FAQs

MapLight is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, nonpartisan research organization that reveals money's influence on politics. We provide citizens and journalists with transparency tools that connect data on campaign contributions, politicians, votes, industries, companies, and more to show patterns of influence never before possible to see. The "Map" in MapLight stands for "money and politics."
 
Back to the Top

We are funded by foundations and individuals who favor greater transparency for money and politics. Please see our funding page for a list of our funders.

Back to the Top

We began in March 2005, focused on money and politics in California, with the name "TakeBackCA.org." In October 2006, we launched a website tracking money and votes in the California legislature. In May 2007, we launched our website tracking money and votes in U.S. Congress and changed our organization's name to MapLight to reflect our focus beyond California.

Back to the Top

MapLight has received numerous awards, including:

• World Affairs Council - 2014 NextGen Changemakers: Civic Innovation
• American Library Association's MARS: Emerging Technologies in Reference - Best Free Reference Web Site, 2012
• James Madison Freedom of Information Award from the Northern California Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists - 2009
• Library Journal - Best Reference, 2008
• Knight-Batten Award for Innovations in Journalism - Honorable Mention, 2008 (award presentation video)
• NetSquared Innovation Awards - Finalist, 2008
• Webby Awards Best Politics Website - Nominee, 2008
• Stockholm Challenge Award for Public Administration - Finalist, 2008
• U.N. World Summit Award for e.Government - Winner, 2007
• NetSquared Innovation Awards - First Prize, 2007

In 2010, MapLight president Daniel G. Newman was chosen as one of Fast Company’s 100 Most Creative People in Business in recognition of MapLight’s work and was again acknowledged as part of Fast Company's Most Creative People in Business 1000.

Back to the Top

Some of our current projects include compiling new data sets to further shine a light on political corruption and building interactive visual tools to help illustrate special interest influence and share our findings on social media.

In 2012, we launched an online voter guide, Voter's Edge, profiling ballot measures in several states and cities. We have since expanded the project extensively: for the November 2014 election, Voter's Edge is covering federal and state-level candidates in all 50 states and statewide ballot measures in every state that has them, greatly simplifying pre-election research for voters across the country. Through a partnership with the League of Women Voters of California Education Fund's Smart Voter, we are also covering local candidates and ballot measures for more than 50 California cities and counties.

We regularly launch new features, tools, and services to our site. To keep up-to-date on our progress and plans, subscribe to our email list or follow us on Facebook or Twitter.

Back to the Top

Please see our jobs page for available jobs and internships and subscribe to our email list for notification of future job openings.

Back to the Top

Subscribe to our email list for occasional e-mails with major findings about Congress and news about our organization.

Subscribe to our Spotlight on Congress RSS feed or visit our Spotlight on Congress blog for all our findings about Congress.

Subscribe to our Spotlight on California RSS feed or visit our Spotlight on California blog for all our findings about California.

Follow us on Facebook or Twitter for major findings about Congress and news about our organization.

• Stay up-to-date on us via email, Facebook, Twitter, and RSS.
• Post about our findings via your blog, Twitter, Facebook, or email.
• Volunteer as a research intern, if we have positions available.
• Make a donation to support our work.
• Write a letter to the editor at your local paper with your views on money and politics. Then send us a copy.
• Write to your members of Congress with your views on money and politics. Then send us a copy.
• Join a group working to change our broken money and politics system, like one of these:

- Rootstrikers
- Public Campaign
- You Street
- Common Cause
- The Campaign Finance Institute

Have even further questions or research requests? Contact us!

Interested in working for MapLight? Check out our open job positions.