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The Abstract
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> Edited by Torie Ludwin, Arnold Ventures (AV)
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AV released a new report outlining policy options to achieve pro-growth, fiscally responsible tax reform. The report presents 20 priority reforms —10 spending cuts and 10 tax loophole closers — that would generate up to $4 trillion in savings to help advance the permanent extension of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) without adding to the deficit.
By reducing wasteful spending and closing tax loopholes, policymakers can extend key tax provisions without increasing the deficit, ensuring a pro-growth tax system while addressing rising federal debt.
Read the report>
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North Carolina Community College System Launches Boost Program
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(Left to right) NCCCS President Jeffrey A. Cox, AV Executive Vice President of Strategy and Programs Kirby Smith, and AV Vice President of Higher Education Kelly McManus at the launch this week. (Photo: Getty)
Committed to meeting North Carolina’s workforce development needs, the North Carolina Community College System (NCCCS) announced NC Community Colleges Boost, a new program designed to quickly move students into the high-wage, high-demand careers that will drive the state’s future prosperity.
AV is funding this launch with a grant of more than $35.6 million, the largest private grant ever received by NCCCS. The model on which the program is built, the City University of New York’s Accelerated Study in Associate Programs ( CUNY ASAP), has a proven track record of doubling graduation rates in multiple other states.
Learn more>
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Arnolds Top Philanthropic Giving
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Public Finance
- The Bipartisan Policy Center created useful visuals to understand the Congressional Budget Office's (CBO’s) Budget and Economic Outlook projections, which find the U.S. federal debt will approach 120% of gross domestic product (GDP) in the next decade.
- The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget shows how extending the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) without spending cuts and other offsets would balloon interest costs to north of $2 trillion per year by 2035.
Criminal Justice
- In his State of the State speech, Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt announced his support for eliminating criminal justice system fees, which undermine public safety and rehabilitation, and can create perverse incentives for local governments, KOKH reports.
- The Associated Press reports on Alabama Governor Kay Ivey’s State of the State address and how she endorsed “Second Chance” sentencing reform, calling it a “commonsense” approach that will improve public safety and reduce costs.
- The Daily Progress covers a new report on Virginia’s prisons detailing how three facilities in the state have almost a 50% vacancy rate. These severe levels of understaffing led to dangerous security lapses, a collapse of health care services, and severe staff burnout and turnover.
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- With the launch of two new Requests for Proposals (RFPs), the AV Evidence and Evaluation team invites all interested parties to attend one of two webinars, scheduled for Tuesday, February 11, at 12:00 p.m. ET and Thursday, February 27, at 1:00 p.m. ET. Email the team with questions or to learn more.
- On Thursday, February 20, at 3 p.m. ET, the National Academy for State Policy (NASHP) will hold a webinar on the update to the interactive Hospital Cost Tool. The tool provides information on a range of financial and operating measures for nearly 5,000 individual hospitals from 2011 to 2022 (soon through 2023). Learn more and register here.
- Results for America (RFA) and the Fines and Fees Justice Center (FFJC) will be hosting a 7-part online Solutions Sprint exploring why and how to implement effective and efficient ability-to-pay (ATP) assessments in courts. This hands-on workshop is designed for court stakeholders and advocates interested in implementing ability-to-pay assessments, payment plans, and/or community service or alternatives to fines and/or fees. Applications are due no later than Monday, February 24, 2025.
- On Tuesday, February 25, at 2 p.m. ET, The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget will hold an in-depth, nonpartisan overview of the budget reconciliation process via Zoom. Learn more about reconciliation and register here.
- On Wednesday, March 12, from 11:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. at the Mayflower Hotel Washington, D.C., as part of the Association for Education and Finance Policy (AEFP) conference, the AV Evidence and Evaluation team will host an inaugural Innovation Day, bringing together researchers and policymakers to explore areas of common interest and potential new avenues of research.
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The Criminal Justice team has released an RFP titled “ Causal Research on Community Safety and the Criminal Justice System.” The RFP seeks research proposals across all issues related to the criminal justice system and will remain open.
The Evidence and Evaluation team has released two RFPs, " Building Evidence" and " Strengthening Evidence," whose goals are to help build the body of proven policies, programs, and interventions. To learn more, attend one of two upcoming webinars on Tuesday, February 11, at 12:00 p.m. ET and Thursday, February 27, at 1:00 p.m. ET. Letters of interest are due Friday, March 14, 2025.
View our RFPs>
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included AV Founders and Co-Chairs 
