Mission:
To persuade those who care about issues such as economic inequality, population aging, homeland security, discontent with government and politics, and national security that significant improvements are possible even when the conventional wisdom says they are not.

Background:
Businessman and retailer Edward A. Filene endowed and founded what is the Century Foundation in 1919. Initially called the Cooperative League and later known as the Twentieth Century Fund, the research foundation provides policymakers with new ideas for addressing the nation's challenges and calls attention to facts and analyses that correct widespread misconceptions.

The foundation works through four main strategies: convene diverse groups of knowledgeable experts to form a consensus behind new policy ideas, commission work from individual authors who have a distinctive argument that adds value to public debates, publish essential but often neglected information about particular issues and reform proposals, and direct attention to policy ideas that merit more extensive consideration through public forums and short publications.

Outstanding Feature:
Recently redesigned, the foundation's main Web site provides a wealth of information on several public policy issues: Economics & Inequality, Retirement Security, Education, Health Care, Homeland Security, Election Reform, Media & Politics, International Affairs, and Progressive Agenda. Each policy section features the foundation's research, reports from other groups, news and commentary, and related events.

In addition to its main Web site, the foundation maintains separate sites focused on the issues of homeland security, Medicare, federal election reform, equality and education, and Social Security. Its Century Institute site is designed to educate college students on policy and government issues.