Back in June, NPP soft-launched a new version of our Federal Priorities Database.  After incorporating some feedback, we’re ready for a wider audience.

The Federal Priorities Database sits on top of information we’ve collected from various government agencies.  It provides a single interface for seeing everything from state emissions to average teacher salaries to the amount of money the US spends on food stamps.

The goal? Show the local impact of federal spending , the trends in social indicators, and the relationship between the two. One way we'll do that is to feature data stories on NPP’s front page. 

Our current story cross references population, food stamps, and unemployment.  Did you know that 1 in 7 people in the US receive food stamps benefits?  That the number of recipients grew 42% during the recession?

And of course we hope you’ll use the database to find your own stories.  There’s many enhancements around the corner (race data, US totals, per-capita spending amounts), so be sure to follow us on Twitter (@nppdb) for the latest news.  RSS/blog junkie?  You’re covered.

Questions? Comments? db@nationalpriorities.org.

Thanks, as always, for your support. Now go search the database: http://data.nationalpriorities.org