February 19, 2021 How policymakers can make sure the pandemic doesn’t widen the racial wealth gap: Kilolo Kijakazi,...

16 February, 2021

We are struck that one of the few certainties about the coronavirus outbreak is that low-income communities and workers in low-income, service sector occupations will be disproportionately impacted — likely in devastating fashion. One step in combatting this will be to share information about what is happening and what can be done. That’s why we are offering a daily news service summarizing relevant stories, which you can read below. If you would like to receive a daily briefing, feel free to email schumitz@tfreedmanconsulting.com to subscribe. Briefing for February 12, 2021 Study shows bans on evictions, utility cutoffs are curbing COVID infections: Bans on evictions and utility...

08 February, 2021

We are struck that one of the few certainties about the coronavirus outbreak is that low-income communities and workers in low-income, service sector occupations will be disproportionately impacted — likely in devastating fashion. One step in combatting this will be to share information about what is happening and what can be done. That’s why we are offering a daily news service summarizing relevant stories, which you can read below. If you would like to receive a daily briefing, feel free to email schumitz@tfreedmanconsulting.com to subscribe. Briefing for February 5, 2021 ‘Cruel’ race for vaccines leaves many seniors behind: With millions of older Americans eligible for...

01 February, 2021

We are struck that one of the few certainties about the coronavirus outbreak is that low-income communities and workers in low-income, service sector occupations will be disproportionately impacted — likely in devastating fashion. One step in combatting this will be to share information about what is happening and what can be done. That’s why we are offering a daily news service summarizing relevant stories, which you can read below. If you would like to receive a daily briefing, feel free to email schumitz@tfreedmanconsulting.com to subscribe. Briefing for January 29, 2021 Food stamp spending jumped nearly 50% in 2020:  Federal spending on the country’s largest nutrition...

25 January, 2021

We are struck that one of the few certainties about the coronavirus outbreak is that low-income communities and workers in low-income, service sector occupations will be disproportionately impacted — likely in devastating fashion. One step in combatting this will be to share information about what is happening and what can be done. That’s why we are offering a daily news service summarizing relevant stories, which you can read below. If you would like to receive a daily briefing, feel free to email schumitz@tfreedmanconsulting.com to subscribe. Briefing for January 22, 2021 Biden calls for increased nutrition aid: The Washington Post writes: “President Biden is expected on Friday...

21 January, 2021

After the 2008 election of President Obama, there was a surge in interest, ideas, and even a growing infrastructure to facilitate strategic, intentional partnerships between the philanthropic community and the federal government. From big ideas and opportunities to small ways of working with agency staff to help policymakers quickly learn and engage on policy issues, philanthropy can play an important role in advancing shared ideas and policy implementation. This webinar kicked off a series of conversations with an overview of the many ways the philanthropic sector can work with and build partnerships with the new administration in the coming year and...

12 January, 2021

We are struck that one of the few certainties about the coronavirus outbreak is that low-income communities and workers in low-income, service sector occupations will be disproportionately impacted — likely in devastating fashion. One step in combatting this will be to share information about what is happening and what can be done. That’s why we are offering a daily news service summarizing relevant stories, which you can read below. If you would like to receive a daily briefing, feel free to email schumitz@tfreedmanconsulting.com to subscribe. Briefing for January 15, 2021 Biden outlines $1.9 trillion rescue package: President-elect Joe Biden unveiled a new COVID-19 rescue package...

11 January, 2021

We are struck that one of the few certainties about the coronavirus outbreak is that low-income communities and workers in low-income, service sector occupations will be disproportionately impacted — likely in devastating fashion. One step in combatting this will be to share information about what is happening and what can be done. That’s why we are offering a daily news service summarizing relevant stories, which you can read below. If you would like to receive a daily briefing, feel free to email schumitz@tfreedmanconsulting.com to subscribe. Briefing for January 8, 2021 A third of U.S. families face a different kind of poverty: Before the pandemic, one-third...

04 January, 2021

We are struck that one of the few certainties about the coronavirus outbreak is that low-income communities and workers in low-income, service sector occupations will be disproportionately impacted. Likely in devastating fashion. One step in combatting this will be to share information about what is happening and what can be done.  That’s why we are offering this daily news service summarizing relevant stories, and a concise weekly summary alternative as well.  You can see it below. If you would like to receive a daily or weekly briefing, feel free to subscribe here. Briefing for December 21, 2020 Holidays expose widening inequality among U.S. families: From The...

21 December, 2020

We are struck that one of the few certainties about the coronavirus outbreak is that low-income communities and workers in low-income, service sector occupations will be disproportionately impacted. Likely in devastating fashion. One step in combatting this will be to share information about what is happening and what can be done.  That’s why we are offering this daily news service summarizing relevant stories, and a concise weekly summary alternative as well.  You can see it below. If you would like to receive a daily or weekly briefing, feel free to subscribe here. Briefing for December 18, 2020 Six months into the pandemic, 40% of families...

14 December, 2020

We are struck that one of the few certainties about the coronavirus outbreak is that low-income communities and workers in low-income, service sector occupations will be disproportionately impacted. Likely in devastating fashion. One step in combatting this will be to share information about what is happening and what can be done.  That’s why we are offering this daily news service summarizing relevant stories, and a concise weekly summary alternative as well.  You can see it below. If you would like to receive a daily or weekly briefing, feel free to subscribe here. Briefing for December 11, 2020 States try to save small businesses as federal...

07 December, 2020

We are struck that one of the few certainties about the coronavirus outbreak is that low-income communities and workers in low-income, service sector occupations will be disproportionately impacted. Likely in devastating fashion. One step in combatting this will be to share information about what is happening and what can be done.  That’s why we are offering this daily news service summarizing relevant stories, and a concise weekly summary alternative as well.  You can see it below. If you would like to receive a daily or weekly briefing, feel free to subscribe here. Briefing for December 4, 2020 The cities in each state hit hardest by...

30 November, 2020

We are struck that one of the few certainties about the coronavirus outbreak is that low-income communities and workers in low-income, service sector occupations will be disproportionately impacted. Likely in devastating fashion. One step in combatting this will be to share information about what is happening and what can be done.  That’s why we are offering this daily news service summarizing relevant stories, and a concise weekly summary alternative as well.  You can see it below. If you would like to receive a daily or weekly briefing, feel free to subscribe here. Briefing for November 23, 2020 This will be our only briefing of this...

23 November, 2020

We are struck that one of the few certainties about the coronavirus outbreak is that low-income communities and workers in low-income, service sector occupations will be disproportionately impacted. Likely in devastating fashion. One step in combatting this will be to share information about what is happening and what can be done.  That’s why we are offering this daily news service summarizing relevant stories, and a concise weekly summary alternative as well.  You can see it below. If you would like to receive a daily or weekly briefing, feel free to subscribe here. Briefing for November 20, 2020 Poverty rate spiked when $600 stimulus payments expired,...

16 November, 2020

We are struck that one of the few certainties about the coronavirus outbreak is that low-income communities and workers in low-income, service sector occupations will be disproportionately impacted. Likely in devastating fashion. One step in combatting this will be to share information about what is happening and what can be done.  That’s why we are offering this daily news service summarizing relevant stories, and a concise weekly summary alternative as well.  You can see it below. If you would like to receive a daily or weekly briefing, feel free to subscribe here. Briefing for November 13, 2020 America’s safety net for the disabled is failing...

09 November, 2020

We are struck that one of the few certainties about the coronavirus outbreak is that low-income communities and workers in low-income, service sector occupations will be disproportionately impacted. Likely in devastating fashion. One step in combatting this will be to share information about what is happening and what can be done.  That’s why we are offering this daily news service summarizing relevant stories, and a concise weekly summary alternative as well.  You can see it below. If you would like to receive a daily or weekly briefing, feel free to subscribe here. Briefing for November 6, 2020 Food insecurity is worse for rural residents during...

02 November, 2020

This Collaborative Cities guide, written in partnership with Bloomberg Associates, outlines some of the key components needed for city leaders to administer and sustain strategic partnerships. This guide provides general best practices that apply across municipalities, while also offering guidance on how city leaders can adapt the approaches to their own challenges and circumstances. It draws on the experience of Bloomberg Philanthropies and Bloomberg Associates and highlights the efforts of mayors and cross-sector practitioners with unique experience and insights, providing a playbook to support leaders looking to build or strengthen partnerships. You can download the guide here. ...

29 October, 2020

We are struck that one of the few certainties about the coronavirus outbreak is that low-income communities and workers in low-income, service sector occupations will be disproportionately impacted. Likely in devastating fashion. One step in combatting this will be to share information about what is happening and what can be done.  That’s why we are offering this daily news service summarizing relevant stories, and a concise weekly summary alternative as well.  You can see it below. If you would like to receive a daily or weekly briefing, feel free to subscribe here. Briefing for October 30, 2020 Black and Hispanic workers, particularly women, lag in...

26 October, 2020

This short note is coauthored by firm President Tom Freedman and firm Advisor Xav Briggs. Today's world demands big changes, and like many of you, Xav and I have been looking back at what we know about identifying the building blocks of successful change movements. Following is a short reflection of our thoughts. No matter what happens in the upcoming election, we are going to need big change. In order to guide our efforts leading up to, and following, November 3rd, we reviewed what has been written about how large-scale social movements succeed. We came at this in two ways. First, as a firm...

21 October, 2020

We are struck that one of the few certainties about the coronavirus outbreak is that low-income communities and workers in low-income, service sector occupations will be disproportionately impacted. Likely in devastating fashion. One step in combatting this will be to share information about what is happening and what can be done.  That’s why we are offering this daily news service summarizing relevant stories, and a concise weekly summary alternative as well.  You can see it below. If you would like to receive a daily or weekly briefing, feel free to subscribe here. Briefing for October 23, 2020 Out of work in America: A special report...

19 October, 2020

We are struck that one of the few certainties about the coronavirus outbreak is that low-income communities and workers in low-income, service sector occupations will be disproportionately impacted. Likely in devastating fashion. One step in combatting this will be to share information about what is happening and what can be done.  That’s why we are offering this daily news service summarizing relevant stories, and a concise weekly summary alternative as well.  You can see it below. If you would like to receive a daily or weekly briefing, feel free to subscribe here. Briefing for October 16, 2020 Eight million have slipped into poverty since May...

13 October, 2020

We are struck that one of the few certainties about the coronavirus outbreak is that low-income communities and workers in low-income, service sector occupations will be disproportionately impacted. Likely in devastating fashion. One step in combatting this will be to share information about what is happening and what can be done.  That’s why we are offering this daily news service summarizing relevant stories, and a concise weekly summary alternative as well.  You can see it below. If you would like to receive a daily or weekly briefing, feel free to subscribe here. Briefing for October 9, 2020 One in four Americans say they are delaying...

05 October, 2020

We are struck that one of the few certainties about the coronavirus outbreak is that low-income communities and workers in low-income, service sector occupations will be disproportionately impacted. Likely in devastating fashion. One step in combatting this will be to share information about what is happening and what can be done.  That’s why we are offering this daily news service summarizing relevant stories, and a concise weekly summary alternative as well.  You can see it below. If you would like to receive a daily or weekly briefing, feel free to subscribe here. Briefing for October 2, 2020 The chaos of repealing the Affordable Care...

28 September, 2020

We are struck that one of the few certainties about the coronavirus outbreak is that low-income communities and workers in low-income, service sector occupations will be disproportionately impacted. Likely in devastating fashion. One step in combatting this will be to share information about what is happening and what can be done.  That’s why we are offering this daily news service summarizing relevant stories, and a concise weekly summary alternative as well.  You can see it below. If you would like to receive a daily or weekly briefing, feel free to subscribe here. Briefing for September 25, 2020 As coronavirus deaths continue to mount, racial...

21 September, 2020

We are struck that one of the few certainties about the coronavirus outbreak is that low-income communities and workers in low-income, service sector occupations will be disproportionately impacted. Likely in devastating fashion. One step in combatting this will be to share information about what is happening and what can be done.  That’s why we are offering this daily news service summarizing relevant stories, and a concise weekly summary alternative as well.  You can see it below. If you would like to receive a daily or weekly briefing, feel free to subscribe here. Briefing for September 18, 2020 Housekeepers face a disaster generations in the...

14 September, 2020

We are struck that one of the few certainties about the coronavirus outbreak is that low-income communities and workers in low-income, service sector occupations will be disproportionately impacted. Likely in devastating fashion. One step in combatting this will be to share information about what is happening and what can be done.  That’s why we are offering this daily news service summarizing relevant stories, and a concise weekly summary alternative as well.  You can see it below. If you would like to receive a daily or weekly briefing, feel free to subscribe here. Briefing for September 11, 2020 A pandemic, a motel without power and...

08 September, 2020

We are struck that one of the few certainties about the coronavirus outbreak is that low-income communities and workers in low-income, service sector occupations will be disproportionately impacted. Likely in devastating fashion. One step in combatting this will be to share information about what is happening and what can be done.  That’s why we are offering this daily news service summarizing relevant stories, and a concise weekly summary alternative as well.  You can see it below. If you would like to receive a daily or weekly briefing, feel free to subscribe here. Briefing for September 4, 2020 The true cost of providing safe childcare...

31 August, 2020

We are struck that one of the few certainties about the coronavirus outbreak is that low-income communities and workers in low-income, service sector occupations will be disproportionately impacted. Likely in devastating fashion. One step in combatting this will be to share information about what is happening and what can be done.  That’s why we are offering this daily news service summarizing relevant stories, and a concise weekly summary alternative as well.  You can see it below. If you would like to receive a daily or weekly briefing, feel free to subscribe here. Briefing for August 28, 2020 Where to prioritize emergency rental assistance to...

24 August, 2020

We are struck that one of the few certainties about the coronavirus outbreak is that low-income communities and workers in low-income, service sector occupations will be disproportionately impacted. Likely in devastating fashion. One step in combatting this will be to share information about what is happening and what can be done.  That’s why we are offering this daily news service summarizing relevant stories, and a concise weekly summary alternative as well.  You can see it below. If you would like to receive a daily or weekly briefing, feel free to subscribe here. Briefing for August 13, 2020 Unemployment insurance bolsters child support payments but...

10 August, 2020

We are struck that one of the few certainties about the coronavirus outbreak is that low-income communities and workers in low-income, service sector occupations will be disproportionately impacted. Likely in devastating fashion. One step in combatting this will be to share information about what is happening and what can be done.  That’s why we are offering this daily news service summarizing relevant stories, and a concise weekly summary alternative as well.  You can see it below. If you would like to receive a daily or weekly briefing, feel free to subscribe here. Briefing for August 7, 2020 Health care workers of color nearly twice...

03 August, 2020

We are struck that one of the few certainties about the coronavirus outbreak is that low-income communities and workers in low-income, service sector occupations will be disproportionately impacted. Likely in devastating fashion. One step in combatting this will be to share information about what is happening and what can be done.  That’s why we are offering this daily news service summarizing relevant stories, and a concise weekly summary alternative as well.  You can see it below. If you would like to receive a daily or weekly briefing, feel free to subscribe here. Briefing for July 31, 2020 Census door knocking cut a month short...

27 July, 2020

We are struck that one of the few certainties about the coronavirus outbreak is that low-income communities and workers in low-income, service sector occupations will be disproportionately impacted. Likely in devastating fashion. One step in combatting this will be to share information about what is happening and what can be done.  That’s why we are offering this daily news service summarizing relevant stories, and a concise weekly summary alternative as well.  You can see it below. If you would like to receive a daily or weekly briefing, feel free to subscribe here. Briefing for July 24, 2020 ‘A Band-Aid for a bullet wound’ — Workers...

20 July, 2020

We are struck that one of the few certainties about the coronavirus outbreak is that low-income communities and workers in low-income, service sector occupations will be disproportionately impacted. Likely in devastating fashion. One step in combatting this will be to share information about what is happening and what can be done.  That’s why we are offering this daily news service summarizing relevant stories, and a concise weekly summary alternative as well.  You can see it below. If you would like to receive a daily or weekly briefing, feel free to subscribe here. Briefing for July 17, 2020 Millions of seniors live in households with...

13 July, 2020

We are struck that one of the few certainties about the coronavirus outbreak is that low-income communities and workers in low-income, service sector occupations will be disproportionately impacted. Likely in devastating fashion. One step in combatting this will be to share information about what is happening and what can be done.  That’s why we are offering this daily news service summarizing relevant stories, and a concise weekly summary alternative as well.  You can see it below. If you would like to receive a daily or weekly briefing, feel free to subscribe here. Briefing for July 10, 2020 ‘The wave has begun’ – evictions surge as...

06 July, 2020

We are struck that one of the few certainties about the coronavirus outbreak is that low-income communities and workers in low-income, service sector occupations will be disproportionately impacted. Likely in devastating fashion. One step in combatting this will be to share information about what is happening and what can be done.  That’s why we are offering this daily news service summarizing relevant stories, and a concise weekly summary alternative as well.  You can see it below. If you would like to receive a daily or weekly briefing, feel free to subscribe here. Briefing for July 2, 2020 The link between structural racism, the coronavirus...

01 July, 2020

We are struck that one of the few certainties about the coronavirus outbreak is that low-income communities and workers in low-income, service sector occupations will be disproportionately impacted. Likely in devastating fashion. One step in combatting this will be to share information about what is happening and what can be done.  That’s why we are offering this daily news service summarizing relevant stories, and a concise weekly summary alternative as well.  You can see it below. If you would like to receive a daily or weekly briefing, feel free to subscribe here. A Special Request. The issues that impact low-income communities have never been...

15 June, 2020

We are struck that one of the few certainties about the coronavirus outbreak is that low-income communities and workers in low-income, service sector occupations will be disproportionately impacted. Likely in devastating fashion. One step in combatting this will be to share information about what is happening and what can be done.  That’s why we are offering this daily news service summarizing relevant stories, and a concise weekly summary alternative as well.  You can see it below. If you would like to receive a daily or weekly briefing, feel free to subscribe here. Briefing for June 12, 2020 Unemployed workers face new delays as states...

08 June, 2020

At great pivot points in American history, leaders and everyday Americans have been faced with huge choices. We are the beneficiaries of those who have shown vision and courage before us. Let us use this moment to make another set of critical choices, a commitment to a future America stronger for all. To that end, these documents provide draft thinking on a potential policy framework for the next administration and Congress. We look forward to feedback and input from any interested parties. Draft Tele-America PresentationDownload Draft Tele-America Policy AgendaDownload ...

02 June, 2020

We are struck that one of the few certainties about the coronavirus outbreak is that low-income communities and workers in low-income, service sector occupations will be disproportionately impacted. Likely in devastating fashion. One step in combatting this will be to share information about what is happening and what can be done.  That’s why we are offering this daily news service summarizing relevant stories, and a concise weekly summary alternative as well.  You can see it below. If you would like to receive a daily or weekly briefing, feel free to subscribe here. Briefing for June 5, 2020 The black-white economic divide is as wide...

01 June, 2020

A new Administration has the surprising opportunity for a triumph that would be a biblical level achievement: ensuring every child in the world has at least one meal a day. A campaign organized around this clear goal is feasible and would dramatically reduce malnutrition overall. It would also prompt a renewed focus for a global commitment to children generally and could bring chances for global cooperation in multiple related areas. There are numerous experts and international organizations that would need to be consulted for this project. This memorandum is intended to encourage consideration of a ambitious defined effort and to begin...

25 September, 2020

We are struck that one of the few certainties about the coronavirus outbreak is that low-income communities and workers in low-income, service sector occupations will be disproportionately impacted. Likely in devastating fashion. One step in combatting this will be to share information about what is happening and what can be done.  That’s why we are offering this daily news service summarizing relevant stories, and a concise weekly summary alternative as well.  You can see it below. If you would like to receive a daily or weekly briefing, feel free to subscribe here. Briefing for May 29, 2020 The coronavirus’ unequal economic toll: Kaiser Family...

26 May, 2020

We are struck that one of the few certainties about the coronavirus outbreak is that low-income communities and workers in low-income, service sector occupations will be disproportionately impacted. Likely in devastating fashion. One step in combatting this will be to share information about what is happening and what can be done.  That’s why we are offering this daily news service summarizing relevant stories, and a concise weekly summary alternative as well.  You can see it below. If you would like to receive a daily or weekly briefing, feel free to subscribe here. Briefing for May 22, 2020 The ‘us and them’ pandemic shows America...

18 May, 2020

This memorandum offers a suggested approach for a project that could be launched in the next six months. The initiative would increase impactful Administration policy change by creating a clear role within an Administration for collaborating with outside philanthropic entities, as well as by developing a corresponding defined external entity to help share information and potential opportunities. Draft Structure and Considerations for a New Philanthropic AllianceDownload ...

24 May, 2020

We are struck that one of the few certainties about the coronavirus outbreak is that low-income communities and workers in low-income, service sector occupations will be disproportionately impacted. Likely in devastating fashion. One step in combatting this will be to share information about what is happening and what can be done.  That’s why we are offering this daily news service summarizing relevant stories, and a concise weekly summary alternative as well.  You can see it below. If you would like to receive a daily or weekly briefing, feel free to subscribe here. Briefing for May 15, 2020 New poll finds rising fear about having...

11 May, 2020

We are struck that one of the few certainties about the coronavirus outbreak is that low-income communities and workers in low-income, service sector occupations will be disproportionately impacted. Likely in devastating fashion. One step in combatting this will be to share information about what is happening and what can be done.  That’s why we are offering this daily news service summarizing relevant stories, and a concise weekly summary alternative as well.  You can see it below. If you would like to receive a daily or weekly briefing, feel free to subscribe here. Briefing for May 8, 2020 Senate Democrats propose $2,000 monthly payments: Sens. Kamala...

04 May, 2020

We are struck that one of the few certainties about the coronavirus outbreak is that low-income communities and workers in low-income, service sector occupations will be disproportionately impacted. Likely in devastating fashion. One step in combatting this will be to share information about what is happening and what can be done.  That’s why we are offering this daily news service summarizing relevant stories, and a concise weekly summary alternative as well.  You can see it below. If you would like to receive a daily or weekly briefing, feel free to subscribe here. Briefing for May 1, 2020 Retail COVID-19 testing has been inadequate in...

27 April, 2020

We’ve compiled this living document to include resources for tracking COVID-19 response efforts by philanthropy, the private sector, national, state, and local governments, and other entities. This list is not intended to be exhaustive, is not for commercial use, and is intended to be updated as efforts grow or change. Please note, it is not a collection of disease or public health trackers. If you have other resources to feature, or ideas on how to make it more useful in this crisis, please email info@tfreedmanconsulting.com. Sections included: PhilanthropyPrivate SectorState and Local GovernmentFederal GovernmentHealth and TechnologyMedia and EducationLegal ...

24 April, 2020

This op-ed was featured in The Washington Post as part of their collection of ideas that could mitigate the impact of COVID-19. You can read the full article here. By Tom Freedman The COVID-19 crisis has revealed a huge opportunity for improving our government. That’s because a wonky policy tool — public-private partnerships — has become much more important during the pandemic. The problem, however, is that these are being deployed in an ad hoc, uncoordinated manner, with too little thought given to how they fit the needs of our democratic society. What’s missing is an effective structure for how we could...

22 April, 2020

We are struck that one of the few certainties about the coronavirus outbreak is that low-income communities and workers in low-income, service sector occupations will be disproportionately impacted. Likely in devastating fashion. One step in combatting this will be to share information about what is happening and what can be done.  That’s why we are offering this daily news service summarizing relevant stories, and a concise weekly summary alternative as well.  You can see it below. If you would like to receive a daily or weekly briefing, feel free to subscribe here. Briefing for April 24, 2020 Four in ten adults report job-related losses...

20 April, 2020

We are struck that one of the few certainties about the coronavirus outbreak is that low-income communities and workers in low-income, service sector occupations will be disproportionately impacted. Likely in devastating fashion. One step in combatting this will be to share information about what is happening and what can be done.  That’s why we are offering this daily news service summarizing relevant stories, and a concise weekly summary alternative as well.  You can see it below. If you would like to receive a daily or weekly briefing, feel free to subscribe here. Briefing for April 17, 2020 Coronavirus pandemic could send poverty levels to...

13 April, 2020

We are struck that one of the few certainties about the coronavirus outbreak is that low-income communities and workers in low-income, service sector occupations will be disproportionately impacted. Likely in devastating fashion. One step in combatting this will be to share information about what is happening and what can be done.  That’s why we are offering this daily news service summarizing relevant stories, and a concise weekly summary alternative as well.  You can see it below. If you would like to receive a daily or weekly briefing, feel free to subscribe here. Briefing for April 10, 2020 Pandemic lays bare the grocery shopping class...

06 April, 2020

We are struck that one of the few certainties about the coronavirus outbreak is that low-income communities and workers in low-income, service sector occupations will be disproportionately impacted. Likely in devastating fashion. One step in combatting this will be to share information about what is happening and what can be done.  That’s why we are offering this daily news service summarizing relevant stories, and a concise weekly summary alternative as well.  You can see it below. If you would like to receive a daily or weekly briefing, feel free to subscribe here. Briefing for April 3, 2020 Banks signal small business loans may not...

30 March, 2020

We are struck that one of the few certainties about the coronavirus outbreak is that low-income communities and workers in low-income, service sector occupations will be disproportionately impacted. Likely in devastating fashion. One step in combatting this will be to share information about what is happening and what can be done.  That’s why we are offering this daily news service summarizing relevant stories, and a concise weekly summary alternative as well.  You can see it below.If you would like to receive a daily or weekly briefing, feel free to subscribe here. Briefing for March 27, 2020 What’s actually in the latest Senate coronavirus...

23 March, 2020

This 2019 report is an update to the 2018 report drawing from interviews with 30 practitioners and leaders to highlight key features of the maturing PIT ecosystem. The Public Interest Technology University Network (PIT-UN), then an intangible hope for the field, is now a robust collaboration that enables leaders from 21 institutions to share best practices and spur collaboration, for example. The network held its first annual PIT-UN convening at Georgetown University in October 2019, at which over $3.1 million in PIT grants were announced. And the network is poised to grow in membership in 2020 after a successful application...

18 March, 2020

We are struck that one of the few certainties about the coronavirus outbreak is that low-income communities and workers in low-income, service sector occupations will be disproportionately impacted. Likely in devastating fashion. One step in combatting this will be to share information about what is happening and what can be done.  That’s why we are offering this daily news service summarizing relevant stories, and a concise weekly summary alternative as well.  You can see it below. If you would like to receive a daily or weekly briefing, feel free to subscribe here. Briefing for March 20, 2020 Humanity not cages: Dozens of criminal justice reform...

16 March, 2020

We are struck that one of the few certainties about the coronavirus outbreak is that low-income communities and workers in low-income, service sector occupations will be disproportionately impacted. Likely in devastating fashion.One step in combatting this will be to share information about what is happening and what can be done.  That’s why we are offering this daily news service summarizing relevant stories, and a concise weekly summary alternative as well.  You can see it below.Our own Bill Nichols, formerly Senior Reporter for USA TODAY and then Managing Editor of Politico, is heading the team. Also contributing are Matt James, who is...

11 March, 2020

Philanthropy has turned its eye toward developing the field of public interest technology, citing public interest law as an example of how philanthropy has successfully jumpstarted a now- robust field. While it may be tempting to proceed onwards satisfied with the knowledge it can be done, now is a key moment to pause and understand how it was done. This memo, written for the Ford Foundation in 2016, outlines lessons from key investments made by philanthropy in developing the field of public interest law. ...

07 March, 2019

The Building the Future report made a strong case for the need to create a community of practitioners invested in exploring and building the nascent field of public interest technology. Through 17 in-depth interviews, academics and practitioners shared that a key barrier to growing the field was a lack of shared principles, goals, or even a definition of public interest technology as an academic discipline. Read more. ...

07 March, 2019

Anyone who tells you with confidence what is going to happen next is lying, guessing, or blissfully ignorant. My favorite statistic from reporting after the Trump election was how few predictions of his victory there were during the general election. One list found 11 correct public predictors, including an evidently well-known Chinese monkey. The most famous public prognosticator on the list? The creator of the “Dilbert” comic strip. While almost everyone now remembers themselves as being prophetic and all-knowing back then, they’re wrong. And it’s a fair bet that wisdom is just as wrong today. Even apparently scientific information can no longer be...

14 March, 2018

Nearly 41 million Americans were impoverished in 2016, and the United States continues to have one of the highest poverty rates of any OECD nation. The impacts of the Great Recession are still being felt across the country, and the 2016 presidential election brought a new focus on the rural poor and the so-called “white working class.” Despite the issue’s importance, new research from Spotlight on Poverty and Opportunity shows that the nation’s most prominent newsrooms have not given significantly more attention to poverty since 2007. While poverty coverage has increased for some news outlets over the past ten years,...

23 October, 2017

Americans overwhelmingly support net neutrality principles and oppose efforts to repeal the FCC’s 2015 Open Internet rules, according to a recent nationwide poll on technology policy conducted by Civis Analytics. The poll also found a broadly shared belief across party lines that the internet is essential in the 21st century and that government has a vital role to play in expanding internet access, including by providing subsidies to help low-income Americans afford access. Online privacy remains a significant concern, and the public resoundingly believes that the lack of competition among internet service providers (ISPs) and media companies is harming consumers. Check out the...

08 July, 2017

Originally featured in The Chronicle of Philanthropy By Matt James and Bill Nichols As foundations and nonprofits continue to think through the new political reality, much of their collective mindshare is being spent on a central conundrum: How do organizations that focus on big issues support and promote their causes in a world where, seemingly, facts don’t matter? How do they ensure that the public is getting the information it needs to support informed decision making and understanding the consequences of major policy shifts? We would argue that facts matter more than ever in an environment of proposed sweeping policy changes and sometimes...

23 June, 2017

The report Swiping Right for the Job: How Tech is Changing Matching in the Workforce was produced with the JPMorgan Chase Foundation and examines how labor market matching technologies have changed interactions between employers and job seekers, focusing particularly on the obstacles that low- and middle-skill workers face in accessing and using technology to find careers. The report also outlines best practices for the design and implementation of labor market matching technology to ensure these tools can have their greatest impact....

31 January, 2017

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