OKPOLICY.ORG
Two years ago, Oklahoma Policy Institute was launched to provide timely and credible analysis of state policy issues that would help educate the state’s residents and guide public policy decisions. We formed OK Policy to respond to the need for a results-oriented, analysis-driven organization that would gather data, develop proposals, and mobilize stakeholders to advance policies aimed at promoting fiscal responsibility, reducing poverty, and expanding economic opportunity.
The OK Policy board and executive team have spent some time over the past two months measuring our success against our goals. As we review our accomplishments of the last two years, there is a great deal of which we are proud. Through our issue briefs and fact sheets, public presentations, blog and other communications, we believe that we have established ourselves as a credible source of information and analysis in this state for a diverse set of audiences – from legislators and editorial boards to engaged advocates and ordinary Oklahomans attentive to policy debates. However, we have concluded that in the state’s current economic and legislative climate, our organization’s best use is to focus on policy analysis and research to help inform the public debate. As a result, we have concluded that we will need to make changes to our organizational structure and our mission.
Over the last six weeks, Matt Guillory has been winding down his involvement with OK Policy. His last day with Oklahoma Policy Institute was January 29th. We are grateful to Matt for the hard work and vision he brought to getting us off the ground, and are very pleased that he will remain involved in our mission of helping position Oklahoma for success.
I have now assumed the position of OK Policy’s director, working from Tulsa with administrative and research assistance. We will continue to operate as a 501(c)(3) organization with a strong and committed Board of Directors.
Moving forward, we will focus our energies and resources on our core strength of providing information and analysis to a broad public audience on issues related primarily to state fiscal policy, as well as selected topics involving poverty and economic opportunity. Whereas in the past we have attempted, in part, to directly promote legislative change through advocacy and coalition-building, we will now concentrate more strictly on generating information and ideas that can be used by diverse constituencies in policy discussion and debates.
By narrowing our focus to what we do best, we feel OK Policy can be more effective and efficient with our available resources. We will also seek to conduct project-based research for organizations and businesses on a contract basis as a way to provide our expertise to various groups and help elevate the public debate by combining efforts with organizations and sponsors whose public policy goals align with those of OK Policy.
Our commitment to continuing as an organization is based on the conviction expressed by many of you that our work as a source of trustworthy information and a voice for those of limited means is important to Oklahoma, especially during these times of economic hardships and fiscal disruptions. If you believe that what we do is valuable, we hope you will be willing to support OK Policy financially. You can click here to make a tax-deductible donation online through our secure server or send a check to Oklahoma Policy Institute, PO Box 14347, Tulsa, OK 74159-1347. If there are projects on which we may be able to partner, or if you’d like to contribute to our work through a guest blog submission or other efforts, please send me an e-mail (dblatt@okpolicy.org) or call me at (918) 794-3944.
Thanks for your continued interest in and support for OK Policy. I hope you’ll continue to follow us on the next stages of the journey!
