Budget Matters Blog


Spotlight: NPP's Data Transparency Voter's Guide

This week, following on the release of NPP’s new State Smart website that allows you to see how federal dollars flow to and from your state, we’re spotlighting our Data Transparency voter’s guide.


State Smart: Better Federal Budget Open Data

NPP launches State Smart and ends a dark time for federal spending data.


Spotlight: NPP’s Debt and Deficit Voter’s Guide

In fiscal year 2014, our nation spent $3.7 trillion on all federal programs and ran a budget deficit. The good news is that budget deficits are no cause for great alarm; they are pretty common. In fact, over the past half century, the U.S. has run a deficit in 45 out of 50 years.


State Smart: Federal Jobs in Your State

Our last State Smart preview digs into federal jobs and compensation in the states and what they mean for a pathway to the middle class.


Spotlight: Education and Student Loans Voter’s Guide

This week, we’re spotlighting our education-themed voter’s guides with facts about Education, Student Loans and Student Debt.


Countdown to 2014 Nobel Peace Prize Announcement

NPP is a 2014 nominee for the Nobel Peace Prize, which is being announced on Friday.


NPP to U.S. Treasury: Here's Why Spending Data Matters

NPP presented its outside-the-Beltway perspective on federal spending data to the U.S. Treasury Department.


Participatory Budgeting Can Transform our Democracy

Last week I had the good fortune to join an amazing group of people doing exciting and transformative work in the growing field of participatory budgeting (“PB”), at the third annual PB Conference, held this year in Oakland (and nearby Vallejo), California. [I was invited to speak on two panels--one...


State Smart: Federal Grants to Your State

Today's State Smart preview spotlights federal grants that go directly to state governments and ultimately affect people in our communitites.


Spotlight: NPP’s Health Care and Affordable Care Act Voter’s Guides

This week, we spotlight our Voter’s Guides on health care and the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) to give you the current state of federal health care policy and spending before the November 4 election.