National Council of Nonprofit Associations

Overview

Decisions of state governments to raise revenue and allocate funds often have a profound impact on the programs and publics served by the nonprofit sector. Understanding these effects, as well as how the state budgetary process works, is a vital and necessary function for nonprofit organizations.

Resources

General State Budget Analyses

Organizations listed below are engaged in budget and tax issues. Some groups provide in depth analyses on such topics as the impact of federal policy on state budgets and how federal budget decisions affect vulnerable communities. Others focus on state budget and tax issues. While many of the groups that focus on research and analyses are best described as “think tanks,” others approach budget and tax issues with more of a lobbying and advocacy strategy.

State-Specific Budget Analyses

Many of the organizations listed below are part of The State Fiscal Analysis Initiative (SFAI). The Initiative seeks to strengthen the contributions of state nonprofit organizations to policy debates by enhancing their ability to provide reliable budget and tax analysis. It was developed in part to respond to continuing reductions in government services for low-income and vulnerable populations, which began at the state level in the mid-1980s. Its activities have intensified in the recent period as welfare reform and other policy changes have increased states' responsibilities for social programs while reducing federal funding responsibility for them. The State Fiscal Analysis Initiative consists of 28 state organizations and one national organization, The Center for Budget and Policy Priorities.