State Budget
Central to Michigan’s Children work at the state Capitol is Budget Watch, one of our longest-running projects.
With funding from The Skillman Foundation, Michigan's Children works to increase public awareness of the nature and scope of public investments in children and families in Michigan, and increase civic involvement in budget decision-making. We do this by analyzing public spending and providing frequent written reports detailing the impact of state budget proposals and decisions on children and families through publications, electronic alerts and online.
To read our Budget Basics reports, click here.
Federal Budget
In 2008, less than one-tenth of the federal budget was spent on children--$295 billion out of a total of $2.983 trillion in outlays. Since 1960, the children's share of the budget has diminished by a quarter, while spending on the non-child portions of entitlement programs has more than doubled. Investing in the next generation is critical to the future of our country.
With funding from First Focus, Michigan's Children is able to raise awareness to ensure that kids are a priority in the federal budget and family tax policies.
President's FY2011 Budget
Connect for Kids has developed "What's in it for Kids: the 2011 Budget Proposal," page on their website that outines the President's budget blueprint and compiles reactions from key national organizations. Click here to check it out.
Voices for America's Children has reviewed President Obama's proposed budget from a children and families perspective. Click here to read this thorough analysis, "America's Children and Families in Crisis: An Analysis of the President's FY2011 Budget," and other helpful materials on the President's proposed budget.
What does the President's proposed budget mean for Michigan? The White House has made available a fact sheet on how the proposed budget will impact people in Michigan. Click here to access the fact sheet.
Resources
Each year First Focus releases the Children's Budget, which is a comprehensive guide to all federal spending on children and an invaluable resource for all those seeking to improve the lives of America's youth. The Children's Budget 2009 includes a special analysis of investments in children provided through the economic recovery package, known as the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). Click here to read the Children's Budget 2009.
The Third Annual version of Kids' Share: An Analysis of Federal Expenditures on Children Through 2008, produced and published by the Urban Institute and the Brookings Institution, examines federal spending trends and federal tax policies that support and impact children and families. Click here to read Kids' Share: An Analysis of Federal Expenditures on Children Through 2008.
Every Child Matters, along with its partners, the National Association of Child Care Resource & Referral Agencies (NACCRRA) and Voices for America's Children, have released in January 2010 State Budget Cuts: America's Kids Pay the Price, which emphasized the need to invest in new children's programs at the federal level as millions of children are feeling the effects as states cut basic services and programs. Click here to read State Budget Cuts: America's Kids Pay the Price, featuring information from Michigan's Children's Budget Basics.
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