Advocacy Resources


Pennsylvania

    • Common Cause/Pennsylvania — A non-profit, non-partisan citizens’ lobby organization working to strengthen public participation and to make sure the political process serves the public interest.
    • Pennsylvania Center for the First Amendment — Founded in 1992 at the Pennsylvania State University College of Communications, the Center provides educational programs, sponsored speakers, publishes books and articles in the popular and academic press, and serves as a media resource on a wide array of First Amendment topics.
    • League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania — Promotes political responsibility through informed and active participation of citizens in government and to act on selected governmental issues.

Nationwide

    • National Freedom of Information Coalition — Alliance of state groups which works to protect the public’s right to oversee its government, headquartered at the Missouri School of Journalism. The NFOIC offers more than $200,000 in grants each year, thanks to the support of the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.
    • The Freedom Forum — Nonpartisan foundation based in Washington, D.C., works to preserve free speech, free press, and all First Amendment freedoms.
    • The First Amendment Center — A project of the Freedom Forum, working to preserve and protect First Amendment freedoms through information and education. The website offers a wealth of information and news about First Amendment issues, including “research packages” that review important Supreme Court cases dealing with the First Amendment.
    • The Open Government Guide — Comprehensive online guide to open government law and practice in each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Compare the rights of citizens to see information and attend meetings of state and local governments. Published by The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press.
    • American Library Association Office of Intellectual Freedom — Works to implement association’s policies on intellectual freedom as embodied in the Bill of Rights, the association’s basic policy on free access to libraries and library materials. The goal of the office is to educate librarians and the public about the nature and importance of intellectual freedom in libraries.
    • OpenTheGovernment.org — A coalition including librarians, journalists, labor, good-government and environmental groups that advocates defense of the First Amendment, promoting free expression, strengthening national security and fighting censorship.