Recognize these #COpolitics lobbying clients? Help out!

I’ve been spending time analyzing Colorado lobbying data, and one of the inconsistencies is in how lobbying clients are characterized.

The state has lobbyists submit the description of the business and the business type. But, again, lots of inconsistencies.

So I’ve taken a couple of spins through 1,000-plus clients from 2017 to categorize the information more consistently. In many instances, I’ve used the classifications used by the Center for Responsive Politics if a federal lobbyist is also employed.

But I could use your help if you’ve got the time. Take a look at the list, search for companies or nonprofits you’re interested in, and let me know (fish (at) copolitics.co) what you’d suggest is more accurate or appropriate.

Note that many of these names had upper-case letters stripped in efforts to get rid of all-upper-case words in the data.

Just looking at this list a few times, I have a few questions:

• Are Colorado Area Technical Colleges and Colorado Area Vocational Schools different things?
• Are Mental Health Colorado and Mental Health of America Colorado the same or different?
• Are the Workers Compensation Coalition and Workers Compensation Education Association one or two things?
•  On Colorado Health Partners – should it be Colorado Health Partnerships?
• What’s the difference between an association and an organization?

Thanks for any help you can provide in this endeavor.