Non-Government Lobbying Resources

Opensecrets.org, maintained by Center for Responsive Politics (202.857.0044; lobbying@crp.org)
Database of lobbying dollars spent by companies, trade groups, firms and other organizations across the federal government, from 1998 to the present.

SourceWatch, a project of Center for Media and Democracy, a public-interest group (608.260.9713; editor@prwatch.org)
Information directory and profiles of public relations firms and professionals, think tanks, industry-funded groups and experts that represent corporations and others.

CQ MoneyLine, Congressional Quaterly (202.419.8500)
Vast database of lobbying spending by corporations, firms and other groups similar to Opensecrets.org but use different citeria. Also includes information of political contributions. (subscription req.)

The Sunlight Foundation (202.742.1520)
Has array of databases and other applications to help better monitor lobbying and influence in the government. Databases include: Library of Unified Information Sources (LOUIS), which includes seven sets of government documents; OpenCongress.org includes information on bills and votes; Open House Project involves House of Representatives integrating the Internet into its operations; and Real Time Investigations involving greater Congressional transparency.

MAPLight.org, whose core support provided by Sunlight Foundation
Contains data sources of legislative information and campaign contributions for the U.S. Congress and California.

FedSpending.org, created by OMB Watch
Searchable database of federal spending from 2000 to 2006 and some 2007 data.

Influence, a magazine published by Legal Times (202.457.0686)
Publication about the business of lobbying (subscription req.) It also provides Lobby Search, a tool that allows users to search for firms and lobbyists in different practice areas and political ties.

In the Loop by Washington Post's Jeff Birnbaum
Veteran journalist's column on the business of lobbying in Washington, D.C.