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Policy Resources

From in-depth analysis to practical policy insights, find research that helps explain how economic policy shapes outcomes for workers, families, and long-term growth.

Our Policy Areas of Focus

The Washington Center for Equitable Growth connects economic evidence and policy to promote shared prosperity and growth by funding policy-relevant research, elevating scholars and their work, and translating evidence for policymakers.

How Ideas Move Into Policy Decisions

AI, Tech & Energy

Equitable Growth supports research and policy analysis on how artificial intelligence, emerging technologies, and the energy transition affect workers, inequality, and broad-based economic growth.

AI, Tech & Energy

To equip leaders to guide AI toward shared prosperity, our work examines:

  • The impact of AI on employment levels, wages, and job content
  • How AI drives macroeconomic impacts such as growth and productivity
  • Market competition implications of AI use
  • The use of algorithms in labor management
Browse AI, Tech & Energy Resources

Macroeconomics & Economic Measurement

Equitable Growth supports research and policy analysis on how macroeconomic policies and better economic measurement can promote stable and broad-based economic growth.

Macroeconomics & Economic Measurement

To reduce volatility and strengthen individual and macroeconomic resilience for broad-based growth, we focus on:

  • Automatic stabilizers that cushion downturns and promote more even recoveries
  • Tools to respond to recessions that quickly stabilize households, boost the economy, and limit scarring
  • Ways to encourage private investment and job growth
  • Wealth inequality using novel data and analysis
  • Policies to strengthen supply chains and support the energy transition
Browse Macroeconomics & Economic Measurement Resources

Political Economy & Democracy

Equitable Growth supports research and policy analysis on how economic inequality shapes political power and democratic institutions, and how that in turn affects broad-based economic growth.

Political Economy & Democracy
Browse Political Economy & Democracy Resources

Taxation

Equitable Growth supports research and policy analysis on how tax policies can promote stable and broad-based economic growth.

Taxation

To provide evidence to policymakers on what effective reform entails, we focus on:

  • Distributional analysis, including distributional weighting of benefit-cost analysis
  • Pass-through and other business taxation
  • Tax enforcement, especially related to large, complex partnerships
  • Taxing wealth, including capital taxes on new forms of wealth such as artificial intelligence and cryptocurrency
Browse Taxation Resources

Household Economic Security

Equitable Growth supports research and policy analysis on how unequal access to care, 21st century work-life policies, and education undermines stable, broad-based economic growth.

Household Economic Security

We focus on:

  • The efficacy of public benefit and social insurance programs
  • Income security and access to wealth-building
  • Policy effects on economic mobility
  • The value of economic inclusion
  • The impacts on workforce outcomes through policies such as schedule stability and childcare
Browse Household Economic Security Resources

Economic Equity & Opportunity

Equitable Growth supports research and policy analysis on how trends in economic inequality and mobility and changes in the economy have affected the concentration of wealth, income, and earnings, and how these distributional shifts have affected the promise of economic security and opportunity.

Economic Equity & Opportunity
Browse Economic Equity & Opportunity Resources

Labor, Wages & Worker Power

Equitable Growth supports research and policy analysis on how inequalities in wages, bargaining power, and the evolving labor market affect workers’ economic security and opportunity as well as broad-based economic growth.

Labor, Wages & Worker Power

We focus on:

  • Unemployment and wage growth
  • Bargaining power and union coverage
  • Gender and race pay equity
  • Nonwage amenities, job quality, and upward job mobility
Browse Labor, Wages & Worker Power Resources

How Ideas Move Into Policy Decisions

Policy Community
4

Disseminate research and policy guidance

1

Identify policy areas and issues

3

Conduct original research and identify spaces for effective policy interventions

2

Identify policy relevant and academically rigorous research questions

Academics

Progress depends on a continuous exchange between ideas and action.

Research helps define the questions that matter, while policy challenges shape the direction of inquiry. When these two stay connected, evidence becomes more than insight—it becomes a tool for better decisions.

That connection is powered by people.

At the center of this work is a network of more than 400 researchers focusing on real policy questions—helping explain economic trends, evaluate solutions, and inform decision-making.

Meet Our Academic Experts
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745 Results

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Policy

Economic research shows immigration is good for U.S. workers, the economy, and affordability (opens in a new tab)

Essays AUG 31, 2026

When President Donald Trump returned to the White House in 2025, mass deportations and immigration restrictions were renewed as one of the political priorities of his second administration. Since then,…

By: Christopher Bangert-Drowns (opens in a new tab)

Economic Equity & Opportunity Household Economic Security Labor, Wages & Worker Power
How does early childhood care and education affect U.S. families and workers, and which policies support child participation and boost the quality of care?
Policy

How does early childhood care and education affect U.S. families and workers, and which policies support child participation and boost the quality of care? (opens in a new tab)

Reports APR 16, 2026

As states consider policy action in early childhood care and education, there is an existing—and growing—evidence base from which to draw lessons. This report summarizes the rigorous evidence on program…

By: Chloe Gibbs (opens in a new tab)

Household Economic Security
ASSA 2026 Round-up: Day 2
Policy

ASSA 2026 Round-up: Day 2 (opens in a new tab)

Blog JAN 5, 2026

Yesterday was the second day of the 2026 annual meeting of the Allied Social Science Associations, which is organized by the American Economic Association. The 3-day conference, held in Philadelphia…

By: Equitable Growth (opens in a new tab)

AI, Tech & Energy Competition & Economic Dynamism Economic Equity & Opportunity Household Economic Security Labor, Wages & Worker Power Macroeconomics & Economic Measurement Taxation
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Policy

Equitable Growth hosts Econ 101 virtual event on how U.S. social insurance programs boost economic mobility (opens in a new tab)

Essays DEC 1, 2025

Microsoft Copilot helped draft this event recap. The Washington Center for Equitable Growth recently hosted its latest Econ 101 briefing aimed at providing in-depth evidence for policymakers on how U.S.…

By: Equitable Growth (opens in a new tab)

Economic Equity & Opportunity Household Economic Security Labor, Wages & Worker Power
Distributional weighting in benefit-cost analysis is practical and effective at assessing government rulemaking without bias against low-income individuals
Policy

Distributional weighting in benefit-cost analysis is practical and effective at assessing government rulemaking without bias against low-income individuals (opens in a new tab)

Reports NOV 13, 2025

Distributional weighting in benefit-cost analysis is a tool for overcoming bias against lower-income individuals in economists’ measurements of the net benefit of government policies that affect populations at different levels…

By: Daniel Acland (opens in a new tab)

Economic Equity & Opportunity Household Economic Security Macroeconomics & Economic Measurement
States can support children and their economies using direct cash assistance from the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families block grant program
Policy

States can support children and their economies using direct cash assistance from the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families block grant program (opens in a new tab)

Reports AUG 28, 2025

Efficient, effective, and responsive income support programs can reduce economic inequality and support economic mobility. If targeted effectively, these programs can help children, families, and workers meet their needs and…

By: Megan Rivera (opens in a new tab), Christopher Bangert-Drowns (opens in a new tab)

Household Economic Security
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Policy

Republican reconciliation bill’s cuts to social programs will damage some congressional districts’ local economies (opens in a new tab)

Essays JUL 11, 2025

In a recent working paper, Equitable Growth grantee Robert Manduca of the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor demonstrates that government transfers make sizable contributions to local economies in much of…

By: Chiara Chanoi (opens in a new tab)

Economic Equity & Opportunity Household Economic Security Macroeconomics & Economic Measurement
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Policy

Americans informed about the distributional effects of Republicans’ tax and budget bill overwhelmingly oppose it (opens in a new tab)

Essays JUL 3, 2025

Republicans in the U.S. Senate recently passed a version of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, championed by President Donald Trump. The House of Representatives passed an earlier version of…

By: Jacob Hacker (opens in a new tab), Patrick Sullivan (opens in a new tab)

Economic Equity & Opportunity Household Economic Security Macroeconomics & Economic Measurement Taxation
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Policy

Medicaid and SNAP cuts in congressional Republicans’ budget bill will negatively impact local economies (opens in a new tab)

Essays JUN 24, 2025

The budget reconciliation bill recently passed by the U.S. House of Representatives proposes to make large cuts to Medicaid, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, and other social programs to pay…

By: Robert Manduca (opens in a new tab)

Economic Equity & Opportunity Household Economic Security Macroeconomics & Economic Measurement Taxation
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Policy

The political implications of bad jobs and the decline of unions (opens in a new tab)

Blog MAY 13, 2025

Bad jobs have become a distinctive feature of the U.S. economy over the past few decades. Globally, a lack of adequate demand, or what economists call “secular stagnation,” has meant…

By: Adam Dean (opens in a new tab), Jamie McCallum (opens in a new tab)

Economic Equity & Opportunity Household Economic Security Labor, Wages & Worker Power Political Economy & Democracy
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Policy

More accurately measuring economic sentiment will help build a U.S. economy—and democracy—that works for all (opens in a new tab)

Blog MAY 13, 2025

When politicians and members of the media discuss the state of “the economy” in the United States, they often use a small handful of data points. Of all the indicators…

By: Jonathan Cohen (opens in a new tab), Katherine Cramer (opens in a new tab)

Economic Equity & Opportunity Household Economic Security Macroeconomics & Economic Measurement Political Economy & Democracy
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