Curated data resources across topic areas relevant to our practice — compiled for practitioners, evaluators, and policymakers working in the social sector.
The sources below are organized by topic area and include key federal datasets, research clearinghouses, and practitioner tools. Each entry includes a brief description and a direct link. This list will grow over time as we add additional topic areas. Have suggestions for additional sources? Let us know.
| Source | Organization | Description | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| Voices of Youth Count | Chapin Hall | Multi-site study providing national prevalence estimates of youth and young adult homelessness (ages 13–25), including risk factors and service use. | Visit → |
| Housing Inventory Count (HIC) | U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) | Annual inventory of beds and units dedicated to homeless individuals and families, collected alongside the PIT count. | Visit → |
| Point-in-Time (PIT) Count | U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) | Annual one-night count of sheltered and unsheltered people experiencing homelessness, conducted by local Continuums of Care each January. | Visit → |
| State of Homelessness Report | National Alliance to End Homelessness | Annual analysis of national and state-level homelessness trends, drawing on HUD PIT and HMIS data. | Visit → |
| Child and Youth Homelessness in the United States | SchoolHouse Connection | National, state, and local student homelessness data with interactive profiles tracking graduation rates, chronic absenteeism, and district funding needs. | Visit → |
| American Community Survey (ACS) | U.S. Census Bureau | Annual survey providing estimates on housing cost burden, overcrowding, and other housing instability indicators at the national, state, and local levels. | Visit → |
| Annual Homeless Assessment Report (AHAR) | U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development | Annual report to Congress on the extent and nature of homelessness in the U.S., based on Point-in-Time counts and HMIS data. | Visit → |
| Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) | U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development | Locally administered data system that records client-level information on people experiencing homelessness; used to track program participation and outcomes. | Visit → |
| Source | Organization | Description | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| KIDS COUNT Data Center | Annie E. Casey Foundation | Interactive data platform with 100+ indicators of child well-being — including child welfare, economic security, education, and health — at national, state, and local levels. | Visit → |
| State-Level Child Welfare Data | Child Trends | State-level data on a variety of child welfare topics for policymakers, advocates, researchers, and reporters, with accessible summaries and trend analysis. | Visit → |
| Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS) | Children's Bureau, ACF / HHS | Federal data system collecting case-level information on children in foster care and those who have been adopted, submitted by state child welfare agencies. | Visit → |
| Child and Family Services Reviews (CFSRs) | Children's Bureau, ACF / HHS | Federal review process assessing state conformity with child welfare requirements; includes statewide data indicators and on-site case reviews. | Visit → |
| Child Welfare Information Gateway | Children's Bureau, ACF / HHS | Publications, research, and learning tools selected by experts to support thriving children, youth, families, and communities across the child welfare system. | Visit → |
| Child Welfare Outcomes Report | Children's Bureau, ACF / HHS | Annual report to Congress presenting state-level data and trends on seven national child welfare outcome measures across safety, permanency, and well-being. | Visit → |
| National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System (NCANDS) | Children's Bureau, ACF / HHS | Voluntary national data collection system capturing information on child maltreatment reports, investigations, and outcomes submitted by state agencies. | Visit → |
| National Data Archive on Child Abuse and Neglect (NDACAN) | Children's Bureau, ACF / HHS | Repository of datasets from major child welfare research studies, available to researchers for secondary analysis. | Visit → |
| Title IV-E Prevention Services Clearinghouse | Children's Bureau, ACF / HHS | Evidence-based clearinghouse reviewing programs and services eligible for federal reimbursement under the Family First Prevention Services Act. | Visit → |