ABOUT THE CENTER

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·  Mission and Goals

·  Membership Information

·  History

 

·  Publication Orders
 

 
 
 


 


 
 

MISSION STATEMENT

The North Carolina Center for Public Policy Research is an independent, nonprofit organization dedicated to the goals of a better-informed public and more effective, accountable, and responsive government. The Center identifies public policy issues facing North Carolina and enriches the dialogue among citizens, the media, and policymakers. Based on its research, the Center makes recommendations for improving the way government serves the people of this state. In all its efforts, the Center values reliable and objective research as a basis for analyzing public policy, independence from partisan bias and political ideology, the richness of the states diverse population, and a belief in the importance of citizen involvement in public life.

STATEMENT OF GOALS

RESEARCH GOALS

To evaluate government programs in North Carolina to determine how well they work and make recommendations for improvement

  • To monitor the performance of governmental institutions and officials in the state to enhance their accountability to the public

DISSEMINATION GOALS

To educate the public about how state government works and important public policy issues facing the state

  • To disseminate our research to policymakers, the media, and the public

IMPACT GOALS

To raise issues for public discussion to enhance the level of public debate in North Carolina.

  • To affect public policy based on our research

ORGANIZATIONAL GOALS

  • To increase the visibility of the Center and its products
  • To develop sustainable and diverse sources of financial support for the Center
  • To continue as a bipartisan body conducting nonpartisan research without ideological bias


 

 

 For membership information or to order a publication click here.

 

 

 

 

HISTORY

The N.C. Center for Public Policy Research was founded in 1977 and is still one of only six independent, state-level policy centers in the country. Our founders believed that most of the important issues in future decades would be decided at the state level, and they've been proved right over the 31 years of our existence.

The Center is dedicated to creating a better informed public, and more effective, accountable and responsive government. Our mission is to examine public policy issues that face North Carolina and enrich the dialogue among three constituencies -- the public, the media, and policymakers. Based on our research, we sometimes make recommendations for improving the way government serves the people of this state. Our mission also includes a statement of core values that have sustained the Center over 31 years.

  • the value of reliable and objective research as a basis for analyzing public policy;
  • the value of independence, both from partisan bias and political ideology;
  • the value of the richness of the state's diverse population; and
  • a belief in the importance of citizen involvement in public life.

The Center is governed by a 23-member Board of Directors set up to mirror the population of North Carolina in its proportions of men and women; blacks, whites, and Native Americans; Democrats and Republicans; from the east, west, and Piedmont. With our Board of both Democrats and Republicans, there are no sacred cows in what we should study, and there are no predetermined results.

The Center publishes a citizen's guide to the legislature and biennial rankings of legislators' effectiveness. It also publishes North Carolina Insight, which recently featured research on the future of community colleges in North Carolina.  In addition to publishing Insight, the Center issues book-length research reports, including a recent study of how the 16 public universities evaluate and reward teaching performance. Future studies are planned on year-round issues affecting the aging, water policy, and mental health reform.