Washington Policy Center Programs
WPC focuses on 7 core areas of public policy, which include:
- education
- government reform
- small business
- the environment
- health care
- transportation, and
- WashingtonVotes.org, our free legislative tracking website.
Each of our issue-specific research centers is staffed by a director, overseen by an advisory board, and is highly active in educating citizens, impacting state policy and receiving statewide media attention. Our Center directors provide research and analysis of our state's top issues.
Our research is a proven resource for policymakers and the citizens of Washington state. Our experts are regularly invited to testify before the legislature and lawmakers have passed several of our ideas into law. We organize conferences and invite experts to speak on various topics in order to inform the public and provide forums for healthy debate.
The Center's work appears over 600 times a year in newspapers throughout the state and our staff regularly appears on radio and television, offering an independent, research-backed viewpoint. These research and education efforts work to improve public policy and in turn enhance the lives of all citizens throughout Washington state.
Our Center for Education promotes effective and practical reforms which will improve the lives of all children of Washington state by fundamentally improving our schools and our education system as a whole. To accomplish this, the Center researches a wide array of topics and potential reforms, ranging from attracting high-quality teachers and reducing education disparities between schools to assessing the effectiveness of online public schools and improving early childhood learning.
Our Center for Small Business listens to and educates thousands of small business owners on the public policy issues facing their businesses. The Center facilitates their participation in public policy reform through events and partnerships, adding an important perspective to the business climate debate. By giving a voice to small businesses, the Center increases opportunities for business success, benefiting individual businesses, their employees and the overall state economy.
WashingtonVotes.org is a free legislative tracking website that provides concise, plain-English descriptions of every bill, amendment and vote of the Washington state legislature. This free, non-partisan website holds state legislators accountable and provides Washington’s citizens with easy access to the legislative process. During the 2010 Legislative Session, over 4,000 bills and 3,000 amendment descriptions were provided and the site was accessed by over 46,000 unique visitors.
Recent Successes and Current Challenges
In recent years WPC has seen increased local, state and national media attention, allowing us to reach more citizens directly. Our research, ideas and experts have also become a vital resource for legislators on both sides of the aisle. We are increasingly turned to for high-quality research and analysis of policy proposals and fresh ideas for improving public policy, which in turn has enhanced the lives of all citizens throughout Washington state.
In 2009 WPC developed a comprehensive, strategic marketing plan. Throughout 2010 we have been implementing the plan’s primary strategies to increase our impact, reach new groups of citizens and strengthen our long-term financial footing. We invite you to join with us in funding this strategic expansion effort and help spread research-backed, free-market solutions to policy issues in our state.