5 Groups Promoting Equitable Public Policy

In the United States, corporations and the ultra-wealthy influence public policy through lobbying and large donations, ensuring that their interests are prioritized above the needs of others. Luckily, many organizations exist to raise the voices of all people, campaigning for legislation that uplifts the working class and marginalized groups. This list, presented in no particular order, shares several of them.

Coming in at #1, we have Innovation Ohio. This organization strives to connect the dots between advocacy, activism, and legislative action at the Ohio Statehouse. To do this, it conducts research, builds coalitions, and coordinates advocacy campaigns on significant issues at both the state and local levels.

Some of the issues it focuses on include gun control, gender equity, and education. It produces special events and trainings to connect organizers, activists, and other community members around Ohio and help them build new skills, be civically engaged, and meet fellow advocates.

The #2 entry is the Institute for Policy Studies. As Washington's first progressive multi-issue think tank, it has served as a legislation and research center for social justice movements for over five decades. Some of the issues it focuses on include racial justice, the economy, and foreign policy.

The organization's Next Leaders internship program and its various professional Fellowship programs exist to help sharpen young voices and new ideas through training and mentoring and provide emerging activist-scholars with an intellectual home.

For #3, we have the League of Education Voters. It was founded in 2001 by Washingtonians to support an education system that provides every student an equal opportunity for success. It focuses on developing targeted policy solutions that will benefit students impacted by racism, poverty, disability discrimination, and other forms of oppression.

The LEV hosts a number of community events. Its Lunchtime LEVinars are free, interactive, online webinars designed to share information and build knowledge about the issues at the core of the organization's policy priorities. It also organizes trainings for parents on topics such as special education.

Next up, at #4, we have the Economic Policy Institute. This nonprofit, nonpartisan think tank was created in 1986 to include the needs of low- and middle-income workers in legislation discussions. It conducts research and analysis on the economic status of working America and subsequently proposes public policies that protect and improve living conditions for workers.

From its research, the Institute has assembled various public resources. Its State of Working America Data Library provides researchers, media, and the public with up-to-date historical data on the American labor force. The group also organized EARN, a nationwide network of research, policy, and advocacy organizations fighting for a just economy.

Last but not least, at #5, we present the Michigan League for Public Policy, a nonpartisan institute dedicated to economic opportunity for all. The League aims to address poverty in a comprehensive way by analyzing the impact of state and federal budgets and policies on residents with low incomes.

Among the many resources the MLPP has developed is the Owner's Manual for Michigan. This plan is meant to provide lawmakers with several suggestions on how to give the state's residents good jobs and training, reliable healthcare, quality education, strong families, and a safe environment.