Bell Policy Center

THE BELL POLICY CENTER'S MISSION IS TO ENSURE ECONOMIC MOBILITY FOR EVERY COLORADAN. WE WORK TO IGNITE A CONVERSATION THAT INSPIRES COMMUNITIES AND THEIR LEADERS TO TRANSFORM COLORADO INTO A STATE WHERE EVERYONE THRIVES.

THE BELL POLICY CENTER PROVIDES RESEARCH, OUTREACH, ADVOCACY, AND STRATEGIC COMMUNICATION ON THE INTERSECTING FORCES AFFECTING ECONOMIC MOBILITY IN COLORADO. NOW IS THE TIME TO ADDRESS THE SYSTEMS DRIVING ECONOMIC MOBILITY (AND THE STRUCTURAL INEQUITIES BUILT INTO THESE SYSTEMS), THE FRAGILE ECONOMIC MARGINS ON WHICH COLORADANS HAVE BEEN OPERATING, AND THE NEED TO PROPERLY INVEST IN OUR PUBLIC SECTOR. TO MEET THE MOMENT AND PREPARE FOR THE FUTURE, WE ARE DEPLOYING A MORE INCLUSIVE ECONOMIC MOBILITY NARRATIVE, PRIORITIZING COMMUNITY-INFORMED RESEARCH AND ANALYSIS, AND ADVANCING PUBLIC INVESTMENTS AND SYSTEMS CHANGES THAT PROMOTE ECONOMIC MOBILITY FOR ALL COLORADANS. THROUGH POLICY RESEARCH AND ANALYSIS, OUTREACH AND COALITION BUILDING, STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS, AND ADVOCACY, WE ADVANCE THREE MAIN GOALS:1.ECONOMIC MOBILITY AND PUBLIC INVESTMENT NARRATIVETHROUGH A SUSTAINED, STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS AND RESEARCH EFFORT, ELEVATE OUR REFRAMED NARRATIVE ON ECONOMIC MOBILITY INTO THE LARGER POLICY CONVERSATION. USE THIS NARRATIVE TO ADVANCE AND DEFEND POLICY GAINS THAT PROMOTE EQUITY IN COLORADOS RELIEF AND RECOVERY, ADVANCE ECONOMIC MOBILITY FOR LOW- AND MODERATE INCOME COLORADANS AND COMMUNITIES OF COLOR, AND DEFINE AND STRENGTHEN THE CASE FOR PUBLIC INVESTMENT, FISCAL REFORM, AND A MORE EQUITABLE TAX SYSTEM.2. FAMILY ECONOMIC SECURITYADVANCE AN ACTIONABLE AGENDA FOR FAMILY ECONOMIC SECURITY FROM AN EQUITY LENS, WITH A FOCUS ON EARLY CARE AND EDUCATION, TWO-GENERATION APPROACHES, HEALTHY AGING, STRENGTHENING, AND PROTECTING SYSTEMS THAT MEET BASIC HUMAN NEEDS, AND FINANCIAL EMPOWERMENT.3.EQUITY IN THE FUTURE OF WORK AND LEARNINGADVANCE OUR ACTIONABLE AGENDA FOR PROMOTING EQUITY AND ECONOMIC MOBILITY IN THE CHANGING WORKFORCE AND POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION ECOSYSTEM, BUILD ON THE STATES LANDMARK PROGRESS ON WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT INNOVATIONS, AND ADDRESS THE CHANGED WORK AND LEARNING LANDSCAPE.2021 ACCOMPLISHMENTS INCLUDED:RELEASED ECONOMIC MOBILITY FOR LOW-INCOME FAMILIES IN COLORADO: THE NEED FOR INCREASED TARGETED PUBLIC INVESTMENT, A REPORT PRODUCED IN CONJUNCTION WITH RESEARCHERS FROM COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY THAT EXAMINES THE IMPACT OF PUBLIC INVESTMENTS ON ECONOMIC MOBILITY.RELEASED THE STATE OF AGING IN COLORADO FIRST-OF-ITS-KIND RESEARCH MEASURING A SET OF INDICATORS OF WELL-BEING FOR OLDER ADULTS AND THEIR FAMILIES AND CAREGIVERS, AS WELL AS THE PREPAREDNESS OF OUR STATES SYSTEMS TO MEET THE NEEDS OF OUR POPULATION AS IT AGES.RELEASED 2021 BALLOT GUIDE IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH, INCLUDING ANALYSIS OF EACH STATEWIDE FISCAL MEASURES IMPACT ON TAX FAIRNESS, RACIAL EQUITY, AND ECONOMIC MOBILITY. HOSTED LIVE BALLOT GUIDE DISCUSSION OF THE THREE MEASURES WITH REPORTERS FROM THE COLORADO SUN.PRODUCED MAKING THE INVISIBLE VISIBLE: A YEAR OF COVID, A SERIES LOOKING AT SPECIFIC EQUITY ISSUES RELATED TO ECONOMIC MOBILITY THAT BECAME MORE EVIDENT DURING THE PANDEMIC. DEVELOPED SEVERAL OTHER RESEARCH BRIEFS AND PRODUCTS, INCLUDING A SERIES OF AGE DISCRIMINATION AND BRIEFS ON COLORADOS REVENUE BASE, HIGHER EDUCATION, AND OTHER KEY ECONOMIC MOBILITY ISSUES.CO-LED SUCCESSFUL ADVOCACY TO INCREASE TAX FAIRNESS, INCREASE THE STATE EARNED INCOME TAX CREDIT, AND FUND THE STATE CHILD TAX CREDIT WHILE CLOSING LOOPHOLES.SUCCESSFULLY ADVOCATED FOR ESTABLISHMENT OF A STATE OFFICE OF FINANCIAL EMPOWERMENT IN THE COLORADO ATTORNEY GENERALS OFFICE.PRODUCED A SERIES OF MATERIALSINCLUDING VIDEOS, BLOGS, VISUAL CONTENT, AND A PODCASTTO HELP COLORADANS UNDERSTAND ECONOMIC MOBILITY AND FISCAL ISSUES.

THE BELL POLICY CENTER PROVIDES RESEARCH, OUTREACH, ADVOCACY, AND STRATEGIC COMMUNICATION ON THE INTERSECTING FORCES AFFECTING ECONOMIC MOBILITY IN COLORADO. NOW IS THE TIME TO ADDRESS THE SYSTEMS DRIVING ECONOMIC MOBILITY (AND THE STRUCTURAL INEQUITIES BUILT INTO THESE SYSTEMS), THE FRAGILE ECONOMIC MARGINS ON WHICH COLORADANS HAVE BEEN OPERATING, AND THE NEED TO PROPERLY INVEST IN OUR PUBLIC SECTOR. TO MEET THE MOMENT AND PREPARE FOR THE FUTURE, WE ARE DEPLOYING A MORE INCLUSIVE ECONOMIC MOBILITY NARRATIVE, PRIORITIZING COMMUNITY-INFORMED RESEARCH AND ANALYSIS, AND ADVANCING PUBLIC INVESTMENTS AND SYSTEMS CHANGES THAT PROMOTE ECONOMIC MOBILITY FOR ALL COLORADANS. THROUGH POLICY RESEARCH AND ANALYSIS, OUTREACH AND COALITION BUILDING, STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS, AND ADVOCACY, WE ADVANCE THREE MAIN GOALS:1.ECONOMIC MOBILITY AND PUBLIC INVESTMENT NARRATIVETHROUGH A SUSTAINED, STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS AND RESEARCH EFFORT, ELEVATE OUR REFRAMED NARRATIVE ON ECONOMIC MOBILITY INTO THE LARGER POLICY CONVERSATION. USE THIS NARRATIVE TO ADVANCE AND DEFEND POLICY GAINS THAT PROMOTE EQUITY IN COLORADOS RELIEF AND RECOVERY, ADVANCE ECONOMIC MOBILITY FOR LOW- AND MODERATE INCOME COLORADANS AND COMMUNITIES OF COLOR, AND DEFINE AND STRENGTHEN THE CASE FOR PUBLIC INVESTMENT, FISCAL REFORM, AND A MORE EQUITABLE TAX SYSTEM.2. FAMILY ECONOMIC SECURITYADVANCE AN ACTIONABLE AGENDA FOR FAMILY ECONOMIC SECURITY FROM AN EQUITY LENS, WITH A FOCUS ON EARLY CARE AND EDUCATION, TWO-GENERATION APPROACHES, HEALTHY AGING, STRENGTHENING, AND PROTECTING SYSTEMS THAT MEET BASIC HUMAN NEEDS, AND FINANCIAL EMPOWERMENT.3.EQUITY IN THE FUTURE OF WORK AND LEARNINGADVANCE OUR ACTIONABLE AGENDA FOR PROMOTING EQUITY AND ECONOMIC MOBILITY IN THE CHANGING WORKFORCE AND POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION ECOSYSTEM, BUILD ON THE STATES LANDMARK PROGRESS ON WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT INNOVATIONS, AND ADDRESS THE CHANGED WORK AND LEARNING LANDSCAPE.2021 ACCOMPLISHMENTS INCLUDED:RELEASED ECONOMIC MOBILITY FOR LOW-INCOME FAMILIES IN COLORADO: THE NEED FOR INCREASED TARGETED PUBLIC INVESTMENT, A REPORT PRODUCED IN CONJUNCTION WITH RESEARCHERS FROM COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY THAT EXAMINES THE IMPACT OF PUBLIC INVESTMENTS ON ECONOMIC MOBILITY.RELEASED THE STATE OF AGING IN COLORADO FIRST-OF-ITS-KIND RESEARCH MEASURING A SET OF INDICATORS OF WELL-BEING FOR OLDER ADULTS AND THEIR FAMILIES AND CAREGIVERS, AS WELL AS THE PREPAREDNESS OF OUR STATES SYSTEMS TO MEET THE NEEDS OF OUR POPULATION AS IT AGES.RELEASED 2021 BALLOT GUIDE IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH, INCLUDING ANALYSIS OF EACH STATEWIDE FISCAL MEASURES IMPACT ON TAX FAIRNESS, RACIAL EQUITY, AND ECONOMIC MOBILITY. HOSTED LIVE BALLOT GUIDE DISCUSSION OF THE THREE MEASURES WITH REPORTERS FROM THE COLORADO SUN.PRODUCED MAKING THE INVISIBLE VISIBLE: A YEAR OF COVID, A SERIES LOOKING AT SPECIFIC EQUITY ISSUES RELATED TO ECONOMIC MOBILITY THAT BECAME MORE EVIDENT DURING THE PANDEMIC. DEVELOPED SEVERAL OTHER RESEARCH BRIEFS AND PRODUCTS, INCLUDING A SERIES OF AGE DISCRIMINATION AND BRIEFS ON COLORADOS REVENUE BASE, HIGHER EDUCATION, AND OTHER KEY ECONOMIC MOBILITY ISSUES.CO-LED SUCCESSFUL ADVOCACY TO INCREASE TAX FAIRNESS, INCREASE THE STATE EARNED INCOME TAX CREDIT, AND FUND THE STATE CHILD TAX CREDIT WHILE CLOSING LOOPHOLES.SUCCESSFULLY ADVOCATED FOR ESTABLISHMENT OF A STATE OFFICE OF FINANCIAL EMPOWERMENT IN THE COLORADO ATTORNEY GENERALS OFFICE.PRODUCED A SERIES OF MATERIALSINCLUDING VIDEOS, BLOGS, VISUAL CONTENT, AND A PODCASTTO HELP COLORADANS UNDERSTAND ECONOMIC MOBILITY AND FISCAL ISSUES.