OVERVIEW    STAFF     BOARD OF DIRECTORS     COMMUNITY ADVISORY BOARD

To create a just and prosperous Washington, we develop progressive solutions based on sound research and work with community partners to shape the debate on budget and tax reform. 

We provide credible, independent and accessible information and analyses of state fiscal issues including both revenue and spending policies, with particular attention to the impacts on low and moderate-income persons. Our products inform state fiscal and budget policy debates and contribute to sound decisions that improve the well-being of individuals, communities and the state as a whole.

Our Mission

Our mission is to use research and analysis to advance the well-being of Washington communities, improve the economic security and social opportunity of all Washingtonians, and support the essential role of government in promoting a just and prosperous society.

Our Beginnings
In 2005, a group of policy experts and businesspeople came to the same conclusion: Solutions to persistent problems in Washington depend on more just and adequate fiscal policies. And, such policies will only surface after credible and thorough study. We imagined a source of fresh ideas - an independent organization to devise and broadcast practical alternatives to public policies that fail everyday Washingtonians. The Washington State Budget & Policy Center was born. We are an independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit organization. We develop realistic reforms that state policymakers can put to work with a particular emphasis on low- and moderate-income residents.

Our Approach
We engage and collaborate with a broad base of constituents every step of the way. With advocacy groups, policymakers, coalitions and local communities, the Washington State Budget & Policy

Center works to achieve its goals through:

COMPREHENSIVE BUDGET & POLICY ANALYSIS

We identify and analyze current fiscal issues and priorities; track budgeting trends over time; and analyze the impact of both revenue and spending policies on Washingtonians – especially low and moderate-income residents.

ALTERNATIVE PROPOSALS & EFFECTIVE SOLUTIONS
We provide analyses and evidence-based alternatives in all areas of budget and fiscal policy. We develop budget solutions, long-term fiscal strategies, and identify best practices from other states as alternatives to existing programs and policies.

PUBLIC AWARENESS & CIVIC ENGAGEMENT
We use our research and analysis to educate the public about the facts, enabling greater civic understanding and participation in state budgeting matters. We use many methods of communication to ensure that our findings have the greatest impact on public policy debates.

Our Supporters

The Washington State Budget & Policy Center received its initial funding through the generous support of the Annie E. Casey Foundation, Paul G. Allen Family Foundation, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Public Welfare Foundation, and community leaders and organizations. We are the Washington state representative in the State Fiscal Analysis Initiative, a consortium of organizations knit together by the national Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.