OpenSecrets upgrades lobbying database with deep client-firm analytics, redesigned visuals and universal search

New interactive tools give investigative journalists, policy researchers and the public instant context on K Street spending trends, client concentration and issue-driven activity WASHINGTON, D.C. — OpenSecrets has released a major redesign of its lobbying analysis platform. Built specifically to enhance public understanding of influence campaigns, investigative reporting and academic research, the overhauled site quickly transforms thousands of raw disclosures into clear visual trends, key takeaways, and downloadable datasets. Paired with the release of federal lobbying data for the second quarter of 2026, these upgrades make it easier than ever to follow the money. The upgrade introduces a streamlined, modern design with enhanced visualizations focused heavily on spending trends, macro industry benchmarks, and multi-angle searches. Key Platform Upgrades & Features: - Universal Search: A single search box covers all lobbying data with instant auto-suggest context – including matching bill names, agency reports, client industry tags, and lobbying firms. - Redesigned Visuals & Macro Averages: Modernized, trend-focused graphs complement quick-takeaway summaries. The overview section now displays sector-wide spending averages per client and the average number of registered lobbyists per issue area. - Client Strategy & Retainer Analysis: Clear breakdowns of quarterly and annual client spending include a new visualization comparing a client’s outside firm retainers against peer industry medians to highlight specialization within the lobbying field. - Firm Revenue Concentration: Upgraded Firm Profiles break down total income by client industry and feature a new Client Concentration Metric, visualizing how much of a firm’s revenue depends on its top clients. - Bill Context & Issue Snippets: Bill profiles now include live status, sponsor details, and direct links to Congress.gov, while Issue Profiles display exact text excerpts surrounding bill citations and the overall percentage share of reports where an issue appeared, making it easier to understand the intensity of lobbying on specific topics. - Revolving Door: Records of lobbyists who previously worked in government are easier to find across lobbying features, with improved “revolver” statistics. Upcoming Features in Development: OpenSecrets also announced two upcoming enhancements currently in progress: - Activity Monitor: A live feed highlighting new or renewed client-firm relationships as fresh data drops hit the wire. - Cleaned Contract Data: An updated contract view that excludes self-filings (e.g., associations representing themselves) to focus exclusively on direct firm-client relationships. “Raw lobbying filings can be overwhelmingly fragmented and impossible for an individual to study in a meaningful way, let alone compare across time and sector,” said Hilary Braseth, Executive Director of OpenSecrets. “For more than four decades, millions of Americans have turned to us for help understanding how a business, an association, a union or even a nonprofit might be trying to influence policymaking. Our goal is to make that analysis easier than ever.” Media Resources & Reporter Briefing OpenSecrets will host a 30-minute virtual briefing for journalists on Aug. 12 at 12:00 PM ET, demonstrating how to use the new tools to find investigative hooks. To request access to the briefing, receive custom data exports, or speak with a member of the OpenSecrets team, contact press@opensecrets.org. About OpenSecrets Nonpartisan, independent and nonprofit, OpenSecrets is the trusted authority on money in American politics. Its mission is to provide comprehensive and reliable data, analysis, and tools for policymakers, storytellers and citizens. Its vision is for Americans to use data on money in politics to create a more vibrant, representative and responsive democracy. Contact: David Meyers dmeyers@opensecrets.org Republish this article We encourage you to republish our content. Please review our republication policy for guidelines. Support Accountability Journalism At OpenSecrets.org we offer in-depth, money-in-politics stories in the public interest. Whether you’re reading about 2022 midterm fundraising, conflicts of interest or “dark money” influence, we produce this content with a small, but dedicated team. Every donation we receive from users like you goes directly into promoting high-quality data analysis and investigative journalism that you can trust.