Poynter has put together a list of sources on data-rich databases and sources to give you a starting point for when you are looking for data. The article contains direct links to useful databases and to collections of data sources. Examples of sources include the EconBiz which is a database of business studies and economics information, and European Parliament Think Tank that offers shorter reports on global issues to bring the reader up to speed on a certain topic.
The full article can be found here.