The annual budget, which decides how our state and federal governments spend our tax dollars, is the single most powerful expression of our governments’ priorities. While there are many competing interests and finite resources, changes in tax policies and in the spending of state revenues can potentially change the odds for children and families who are already facing challenges. Priorities should targeted closing equity gaps that begin early and accumulate over a lifetime. We focus most of our energy to impact state budget discussions, but federal resources are also critical and Michigan relies heavily on the resources that come from Washington to serve the most vulnerable among us.

After a tumultuous process between the Governor and the Legislature for the Fiscal Year 2019-20 (FY20), which began on October 1, 2019, and ends September 30, 2020, discussions for the next budget year, FY21, have begun. It is important that we help legislators understand that critical programs for children, youth and families are neither pork nor partisan, and to encourage them to work together to utilize state funding in a way that benefits the most vulnerable among us.

We take our budget priorities from what we know to be proven plays for Michigan’s Children. Click the image to see our Playbook

Visit our Budget Basics Archive for more information on how the state and federal budgets impact children, youth and families in Michigan.