Power Mapping vs. Power Research
What is Power Mapping?
Power mapping is a strategy that maps out power relations and networks of power in a situation or problem. Using this information, one can determine both how these relations and networks wield influence as well as some possible responses.
What is Power Research?
Researching networks and relations of power to understand the role power and money play in organizations and institutions.
Cornell Resources
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GuideStar Premium
Provides information on programs and finances of charities and nonprofits, news on philanthropy, and resources for donors and volunteers. -
Foundation Directory
Contains information about the largest public and private foundations in the U.S. and links to foundation web sites -
Leadership Connect
Ideal for searching NGOs, government agencies, board memberships, law firms, think tanks, and not-for-profit organizations. -
Capital IQ
Database for financial information on public and private companies, investment firms, capital transactions, and people.
Propublica Nonprofit Explorer
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Propublica Nonprofit Explorer
This resource is especially helpful for non-profits, but can also be useful for seeing what non-profits individuals are involved in.
- Find
- FORM 990 - Tax return for 501(c) tax exempt companies
- Intro - key officers, board, # of employees, revenue, etc.
- Schedule C - political activities and lobbying
- Schedule D - Endowments, donor-advised funds, land, buildings, etc.
- Schedule I - grants
- Schedule J - detailed overview of compensation for key people
- FORM 990T - Private Equity Investments
- FORM 990 - Tax return for 501(c) tax exempt companies
- People search
- Search for what other non-profits they are part of
- File Text Feature
- While 501(c)3’s DO NOT need to disclose who funds them, you can search for them to see where they are listed as being donated to.
SEC Edgar Database
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SEC Edgar Database Link
Helpful for researching big companies and corporations
- 10k (annual report)
- Annual report for shareholders that include financial and operational info
- 10Q (Quarterly report)
- Mandatory for publicly traded companies → comprehensive financial info
- DEF14a (Proxy Statement)
- Required by SEC → lots of info on leadership and pay
- Required by SEC → lots of info on leadership and pay
- 8k (current report)
- For unscheduled events/ important news that will impact finances or operations
- Other SEC documents that can be helpful include 13D, 13F, and 13G. 13D and 13G include ownership information and 13F is investor reports of holdings.
Web Searching Tips
Where to search:
- Organizational Websites
- News
- Targeted web searching
Tips:
- “Phrase searching”
- (Keep keywords together in a parenthetical)
- Boolean operators: AND - OR - NOT
- Truncation *
- “site:cornell.edu” AND “search within a particular website”
- filetype:PDF
- Use Wayback Machine (archive.org) for older versions of websites
Campaign Finance Researching
Other resources
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Little Sis Database
A database of power research that includes information about individuals and entities. -
Forbes Billionaires List
See the richest by year, by state, and in real-time. Also includes a wealth graph. -
Good Jobs First: Violation Tracker
A power research informed database of corporate misconduct. -
Muck Ruck: Indexes of FOIA Requests
Database of Freedom of Information Act requests -
Investigate
Power research informed database of state violence and human rights violations.
Land Acknowledgement
Cornell University is located on the traditional homelands of the Gayogo̱hó꞉nǫ' (the Cayuga Nation). The Gayogo̱hó꞉nǫ' are members of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, an alliance of six sovereign Nations with a historic and contemporary presence on this land. The Confederacy precedes the establishment of Cornell University, New York state, and the United States of America. We acknowledge the painful history of Gayogo̱hó꞉nǫ' dispossession, and honor the ongoing connection of Gayogo̱hó꞉nǫ' people, past and present, to these lands and waters.
This land acknowledgment has been reviewed and approved by the traditional Gayogo̱hó꞉nǫ' leadership.