National Institute for Latino Policy

The National Institute for Latino Policy, commonly known as NiLP, is a nonprofit and nonpartisan policy organization based in New York City. Its work developed from the Institute for Puerto Rican Policy, an initiative founded in the early 1980s by political scientist and community advocate Angelo Falcón with José Ramón Sánchez. The organization was created to connect academic research with practical advocacy on the public-policy conditions affecting Puerto Rican and broader Latino communities. The institute’s early identity was deliberately Puerto Rican-centered. Falcón and Sánchez sought to examine how government programs and policy decisions affected Puerto Ricans, and to use empirical research to improve public-sector access, political participation, representation, and community development. After other institutions declined to host the proposed center, the founders established it independently. The organization became a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation in June 1982, received an early foundation grant from the New World Foundation, and began operating with very limited resources. Its initial research approach combined data analysis, coalition-building, community organizing, and direct public accountability. During the 1980s and 1990s, the Institute for Puerto Rican Policy developed a national reputation for applying policy research to Latino community concerns. Its projects examined Puerto Rican and Latino voting, public-sector employment, representation in government, racial and ethnic politics, census participation, and redistricting. The institute was associated with an assertive advocacy style sometimes described as action-oriented or “guerrilla” research: research was intended not merely for academic circulation, but to support community organizations and challenge public officials, political leaders, and institutions. In 1999, the organization entered a strategic alliance with the Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund, later LatinoJustice PRLDEF. Under that arrangement it operated as the PRLDEF Institute for Puerto Rican Policy and functioned as the fund’s policy division. The institute became independent again on November 18, 2005. In 2006 it adopted its current name, the National Institute for Latino Policy, reflecting a broader Latino focus while retaining substantial expertise in Puerto Rican policy and politics. A major part of NiLP’s later work has been information distribution and network-building. In 2006, Falcón created the Latino Policy Network, subsequently known as The NiLP Network, to circulate policy and political information among Latino civic, academic, and community leaders. The network also supported specialized initiatives including the Latino Census Network and Latino Voting Rights Network, and it conducted periodic National Latino Opinion Leaders Surveys. Reference material describes the network as having more than 8,000 members, although the current size and operating status of those networks are not established here. NiLP’s work has included research reports, policy analysis, surveys, publications, conferences, and online information services rather than consumer products. Its historical influence rests on making Latino policy research more accessible to community organizations and on pressing questions of political representation, government responsiveness, census participation, judicial diversity, and the relationship between Puerto Rican communities in the United States and Puerto Rico. The organization’s current leadership, financial condition, and operating status are not confirmed by the available reference material.

The National Institute for Latino Policy traces its origins to the Institute for Puerto Rican Policy, organized in New York City in 1981 by Angelo Falcón and José Ramón Sánchez. Both founders had academic and community-organizing experience and wanted to apply political-science research to the practical problems facing Puerto Rican communities. Their proposal centered on identifying the effects of public policy on Puerto Ricans and developing policies that could produce greater political, economic, and institutional benefits. After established organizations declined to host the project, they proceeded independently with an advisory board and volunteer structure. The institute’s early development was modest. An advisory-board member provided a small grant, reported in the reference material as approximately $3,000, which the founders used to purchase a computer for data analysis. In June 1982, the organization incorporated as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and obtained its first foundation grant from the New World Foundation. Marilyn Aguirre became the first chair of the board, while Falcón became executive director. The institute’s initial work quickly emphasized research designed for public accountability. One early report examined a New York State administration’s failure to fulfill promises concerning Puerto Rican and Latino employment in state government. Through the 1980s and 1990s, the organization broadened its research portfolio and became known as an innovative Latino policy center despite its small size. Its work included studies of voting and political participation, public-sector employment, government access, racial and ethnic relations, census participation, and political redistricting. Falcón’s research and advocacy connected local New York questions with national debates about Latino representation. He also participated in the Latino National Political Survey between 1986 and 1990, working with university-based political scientists on a major privately funded survey of Latino political attitudes and behavior. The institute also developed publications and public forums. From 1994 through 1997, Falcón published Crítica: A Journal of Puerto Rican Policy & Politics, a monthly outlet intended to promote debate and hold public officials and community leaders accountable. The organization was involved in broader civic initiatives, including the Boricua First! march on Washington during the mid-1990s, the Encuentro Boricua conference in the early 2000s, and projects encouraging Latino participation in the 2000 Census and in redistricting processes. In 1999, the Institute for Puerto Rican Policy entered a strategic alliance with the Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund. It was renamed the PRLDEF Institute for Puerto Rican Policy and operated as the organization’s policy division. Falcón served as PRLDEF’s senior policy executive and directed the institute during this period. The relationship ended when the institute became independent again on November 18, 2005. In 2006, it adopted the name National Institute for Latino Policy, or NiLP, to signal a national and pan-Latino policy orientation. The renamed organization placed particular emphasis on online information exchange. Falcón created the Latino Policy Network in 2006, later called The NiLP Network, to distribute policy and political information to Latino civic and academic leaders. Related projects included the Latino Census Network and Latino Voting Rights Network. The network also periodically surveyed participants through the National Latino Opinion Leaders Survey. Reference material describes the network as having more than 8,000 members, but no current membership figure is established here. NiLP’s historical output included reports on judicial representation, Puerto Rican demographics, political participation, and the economic and civic relationship between Puerto Rican communities in the United States and Puerto Rico. Falcón’s 2000 report Opening the Courthouse Doors: The Need for More Hispanic Judges addressed Latino underrepresentation in the judiciary. In 2004, he prepared the Atlas of Stateside Puerto Ricans for the government of Puerto Rico and co-edited Boricuas in Gotham: Puerto Ricans in the Making of Modern New York. These projects reflected the institute’s characteristic combination of research, public education, and advocacy. Falcón led the organization for most of its existence and remained its president until his death on May 24, 2018. The available source material does not identify a subsequent president, provide current financial information, or establish whether NiLP continues to operate in the same form. Accordingly, its present status requires verification.

• 2018

  Death of longtime president Angelo Falcón

  [1]Angelo Falcónen.wikipedia.org

  Angelo Falcón died on May 24, 2018, ending his long tenure as the organization’s president.

• 2006

  National Institute for Latino Policy name adopted

  [1]Angelo Falcónen.wikipedia.org

  The Institute for Puerto Rican Policy changed its name to the National Institute for Latino Policy and launched the Latino Policy Network.

• 2005

  Independence restored

  [1]Angelo Falcónen.wikipedia.org

  The organization became independent from PRLDEF on November 18, 2005.

• 1999

  Strategic alliance with PRLDEF

  [1]Angelo Falcónen.wikipedia.org

  The institute joined the Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund as its policy division.

• 1994

  Crítica publication begins

  [1]Angelo Falcónen.wikipedia.org

  The institute began publishing Crítica: A Journal of Puerto Rican Policy & Politics.

• 1986

  Latino National Political Survey work begins

  [1]Angelo Falcónen.wikipedia.org

  Falcón joined the research team for the Latino National Political Survey, a major study of Latino political attitudes and behavior.

• 1982

  Nonprofit incorporation

  [1]Angelo Falcónen.wikipedia.org

  The institute became a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation and received an early grant from the New World Foundation.

• 1981

  Institute for Puerto Rican Policy organized

  [1]Angelo Falcónen.wikipedia.org

  Angelo Falcón and José Ramón Sánchez began organizing the volunteer initiative that became the Institute for Puerto Rican Policy.

A nonprofit, nonpartisan Latino policy research and civic-information organization that combines scholarship, data analysis, advocacy, and community organizing.

• Research and policy analysis · 1982

  Policy research and reports

  NiLP’s principal output has been research addressing Latino and Puerto Rican political participation, representation, government access, public-sector employment, census participation, redistricting, judicial diversity, and demographic change. The organization’s approach combines empirical analysis with public advocacy and is intended for community organizations, policymakers, researchers, and civic leaders rather than consumers.

• Information network · 2006

  The NiLP Network

  Originally created in 2006 as the Latino Policy Network, The NiLP Network distributes policy and political information to Latino civic, academic, and community audiences. The network is described as having more than 8,000 members in the reference material and as a platform for information sharing, polling, and issue-specific networks.

• Opinion research · 2006

  National Latino Opinion Leaders Survey

  The National Latino Opinion Leaders Survey is a periodic polling initiative associated with the NiLP Network. It surveys Latino policy and political opinion leaders on selected issues and complements the organization’s information-distribution and public-policy work.

• Publication · 1994

  Crítica: A Journal of Puerto Rican Policy & Politics

  Crítica was a monthly publication issued from 1994 through 1997. It provided a forum for discussion of Puerto Rican policy and political issues and was designed to scrutinize public officials and Latino and non-Latino political leadership.

• 2006Latino Policy Network

  United States

  Falcón created an online network to circulate Latino policy and political information and connect civic and academic leaders.

  Outcome. The network was later known as The NiLP Network and was reported to have more than 8,000 members.

  Source
• 2000Latino Census Network

  United States

  The organization supported Latino census-information work through a specialized network connected with The NiLP Network.

  Source
• 1990Census and redistricting participation initiatives

  United States

  The institute developed participatory projects intended to increase Latino involvement in the 2000 Census and in political redistricting processes.

  Outcome. The projects were described as introducing new participatory approaches to these civic issues, but specific measurable outcomes are not provided.

  Source
• 1990Boricua First!

  United States

  Falcón was among the organizers of the Boricua First! march on Washington, a national Puerto Rican civic and political mobilization initiative.

  Source

• 2006

  Broaden scope and adopt National Institute for Latino Policy nameStrategy

  Background

  After returning to independent operation, the organization sought to reflect a broader Latino policy mission beyond its original Puerto Rican focus.

  Action taken

  It changed its name to the National Institute for Latino Policy and developed The NiLP Network and related information initiatives.

  Aftermath

  The organization’s public identity incorporated national Latino policy, political information, census, voting-rights, and opinion-leader networking.

  Source

• 1999

  Join strategic alliance with PRLDEFM&A

  Background

  The independent Institute for Puerto Rican Policy was invited to join the Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund.

  Action taken

  The institute became the PRLDEF Institute for Puerto Rican Policy and operated as PRLDEF’s policy division.

  Aftermath

  The arrangement lasted until the institute regained independence on November 18, 2005.

  Source

1. 1Angelo Falcónen.wikipedia.org
2. 2National Institute for Latino Policy official websitelatinopolicy.org