Why it’s important for North Dakota:
To participate effectively in our democracy, people need clear and reliable information about policy choices facing North Dakota. The North Dakota Fiscal Project will make that information available to everyone – including those often left on the sidelines in policy debates.

The North Dakota Fiscal Project will provide independent research and analysis of state budget and tax policies, as well as economic issues, with particular attention to the effects on low - and moderate – income people. The ND Fiscal Project will also produce reports on specific topics such as education, health care, economic development and tax policy.

The North Dakota Fiscal Project, housed at the Consensus Council, Inc., will be an independent entity governed by an advisory group representing a cross – section of the private and public sectors in the state.

The News and the Basics:
The state of North Dakota will soon become an affiliate of a network of over 30 states across the country that has developed a State Fiscal Analysis Initiative (SFAI). Since launching in 1993 in 11 states, SFAI has grown steadily. The 31 states in SFAI include 76 percent of the nation’s population and additional state-level organizations are expected to join the network in the coming years.

Financial support for the SFAI In North Dakota – named the North Dakota Fiscal Project - is provided by a grant from the Northwest Area Foundation based in St. Paul, Minnesota www.nwaf.org.

The National Connection:
Nationally, the State Fiscal Analysis Initiative brings together nonpartisan, independent, nonprofit organizations in each of the participating states. These organizations have diverse backgrounds and missions, but they share a commitment to rigorous policy analysis, responsible budget and tax policies, with particular focus on the needs of low- and moderate-income families. The organizations broaden the debate on budget and tax policy through public education and the encouragement of civic engagement on these issues.

The national SFAI network is coordinated by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities www.cbpp.org, a Washington-based research organization and strategic policy institute that works on a range of federal and state issues.