Public Agenda is a New York City-based non-profit organization engaged in non-partisan research projects in subjects ranging from education to government leadership. The organization was founded by social scientist Daniel Yankelovich

Daniel Yankelovich

Daniel Yankelovich is a public opinion analyst and social scientist.-Education:After attending Boston Latin School, Yankelovich graduated from Harvard University in 1946 and 1950 before completing postgraduate studies at the Sorbonne in France. As a psychology professor he has taught at New York...

 and former Secretary of State Cyrus Vance

Cyrus Vance

Cyrus Roberts Vance was an American lawyer and United States Secretary of State under President Jimmy Carter from 1977 to 1980...

. Public Agenda works to engage journalists, policymakers and the general public in policy-related discussions and deliberations. Public Agenda also works to bring together multiple perspectives to facilitate greater understanding of various opinions about domestic issues of importance.

According to Caroline L. Gilson of DePauw University

DePauw University

DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana, USA, is a private, national liberal arts college with an enrollment of approximately 2,400 students. The school has a Methodist heritage and was originally known as Indiana Asbury University. DePauw is a member of both the Great Lakes Colleges Association...

, "The audience for Public Agenda Online is wide-ranging: from researchers and policy-makers to concerned citizens and activists. For an academic audience, this site serves as a starting point for students exploring a topic who want to understand how the public weighs in on key issues". One of Public Agenda's self-described goals is to bridge the divide that so often exists between American leaders and the American people.

In addition to education and leadership, subjects of interest include crime, poverty, the American economy and the federal budget.

The current president of Public Agenda is Ruth A. Wooden, who joined Public Agenda in 2003. While the organization is based in New York, it retains a small office in Washington, D.C.

Recent work

In 2007, Public Agenda joined forces with a number of heavy-hitting political non-profits: The Brookings Institution

Brookings Institution

The Brookings Institution is a nonprofit public policy organization based in Washington, D.C., in the United States. One of Washington's oldest think tanks, Brookings conducts research and education in the social sciences, primarily in economics, metropolitan policy, governance, foreign policy, and...

, The Heritage Foundation

The Heritage Foundation

The Heritage Foundation is a conservative American think tank based in Washington, D.C. Heritage's stated mission is to "formulate and promote conservative public policies based on the principles of free enterprise, limited government, individual freedom, traditional American values, and a strong...

, the Concord Coalition

Concord Coalition

The Concord Coalition is a political advocacy group in the United States, formed in 1992. A bipartisan organization, it was founded by former U.S. Senator Warren Rudman, former Secretary of Commerce Peter George Peterson, and the late U.S. Senator Paul Tsongas. The Concord Coalition's advocacy...

and Viewpoint Learning. The result of the relationship is Facing Up to the Nation's Finances, a web site that focuses on American budgetary issues. In 2008, Public Agenda released its first book entitled Where Does the Money Go? The book, authored by vice-presidents Scott Bittle and Jean Johnson, has turned out to be a campaign hit.

Controversy

Bloggers have often criticized the organization for right or left-leaning research. At various times, Public Agenda has received this criticism on both ends of the spectrum, although the vast majority of citations refer to the organization as "non-partisan" in its work.

External links

• Official web page
  • Facing Up to the Nation's Finances