Social Security Works
Social Security Works is a nonprofit advocacy organization founded in 2011 that protects and expands Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid through grassroots organizing, policy research, and a coalition of 350+ partner organizations serving 2M+ supporters nationwide.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2011
- HeadquartersWashington, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Social Security Works does
Social Security Works is a Washington, DC-based nonprofit advocacy organization founded in 2011 that fights to protect and expand Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid as earned benefits rather than entitlements. The organization operates a coalition-led model: it convenes the Strengthen Social Security Coalition, a network of over 350 national and state organizations collectively representing more than 50 million Americans, and draws on a grassroots supporter base of over 2 million individuals nationwide. Core services include grassroots advocacy, policy research, public education campaigns, state-by-state impact reports, polling memos, and a petition/action platform hosted on Action Network.
The organization does not develop or sell proprietary technology products. Its distribution is digital-first: donation processing through ActBlue (ssw2026 account), petition and action tools on Action Network, a Political Action Committee (SSW PAC, established 2017) that supports candidates aligned with its policy goals, and social media engagement on Threads (@social_security_works) and TikTok (@socialsecurityworks). Revenue is generated entirely from individual member donations and PAC contributions — there is no pricing model, subscription product, or fee-for-service offering.
The leadership team of approximately eight staff members is led by President Nancy Altman (a Harvard-educated attorney with a fifty-year background in Social Security policy and a Social Security Advisory Board appointment) and Executive Director Alex Lawson, with Jon "Bowzer" Bauman heading the PAC. The organization is positioned on the progressive end of Social Security policy debates, frequently issuing press releases opposing Trump administration policies on Social Security staffing, data access (DOGE), AI care denials in Medicare (WISeR program), and benefit administration changes.
Social Security Works firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Social Security Works
- Legal name
- Social Security Works
- Website
- https://socialsecurityworks.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2011
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Social Security Works is a nonprofit advocacy organization founded in 2011 that protects and expands Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid through grassroots organizing, policy research, and a coalition of 350+ partner organizations serving 2M+ supporters nationwide.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Social Security Works industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Policy Advocacy Services
- NAICS
- Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Civic and Social Organizations (8134)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Pensions & Retirement Benefits Administration (BPAIAKAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Healthcare-Linked Social Benefits Administration (e.g., Medicaid/Means-Tested Health Coverage) (BPAIAKAH), Disability Benefits Administration (BPAIAKAC)
Keywords
Where Social Security Works is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Washington
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Social Security Works business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Member Donations: Individual supporters become members and donate to support advocacy efforts. Donation page at secure.actblue.com/donate/ssw2026.
- PAC Contributions: Political Action Committee accepts contributions to support candidates who protect Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Social Security Works product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Social Security Works is a nonprofit advocacy organization that campaigns to protect and expand Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid as earned benefits. It coordinates the Strengthen Social Security Coalition of 350+ partner organizations, runs grassroots member mobilization, publishes policy research and state reports, conducts polling memos, and operates the SSW PAC to elect candidates aligned with its mission.
Product overview
Social Security Works is an advocacy organization (not a technology product company) that operates as a coalition-based platform for protecting Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. The organization offers advocacy services through its Strengthen Social Security Coalition (350+ partner organizations), maintains a PAC for political advocacy, publishes policy research and state reports, aggregates public opinion polling, and provides a grassroots action platform for citizen engagement. The organization does not offer a unified software product but rather provides advocacy services, educational resources, and coalition coordination.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- SSW PAC: Social Security Works Political Action Committee supporting candidates who protect Social Security.
Products and services
- Social Security Works Advocacy Services Grassroots advocacy, policy research, and public education services focused on protecting and expanding Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid as earned benefits; offered to American workers, retirees, and coalition partners.
- Strengthen Social Security Coalition Coalition convening service that unites 350+ national and state organizations representing over 50 million Americans to jointly advocate for Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid protection and expansion.
- State Reports and Policy Research Educational state-by-state reports, FAQs, and polling memos that quantify Social Security's economic impact and explain program funding and policy for the public, supporters, and policymakers.
- Polling and Public Opinion Research An archive of public opinion polling memos documenting Americans' overwhelming support for protecting and expanding Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid, used to support advocacy and media campaigns.
- Social Security Works PAC Political Action Committee accepting contributions to support candidates who commit to protecting and expanding Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid and lowering prescription drug prices.
- Take Action Petition Campaign Online petition and action campaign that enables supporters to sign and submit letters to protect Social Security offices and defend earned benefits, hosted on the Action Network platform.
Companies that use Social Security Works
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Social Security Works technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Social Security Works partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.
- Social Security Works PACflagshipThe Social Security Works Political Action Committee (SSW PAC) was created in 2017 to elect leaders who will work to expand Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid, and lower prescription drug prices. Led by Jon 'Bowzer' Bauman.
- Strengthen Social Security CoalitioncoreSocial Security Works serves as the convening member of the Strengthen Social Security Coalition, a coalition of over 350 national and state organizations representing over 50 million Americans united to protect and expand Social Security.
- 350+ Coalition Partner OrganizationscoreCoalition partners include national and state organizations representing diverse constituencies united in support of Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid protection and expansion.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Social Security Works competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- AARP: The dominant 50+ advocacy organization in the United States with a multi-million member base and substantial lobbying apparatus. While AARP's portfolio covers far more than Social Security, it is the largest incumbent influencing the same policy debate SSW engages in.
- Indivisible: A progressive grassroots advocacy group that organizes local chapters and lobbies Congress, sharing a community-led GTM motion and Action Network-style digital infrastructure with Social Security Works.
- Public Citizen: A larger, well-funded consumer advocacy nonprofit that runs congressional and administrative advocacy, research, and grassroots mobilization — a broader incumbent in the same advocacy-services operating model SSW follows.
- MoveOn.org: A progressive digital organizing nonprofit with a much larger donor base that runs petitions, rapid-response campaigns, and electoral endorsements via a PAC. Adjacent rather than direct — SSW's petition and donation funnels (Action Network, ActBlue) sit on top of similar infrastructure.
Direct peers
- National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare: The most direct peer: a nonprofit, nonpartisan-style advocacy organization that lobbies to protect and expand Social Security and Medicare. Operates a parallel model to SSW with grassroots activism, policy reports, and congressional advocacy focused on the same earned-benefits agenda.
- Alliance for Retired Americans: A grassroots advocacy organization formed out of the AFL-CIO that mobilizes retirees around Social Security, Medicare, and retirement security. Operates a state-network model comparable to SSW's Strengthen Social Security Coalition.
Emerging players
- Medicare Rights Center: A nonprofit consumer service organization focused on Medicare beneficiary education and advocacy. Smaller than AARP but overlaps with SSW's Medicare-protection pillar through counseling, policy analysis, and federal-level engagement.
- Center for Medicare Advocacy: A national nonprofit that provides education, legal assistance, and policy advocacy on Medicare issues. Comparable to SSW in mission alignment on Medicare defense, though narrower in focus and smaller in supporter base.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Social Security Works social profiles
Digital presenceSocial Security Works financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Social Security Works leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
Social Security Works subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Social Security Works funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Social Security Works M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Social Security Works
What does Social Security Works do?
Social Security Works is a nonprofit advocacy organization that campaigns to protect and expand Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid as earned benefits. It coordinates the Strengthen Social Security Coalition of 350+ partner organizations, runs grassroots member mobilization, publishes policy research and state reports, conducts polling memos, and operates the SSW PAC to elect candidates aligned with its mission.
Is Social Security Works a public or private company?
Social Security Works is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Social Security Works founded?
Social Security Works was founded in 2011. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Social Security Works based?
Social Security Works is headquartered in Washington, United States, in the North America region.
How does Social Security Works make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Member Donations are the primary driver. The others are PAC Contributions.
Who are Social Security Works's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are AARP, Indivisible, Public Citizen and MoveOn.org. Direct peers are National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare and Alliance for Retired Americans. Emerging players are Medicare Rights Center and Center for Medicare Advocacy.
Does Social Security Works have an API?
No public API is recorded for Social Security Works.
What industry is Social Security Works in?
Social Security Works's product category is Policy Advocacy Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAIAKAA, Pensions & Retirement Benefits Administration, with a secondary code of BPAIAKAH, Healthcare-Linked Social Benefits Administration (e.g., Medicaid/Means-Tested Health Coverage). Its NAICS code is 8133 and its SIC code is 8300.