• The Brookings Institution
  The Brookings Institution, in New Estimates of the Budget Outlook: Plus Ça Change, Plus C'est la Même Chose (PDF) (February 2006), analyzes the nation’s fiscal status over the next 10 years and beyond using the most recent data from the Congressional Budget Office. The authors conclude the country faces significant short- and long-term deficits and that only a combination of reduced spending and increased revenue will reduce fiscal imbalance.
  
  
• Center on Budget and Policy Priorities
  The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities offers frequent analysis on fiscal issues in an effort to inform public debates about budget and tax policies, particularly focusing on the needs of low-income individuals and families.
  
  
• Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget
  In its Budget Update – And So Budget Season Begins (PDF) (March 2006), The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget provides current information on federal budget and fiscal issues in an effort to educate the public.
    
• Concord Coalition
  The Concord Coalition advocates fiscal responsibility and provides information and analysis on the nation's budget decisions and implications. It's Facing Facts Quarterly (February 2006) covers current fiscal policy debates.
  
  
• Congressional Budget Office
  The CBO provides objective analyses, costs estimates, and budget and economic projections to inform Congress’ legislative decisions about spending and taxes. Recent CBO reports include Monthly Budget Review (April 2006); Analysis of the President’s Budget (March 2006); and The Budget and Economic Outlook: Fiscal Years 2007 – 2016 (January 2006).
  
  
• Government Accountability Office
  The GAO, in Budget Process: Better Transparency, Controls, Triggers, and Default Mechanisms Would Help to Address Our Large and Growing Long-term Fiscal Challenge (PDF) (May 2006), reports on specific improvements in the budget process that can help policymakers address the long-term fiscal challenges ahead.
  
  An earlier GAO report, 21st Century Challenges: Reexamining the Base of the Federal Government (PDF) (February 2005), presents ideas to help Congress in reviewing and reconsidering the base of federal spending and tax programs. It concludes that long-term deficits will encumber a growing share of the federal resources absent significant changes on the spending and/or revenue sides of the federal budget.
  
  The GAO investigates the nation's fiscal outlook and the long-term budget imbalance in, Our Nation's Fiscal Outlook: The Federal Government's Long-Term Budget Imbalance.
  
  
• The Heritage Foundation
  The Heritage Foundation makes recommendations for Congress in its Budget Agenda for the 109th Congress (PDF) (December 2004) and offers a series of "Web Memos" and other focused resources on fiscal issues on its Federal Budget and Spending Research web page.
  
  
• The Urban Institute-Bookings Institution Tax Policy Center
  The Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center provides information to help clarify and analyze the nation's tax policy choices.

State Budget Resources
The organizations below offer state fiscal information and analyses, including the impact of the federal budget on the states, which can help nonprofits participate in fiscal policy debates.

• Center on Budget and Policy Priorities
  The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities' State Fiscal Analysis Initiative seeks to strengthen state level nonprofits' contributions to fiscal policy debates. Its State Fiscal Project features extensive research on budget priorities and low-income programs at the state level.
   
• National Association of State Budget Officers, National Governors Association
  The Fiscal Survey of the States (PDF) (December 2005) is published twice annually by the National Association of State Budget Officers and the National Governors Association. It provides an overview of states' fiscal performance for the fiscal year.
  
  
• National Conference of State Legislatures
  The National Conference of State Legislatures describes the status of states’ finances in its State Budget Update: March 2006 (March 2006). NCSL reports that state budgets are stable – between FY01 and FY05, states were able to close a collective budget gap greater than $265 billion. However, NCSL predicts troubles in the near future. The growing costs of programs such as Medicaid, corrections, and K-12 education are likely to contribute to deficits in several states.
  
  
• National Priorities
  National Priorities offers citizen and community groups tools and resources to help shape federal budget and policy priorities that promote social and economic justice.
   
• Rockefeller Fiscal Studies
  The Rockefeller Fiscal Studies website provides data and analyses about state and local government finances, including the State Revenue Report (March 2006), a quarterly analysis of trends in state tax revenue, and State Fiscal Briefs and News (March 2006), a periodic analysis of trends in state and local government spending. In early 2006, the Rockefeller Institute of Government issued a three-part series on state and local government finances, including: Retiree Pensions and Health Benefits: State and Local Governments Face New Budget Challenges (PDF) (April 2006), The 2001 Recession Continues to Affect State Budgets (PDF) (April 2006), and Impact of Proposed 2007 Federal Budget Actions on States (PDF) (May 2006).
  
  
• Stateline.org
  Stateline.org, funded by The Pew Charitable Trusts, provides links to news stories on state policy innovations and trends, including tax and budget issues.
  
  

Last updated: May 31, 2006