There are a number of alternative data sources for federal information, some of them going back decades. Data & information that is disappearing may already exist in one of these collections.
ICPSR (Inter-University Consortium for Political and Social Research)
Maintains a data archive of more than 350,000 files of research in the social and behavioral sciences. It hosts 23 specialized collections of data in education, aging, criminal justice, substance abuse, terrorism, and other fields and is international in scope. SCU is a member institution.
DataLumos
DataLumos is an ICPSR archive for valuable government data resources. ICPSR has a long commitment to safekeeping and disseminating US government and other social science data. They have an older version of many major datasets, including some from the CDC.
Direct link to Department of Education archived data in DataLumos.
IMLS
Direct link to Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) archived data in DataLumos.
IPUMS
The IPUMS Center for Data Integration provides census and survey data from around the world. Find microdata from the U.S. Decennial Census, the American Community Survey (ACS), and the Current Population Survey. As part of their standard procedures, they download and preserve original data from U.S. statistical agencies that serve as the source data for IPUMS. Since Fri., Jan. 31, 2025, several organizations (and individuals) have downloaded many other public federal datasets. There are efforts underway to catalog and make these data available. From University of Minnesota
The Digital Federal Depository Library Program, or the “USDocs” LOCKSS network, replicates key aspects of the United States Federal Depository Library Program. The current focus is harvesting and preserving collections hosted on the U.S. Government Publishing Office’s (GPO) govinfo.gov database. See also the (Digital Federal Depository Library Program FAQ).
Web-based online data and mapping application that provides access to thousands of indicators related to demographics, housing, crime, mortgages, health, jobs and more. Offers a free tier that can be used to view basic information down to the tract-level, but more detailed data and functionality requires a subscription. Purged Federal Agency Data Available.
Federal Reserve Economic Data. A source for economic data since 1991.
A centralized repository of datasets aggregated from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Programs, Offices, and National Laboratories.
Contains 46 demographic, energy, health, and housing indicators down to the tract-level with free access for community-based organizations; others require a subscription.
A free, open-source platform focused on making American Community Survey (ACS) data more accessible, including the recent upload of the 2022 1-Year ACS data.
For mapping software users, the GIS vendor publishes a number of U.S. Census Bureau data sets, including the ACS, through its ArcGIS Online Platform.
U.S. Census Bureau data available from 1790 to the present. Includes additional data types such as crime, health, election, and development indicators. Database licensed by SCU
Hosting copies of immunization schedules and contraceptive use guidance from the CDC.