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| Iowa Policy Project | |
|---|---|
| Name | Iowa Policy Project |
| Formation | 2001 |
| Founder | Paul Kicklighter |
| Type | Think tank |
| Headquarters | Iowa City, Iowa |
| Region | Iowa, United States |
| Leader title | Director |
| Leader name | Mike Owen |
Iowa Policy Project is a nonpartisan public policy research organization based in Iowa City, Iowa. Founded in 2001, it produces state-focused analyses intended to inform policymakers, journalists, and civic organizations in Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, Davenport, Sioux City, and other communities. The organization engages with topics such as tax policy, budget issues, health care, energy, and education through quantitative reports, testimony, and public events.
The organization was established in 2001 by Paul Kicklighter with early collaboration from academics at the University of Iowa and policy analysts in Iowa City, Iowa. Its founding occurred amid debates following the 2000 United States presidential election and the aftermath of legislative sessions involving the Iowa General Assembly and gubernatorial initiatives from the office of Terry Branstad. Early staff included analysts connected to Cornell College, Coe College, and regional offices of national organizations such as the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities and the Economic Policy Institute. Throughout the 2000s and 2010s it interacted with institutions like the Pew Charitable Trusts and state agencies such as the Iowa Department of Revenue and the Iowa Department of Education. Key moments included contributions to debates over tax reform prompted by actions of the Iowa Executive Branch and legislative measures debated in the Iowa Senate and Iowa House of Representatives.
The stated mission emphasizes nonpartisan analysis to assist stakeholders in Des Moines, Iowa, Johnson County, Iowa, and rural counties across the state. Activities have included testimony before the Iowa Legislature, briefings for staffers associated with members of the United States Congress from Iowa such as offices connected to Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst, and workshops with local governments including the Polk County, Iowa treasurer and officials in Black Hawk County, Iowa. The organization collaborates with universities including the University of Iowa, Iowa State University, and Drake University and with nonprofit groups like AARP affiliates in Iowa and state chapters of Common Cause. It has provided data-driven input on legislative proposals crafted in the chambers of the Iowa Legislature and on ballot measures that reached the Iowa Secretary of State.
Work spans state fiscal issues, social policy, and infrastructure. Research topics have included analyses of Iowa state tax law changes, assessments of Medicaid expansions tied to decisions influenced by the Affordable Care Act, and evaluations of workforce programs connected to Iowa Workforce Development. The project has examined energy policy alternatives involving utilities such as MidAmerican Energy and Alliant Energy, and the impact of federal programs like the Medicaid program and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program on Iowa communities. Education research has intersected with institutions like the Iowa Department of Education and school districts in Cedar Rapids, Iowa and Council Bluffs, Iowa. Studies often referenced federal legislation such as the No Child Left Behind Act and state-level reforms debated in sessions of the Iowa General Assembly.
Funding has come from a mix of private foundations and individual donors, including entities such as the Arnold Foundation, the McKnight Foundation, and regional philanthropic arms like the Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines. The organization has accepted grants from national funders that support state policy research, including past support lines common to grantees of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Ford Foundation while maintaining an independent board of directors drawn from civic leaders, academics at Grinnell College, Luther College, and business figures from organizations like the Iowa Business Council. Governance documents have referenced compliance with nonprofit regulatory frameworks overseen by the Iowa Attorney General and filing requirements with the Internal Revenue Service for 501(c)(3) entities.
The organization issues policy reports, fiscal briefs, testimony, and interactive data tools used by journalists at outlets such as the Des Moines Register, broadcasters in the Iowa Public Radio network, and reporters at the Quad-City Times and Sioux City Journal. Major reports have addressed topics debated in the Iowa Statehouse, analyses of state budget proposals from offices of successive governors including Terry Branstad and Tom Vilsack, and impact assessments of federal stimulus funds tied to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Publications often cite data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Census Bureau, and administrative records from the Iowa Department of Human Services.
Analysts and staff have been cited in hearings of the Iowa Legislature and in coverage by national outlets like The New York Times and The Washington Post when Iowa policy debates drew wider attention. Supporters credit the organization with improving the data quality available to policymakers in Des Moines, Iowa and influencing legislation on tax and health-care matters considered in the Iowa State Capitol. Critics, including some state politicians and commentators affiliated with conservative outlets and think tanks such as the Iowa Policy Center and national counterparts like the Heritage Foundation, have questioned funding sources and the framing of certain analyses. Debates over methodology involved exchanges with academics at Iowa State University and researchers at the Brookings Institution and Urban Institute comparing models for fiscal projections.
Category:Think tanks based in the United States Category:Organizations established in 2001