In 2026, the United States will mark an extraordinary milestone: the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Two and a half centuries after 56 delegates put their names to a revolutionary document, Americans will gather to celebrate the principles that made our nation possible: liberty, limited government, and the radical idea that people can govern themselves.

Yet as we approach this 250th celebration of our nation’s birth, some troubling questions emerge: How many Americans truly understand the system of government those Founders created? How many young people can explain the structure of our republic, the rights guaranteed by the Constitution, or the responsibilities that come with citizenship? The evidence suggests that troublingly few can do so.

This civic knowledge deficit represents more than an educational failure—it threatens the very foundation of self-government. The American experiment wasn’t designed to run on autopilot. It requires citizens who understand how their government works, why it was designed that way, and what role they must play in sustaining it.

America’s 250th anniversary offers a unique opportunity to reverse this decline. It’s a moment to look back at what made the Founders’ vision so extraordinary and to recommit ourselves to passing that vision to the next generation.

The Revolutionary Spirit of Local Self-Government

The American Revolution was not, as we sometimes imagine, a single rebellion orchestrated from a central command. It was 13 separate revolts, each rooted in local communities where citizens had practiced self-government for generations. From town halls in Massachusetts to county courthouses in Virginia, Americans had learned to solve problems close to home, hold their leaders accountable, and take responsibility for their communities.

This local spirit of self-governance became the bedrock of American federalism. Our Founders understood that freedom flourishes best when authority remains close to the people, and when citizens can see the connection between their own actions and the health of their communities. That principle animated the Constitution’s careful division of powers between federal and state governments, its protections for local autonomy, and its faith that ordinary citizens could rise to the challenges of self-rule.

Many things have changed in the passing centuries, but the key to renewing civic trust continues to lie not in Washington, DC, but in the towns, schools, and neighborhoods where Americans live.

A New Prize for a New Generation

To mark this historic moment, the State Policy Network is partnering with the Daniels Fund to launch an Ed-Prize category focusing on education in civics. Beginning in 2026, this award program will identify and support innovative approaches to civics education, including programs that cultivate civic literacy, constitutional understanding, and the habits of self-rule that sustain a free people.

The Daniels Fund is a charitable foundation established by cable television pioneer Bill Daniels that provides college scholarships and promotes ethics education while emphasizing free enterprise, individual responsibility, and American values. Their focus on forming citizens of strong character naturally extends to ensuring future generations understand and can defend the American system that makes opportunity possible, making them the perfect partner for this new prize.

This is more than a competition. It’s a pipeline for civic renewal. The civics category will award $60,000 in total prizes to exceptional education entrepreneurs or organizations advancing civics education through curricula, classroom tools, educator training, or community-based models. The winners will be announced at SPN’s 34th Annual Meeting in August 2026.

Teaching Citizens, Not Partisans

America’s deepest challenge is not political polarization but the erosion of self-governance. Restoring civic capacity requires teaching young people how to think as citizens—not what to think politically.

Effective civics education equips students to understand the structure and purpose of American government, the rights and responsibilities of citizenship, and the vision of freedom and responsibility that makes our constitutional system tick. It helps them grasp why the Founders designed our system as they did, how federalism protects liberty by keeping power close to the people, and what it means to participate effectively and civilly in self-government.

A Legacy for the Next 250 Years

The new civics category of Ed-Prize is an investment not just in celebrating our past, but in securing our future. By identifying and amplifying innovative civics programs now, SPN is ensuring that the ideals of 1776—liberty, responsibility, and self-governance—remain alive in the hearts and minds of Americans for generations to come.

As America prepares to celebrate its 250th anniversary, the best way to honor our founding is to renew the civic understanding that makes this great American experiment possible. The new civics category of Ed-Prize represents a commitment to connecting the revolutionary idea of self-rule, born in local communities in 1776, to a new generation of citizens who will inherit and sustain it.

If you are interested in learning more or are seeking to nominate an organization, please contact the Director of LaunchPad Acceleration, Eric Heidenreich, at eheidenreich@spn.org.

It’s for the scoundrels. The offensive. The insensitive, disagreeable, and unpopular.

The First Amendment wasn’t written for our angels (although it protects them too). It was written for the people and the speech that make us uncomfortable, even angry. It’s for the speech that makes power uneasy. Because speech becomes ideas, ideas become actions, and actions threaten power.

But how Americans view free speech and the First Amendment is a swirling storm of opinions, emotions, and attitudes.

And standing firm at the center of that storm is FIRE, the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, an SPN national partner.

The free speech climate over the past few years has been—well, what’s another word for “dumpster fire?” But regardless of the controversy of any given case or cause, FIRE has been the reliable and trustworthy guide, pointing toward the North Star of free speech. FIRE’s humble beginnings took place, fittingly, on a college campus, and fortunately for free speech true believers, their influence and voice have only grown bigger and louder.

Becoming the Warriors

FIRE began with Harvey Silverglate and Alan Kors. Silverglate is a civil liberties attorney and Kors a history professor at the University of Pennsylvania. Even though the two friends were from different sides of the political spectrum, a 1993 incident at University of Pennsylvania turned them into united free speech warriors.

The incident was the “water buffalo case.” In short, U Penn incorrectly charged an undergraduate with racial harassment. (You’re encouraged to google the case to learn the dramatic details.) The case gained national attention and sparked debates about free speech, censorship, and how universities handle racially sensitive issues. The controversy and fallout led Kors and Silverglate to write The Shadow University: The Betrayal of Liberty on America’s Campuses. In the book, they reveal how free speech is viewed, respected (or not), and litigated on college campuses.

The book was popular. But after its 1998 release, something unexpected happened. The two authors started receiving pleas from victims of college crackdowns on free speech around the country—first a few, then dozens, then hundreds. These cries for help inspired Silverglate and Kors to found FIRE (then called the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education) in 1999. The organization provided support for students and faculty being persecuted for their speech. Its work consisted of public education campaigns, individual case advocacy, policy reform efforts, and lobbying for civil liberties protections in state and federal legislatures.

But as the organization grew, the need for it grew even faster. Alisha Glennon, FIRE’s chief operating officer, recounts, “For years, people asked us, ‘When is FIRE going to expand its work beyond colleges?’ And we always responded by saying, ‘There’s so much work happening on campus, we want to be focused. When the time is right, we’ll know.’”

Cue a global pandemic and national political reckoning.

Standing Still

Throughout the 2000s and 2010s, FIRE’s influence steadily grew, as it defended students and faculty against illiberal speech codes, unconstitutional speech restrictions, and misguided movements against free speech and free association.

Then, in 2020, COVID-19 shutdowns mixed with a national debate on race and political injustice.

Gasoline, meet match.

As Glennon explains, “2020 came along and we were busier than we’ve ever been in our history. People are getting in trouble for almost anything to do with COVID, anything having to do with racial expression. And we realized we couldn’t achieve our mission if we could only fight battles on campus. A lot of what we were seeing was creeping off campus into society at large. So we started to plan for expansion and in June 2022, we publicly announced FIRE’s new name, the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, and new communication and litigation campaigns.”

Much of FIRE’s work is still, and will always be, focused on defending and strengthening free speech on college campuses. Its annual Free Speech Rankings and Campus Free Speech Guides have become powerful tools for university students. FIRE’s curricula give students and educators trustworthy lessons on the history of free speech, free expression, and potentially sensitive or controversial materials. Additionally, 24/7 hotlines for students and faculty offer support and guidance to teachers, students, and student journalists who need help defending their free speech rights.

But as any knowledgeable free speech champion will tell you, First Amendment rights and a free speech culture aren’t always one and the same. Glennon explains, “We need to be able to walk and chew gum at the same time. We need to keep the starch in the First Amendment but also build this culture of people demanding free speech and expecting it of their institutions.”

Looking at the results, FIRE is walking and chewing gum just fine. FIRE’s presence in the media and online is bigger than ever. And First Amendment victories are setting critical precedents for free speech in state and federal courts.

No case is too big or small. For example, FIRE won a case in the small Michigan town of Eastpointe, vindicating residents against a mayor who wouldn’t allow any public criticism of her performance. FIRE was also victorious in Vermont, where a state trooper abused his authority and arrested (and later retaliated against) a motorist who insulted him. And the organization is currently suing Secretary of State Marco Rubio, challenging two federal immigration law provisions that give him unchecked power to revoke legal immigrants’ visas and deport them for protected speech.

FIRE also produced the feature-length documentary Mighty Ira: A Civil Liberties Story about free speech trailblazer Ira Glasser. In addition to its engaging First Amendment series of documentary shorts on YouTube, 1AX, FIRE regularly publishes persuasive op-eds in the country’s largest newspapers, discusses and debates free speech issues on the So to Speak podcast, and engages daily with followers—and detractors—online.

As Glennon describes it, “FIRE is like this tree with really strong roots, and we’re just holding steady while everything is spinning around us. You have these cultural winds and these political winds. You have power changing hands and different trends. Whether it’s COVID and George Floyd, Israel and Palestine, or Charlie Kirk’s murder, the winds of culture and politics is always present and will always change and ebb and flow. But we just stand firm in this free speech principle. And sometimes the hardest place to stay is standing still.”

Always Fight

There are angels who need to be protected against the censors and the powerful.

FIRE fights for them.

There are miscreants, degenerates, and misfits who need to be protected from systems and societies who deem their speech unspeakable.

FIRE fights for them.

FIRE fights for free speech and expression because both will always need protection—and FIRE is really good at that. But more than anything, FIRE protects free speech and free expression because today’s angels could be tomorrow’s scoundrels.

And FIRE will fight for them today, tomorrow, and always.

“Liberty is the ideal most deeply embedded in this nation’s heart, and supporting it is, for me, the most natural thing in the world.”

The business world, free-market movement, and SPN have been forever changed by Karen Buchwald Wright, who passed away on October 15, 2025. Born on the Fourth of July in Mount Vernon, Ohio, Karen embodied the American spirit of entrepreneurship, liberty, and service throughout her life.

State Policy Network is profoundly grateful for Karen Wright’s unwavering dedication and distinguished service as a member of our board of directors. Her generous championing of sound energy policy provided crucial support for market-based approaches in an increasingly contested policy landscape. More than a decade ago, Karen’s exceptional grasp of federalism principles helped lay the foundation for SPN’s emergence as the premier voice for state-based solutions we are recognized as today. Through her steadfast commitment to federalism, free markets, and limited government, Karen strengthened the Durable Freedom Infrastructure in ways that will continue to advance liberty for generations to come.

As CEO and chair of the Ariel Corporation from 2001 to 2021, Karen transformed her father’s basement startup into the world’s leading manufacturer of natural gas compressors. Under her visionary leadership, Ariel Corporation produced nearly 70,000 compressors shipped to more than 100 countries and competed successfully against global giants while maintaining its family-owned character and 100-percent American-made production. Karen proved that principled leadership and business excellence go hand in hand.

Karen’s philanthropic vision was equally transformative. Through the Ariel Foundation, established by Karen in 2009, more than $98 million has been invested in 700-plus local projects, revitalizing her hometown. What was once a community scarred by economic decline has become a thriving hub of opportunity, complete with community centers, educational programs, parks, museums, and a bustling downtown. Her belief was simple but powerful: help people help themselves, and help each other in a way that government won’t—and often can’t.

Beyond Mount Vernon, Karen’s generosity touched education, cancer research, historic preservation, and the organizations advancing free-market principles. Karen supported many SPN state and national partners over the years, and these liberty-advancing institutions reflected her deep conviction that free markets, individual initiative, and limited government create the conditions for human flourishing.

But, above all her accomplishments as a CEO, philanthropist, and civic leader, Karen’s greatest wish was to be remembered as a mother. Running a global manufacturing company while raising her four sons couldn’t have been easy, but Karen took it all in stride, citing her parenting experience as her prime source of CEO preparedness. When her son Hunter battled cancer, Karen fought desperately to help him while simultaneously battling her own cancer recurrence. After his passing in 2021, Karen continued her own fight in his memory.

Throughout this, Karen led with integrity and grace. Her legacy endures in the institutions she strengthened, the hometown she revitalized, and the people she inspired. She carried a deep reverence for America as a gift to be cherished and protected, and she gave that gift back many times over through her life of purpose, generosity, and principled leadership.

State Policy Network and the freedom movement have lost a champion. We are honored to have worked alongside her and are committed to advancing the causes Karen held so dearly.

SPN’s first Annual Meeting consisted of a handful of state policy leaders, and they all fit in a single conference room in a Colorado Springs hotel. Three decades later, Annual Meeting has emerged as the nation’s premier event for state-level leaders looking to secure lasting change.

Annual Meeting is not just another work conference. It’s a time for state and national groups to come together to address concerns in their communities and brainstorm solutions. This August, we welcomed more than 1,600 state and national leaders from at least 600 organizations representing all 50 states, Puerto Rico, and Washington, DC, to our 33rd Annual Meeting in New Orleans, Louisiana, for a time of strategy and celebration.

Inspiring Leaders to Fight for Freedom

Each day of Annual Meeting, prominent speakers from both inside and outside of our Network share successes and lessons they’ve learned. These keynote speakers tell stories and offer insights that Network leaders take back to their states to advance local solutions and expand freedom.

Building a Durable Freedom Infrastructure

Three Network CEOs, Jim Stergios (Pioneer Institute), Will Swaim (California Policy Center), and Daniel Erspamer (Pelican Institute for Public Policy) joined our mainstage to talk about their state’s Durable Freedom Infrastructure (DFI) and how it has accelerated the work they’re doing in their states.

Each state has its own unique landscape culturally, geographically, and politically, making one-size-fits-all approaches to policy ineffective. That’s why our partner organizations tailor the DFI to their specific contexts and challenges. Despite these varied approaches, the outcome remains consistent: Organizations emerge better positioned to weather political storms and secure enduring wins for future generations.

The Secret to Happiness and Policy Success

Harvard professor and best-selling author Arthur Brooks took the stage to talk about the secret of happiness and why it’s key to the policy movement and our Network’s role in bringing liberty to the nation at the state level.

Happiness is more than a feeling. As Brooks explains, it’s a combination of enjoyment, satisfaction, and meaning in your life. Without even one of these three pillars, it may be impossible to find your way to happiness. Our Network champions policy solutions that tear down governmental barriers to those looking to create their own happiness.

“That’s why you’ve come here to celebrate what you do and get to know your peers,” said Brooks. “You truly are serving your nation and truly are serving your communities. That’s why SPN is so critically important. Your individual organizations are at the center of what we desperately need in this country.”

Understanding the Strings Attached to Federal Funding

We also welcomed three state leaders to our main stage to discuss the importance of states keeping a critical eye on federal funding and the strings attached. Utah State Representative Ken Ivory, Indiana State Comptroller Elise Nieshalla, and Tennessee State Representative Cameron Sexton each shared how their states are protecting self-governance by resisting unnecessary federal influence.

As federal funding becomes a larger share of state budgets, many state lawmakers have turned a blind eye to the strings attached. The more states rely on Washington, the harder it becomes to maintain fiscal independence and prepare for future budget crises. Reassessing the true impact of federal funds is no longer optional— it’s essential.

Celebrating the Success of Our Network

Annual Meeting is not only a time to plan, it’s also a chance to celebrate the state leaders and policy wins that are transforming communities across the country.

The Bob Williams Awards for Outstanding Policy Achievement

Named after policy maven Bob Williams, these awards celebrate the best and brightest work happening in our Network. While SPN selects the finalists, the winners are chosen by Annual Meeting attendees so that each winner has rightly earned validation from their peers.

• Most Influential Research: Iowans for Tax Relief, Shining Light on Education Spending and Waste
• Best Issue Campaign: Opportunity Arkansas, Saving Education Freedom in Arkansas
• Best State-Based Litigation: Beacon Center of Tennessee, Ending Nashville’s Stormwater Capacity Fee
• Biggest Home State Win: Empower Mississippi and Mississippi Center for Public Policy, Phasing out Mississippi’s Income Tax
• Biggest Win for Freedom: Palmetto Promise Institute, Giving Hope to South Carolina Students

Communications Excellence Awards

Crafting sound policy isn’t enough on its own; winning hearts and minds is necessary to turn ideas into action. The Communications Excellence Awards celebrate our Network affiliates who are leading the way with innovative communications strategies that raise awareness and drive policy change.

• Excellence in Storytelling: John Locke Foundation, “A Letter to the King” Mini-documentary
• Innovation in Marketing: Grassroot Institute of Hawaii, Ohana Voices AI Platform
• Marketing Campaign of the Year: Beacon Center of Tennessee, Tennessee Together for Every Student

Thomas A. Roe Award

Named after SPN’s late founder Thomas Roe, the Roe Award celebrates those in the state public policy movement whose achievements have greatly advanced free-market philosophy and policy solutions.

This year’s winner is the president and CEO of the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs, Jonathan Small.

Big things are happening in Oklahoma thanks to the efforts of the OCPA team under Jonathan’s leadership. Jonathan has grown OCPA into a multipronged powerhouse with several of the strategic pillars found in the DFI. In 2024, a coordinated campaign between OCPA and People for Opportunity removed a sitting Oklahoma Supreme Court Justice during a retention election—an unprecedented act of long-needed judicial reform in the state.

The Inaugural Institute for Justice and State Policy Network Mellor Prize

To honor the legacy of Chip Mellor, co-founder and former president of the Institute for Justice, SPN and the Institute for Justice launched the Mellor Prize to recognize teams of litigators and advocates securing significant litigation victories that hold government officials accountable, advocate for civil society and the rule of law, and help the most vulnerable among us who are least able to fight back against injustice.

The inaugural Mellor Prize was awarded to the New Civil Liberties Alliance (NCLA) for groundbreaking work at the US Supreme Court.

NCLA’s efforts led to the overturning of the Chevron deference, a decades-old precedent that allowed bureaucrats to interpret the law. Thanks to NCLA’s victory, the judiciary has been restored to its rightful role—ensuring that it is the courts, not unelected bureaucrats, who decide what the law means.

Our Annual Meeting demonstrates the vital role that state level policy organizations play in advancing liberty and effective governance across America. From celebrating pioneering victories to recognizing innovative approaches to education reform and fiscal responsibility, this gathering showcases how local leaders are creating lasting change in their communities. Attendees return home equipped with ideas, connections, and momentum to drive lasting policy victories in their states.

The diversity of achievements honored—from litigation wins to communications excellence—illustrates that the path to meaningful policy reform requires multiple approaches, sustained effort, and the kind of collaborative spirit that makes Annual Meeting an essential catalyst for the freedom movement nationwide.

The federal debt just surged past $38 trillion, and while Congress keeps spending into oblivion, the real reckoning will land in the states and our communities. That’s because dependence on Washington has been rising over decades and even now, after trillions in pandemic spending, the flow of federal dollars into some state budgets is still expanding.

New research from SPN’s Center for Practical Federalism (CPF) shows that, on average, states rely on Washington for 37 percent of their budgets. Amazingly, 23 states receive more federal money than they did during the height of COVID relief spending.

In a recent piece in Governing, CPF Senior Fellow Tony Woodlief contrasted the sovereignty clauses in state constitutions with their penchant for handouts, noting that “it’s hard to believe that any citizenry substantially dependent on federal money maintains the ‘exclusive right of governing themselves as a free and sovereign state.’” Instead of independence, many states now orbit Washington akin to 20th-century Soviet satellite states behind the Iron Curtain.

Fueled also by federal grants and expanding Medicaid match rates, states continue to lap up federal funding, paying little mind to the strings attached or even considering all the authority they are ceding to Washington. The problem? The windfall of all these dollars not only exacerbates the dependence crisis, but further frays the fabric of American self-government gifted to us by our forebears.

The warning signs are even more pronounced after the passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill, more government shutdown fights, and the tragic realities of our federal debt.

One of the clearest examples involves the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Under the One Big Beautiful Bill, Washington is shifting more costs to the states. This includes a new administrative cost-sharing agreement and penalties in the form of higher shared benefits costs for states that have a SNAP payment error rate of 6 percent or higher, setting the stage for serious budget pressures going forward.

Forty-two states currently exceed that 6-percent error threshold for SNAP, putting them on the hook for hundreds of millions in new costs if they can’t bring their rates down. And since states must balance their budgets, those dollars will have to come from other earmarked funds.

The intent is good; requiring more accountability will push states to root out waste, fraud, and abuse in the programs. However, the reality is that most states aren’t ready.

That’s where the real risk lies. As federal money tightens, states could be forced to make painful choices, cutting funding from key reforms like tax relief, school choice, or other popular programs to cover rising entitlement costs. Many of the tax cuts and reforms to education, like Education Savings Accounts, are only a few years old with shallow roots. Without action, the very policies that made states competitive and free could be the first casualties of Washington’s spending crisis.

In a rush to balance budgets, the reforms that our Network has worked so hard to achieve could be among the first on the chopping block. Future tax cuts are particularly vulnerable because some states have triggers that roll them back due to revenue misses.

Debates over what to potentially gut will be intense. Well-connected interests will move quickly to shield their funding, often aggressively pushing tax hikes rather than responsible budgeting. Likewise, those who oppose tax relief, education choice, and similar reforms will attempt to use this moment to reverse the momentous gains of recent years. Unless lawmakers stay focused, states could see their hard-won advantages slip away.

This is where our Center for Practical Federalism and Network can help.

CPF is already working with state legislative champions and

network experts, such as the Alliance for Opportunity and

the Foundation for Government Accountability, to ensure

that states are prepared to navigate these changes, rid their

SNAP programs of fraud, and budget accordingly.

CPF’s message to federalism champions is simple: Now is

the time to hardwire policies that reduce dependency on

Washington and strengthen state resilience.

Across the country, legislators

are leading the way. Tennessee

and Oregon, for instance, now

require legislative approval

before state agencies can

even apply for or accept

federal funds, ensuring elected

representatives, not unelected

bureaucrats, weigh the costs

and conditions.

Other states are building fiscal

guardrails of their own. Utah,

Nebraska, and Ohio require

agencies to plan for the potential

loss of federal dollars, while

Utah, Tennessee, and Oklahoma now compel agencies to

disclose federal education guidance to legislators, shining

light on the “dark matter” of policymaking that too often

operates without public debate.

These reforms don’t just prepare states for fiscal

uncertainty; they represent a return to authentic

federalism, where states reclaim control of their budgets,

their priorities, and ultimately, their future.

Real federalism isn’t a relic of the past but the blueprint for

America’s renewal. The path forward depends on states

willing to reassert their sovereignty, budget responsibly,

and model the self-government that Washington

has abandoned. By reducing dependency, restoring

transparency, and reaffirming accountability to their

citizens, states can once again become laboratories of

freedom rather than mere satellites of centralized power.

In a political landscape dominated by media headlines of gridlock in Washington, DC, a quiet revolution is unfolding in state capitols across America. It’s up to state-level leaders to lead the charge on behalf of all Americans.

In the most recent episode of America at Its Best, recorded in New Orleans at our 33rd Annual Meeting, Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds explains that the secret weapon isn’t just bold leadership—it’s the powerful combination of competitive drive and collaborative learning that defines the state policy movement.

When Governor Reynolds took office, the state’s individual income tax stood at nearly 9 percent. Today, it’s a flat 3.8 percent. The corporate tax is slated to drop from 12 to 5.5 percent once certain criteria are met. Perhaps most impressive, however, is Reynolds’ elimination of government bloat. During her time as governor, the state government has been streamlined from 37 cabinet agencies down to just 16, and 4,000 regulations have been eliminated—saving taxpayers $250 million—all while expanding educational opportunity through universal school choice.

These achievements didn’t happen in isolation. They emerged from a dynamic ecosystem where governors watch their peers adopt successful policies, and push each other to go further.

“We’re always watching and seeing what other states are doing,” Reynolds explained. “And then we take that back to our state and we adapt it to meet the needs in our state.”

Looking Ahead

As we approach another election cycle, Reynolds’ message to advocates is clear: Use your state’s competitive nature to your advantage. When meeting with governors about policy reforms, mention what other states have already accomplished.

“Because of that competitiveness, I can guarantee you that a governor is going to reach out to their chief of staff or their team and say, ‘Why aren’t we doing this?’”

The laboratories of liberty are working. States are proving that limited government, parental empowerment, and regulatory reform aren’t just theoretical ideals—they’re achievable realities that improve people’s lives. With organizations like SPN affiliate Iowans for Tax Relief and the broader SPN Network providing research, strategy, and support, governors have the tools they need to deliver transformational change.

Reynolds puts it simply: “Keep providing that data. Keep being a partner. That helps us get the things thatare important to you done.”

The Power of Partnership

Critical to state-level success is the partnership between state lawmakers and SPN affiliates. A prime example of this synergy in action is Reynolds’ collaboration with Iowans for Tax Relief (ITR).

“To have a respected resource like Iowans for Tax Relief that can help provide the data, that can educate the legislators, that can be a partner in helping us really drive pro-growth opportunities is so beneficial to have them as part of the solution,” said Reynolds.

When Iowa pursued its historic tax reforms, ITR provided the research and education to move bold legislation across the finish line.

This model—state-based think tanks working alongside elected leaders—multiplies effectiveness. Reynolds emphasized that these partnerships go beyond mere data provision and are key to educating lawmakers.

Reynolds’ journey to universal school choice offers a masterclass in political courage and strategic timing. After two years of legislative roadblocks, she took the unconventional step of primarying nine Republican colleagues who opposed school choice. Eight of the nine races flipped, and the ninth legislator was “on board the next day.”

With a newly aligned Legislature, Reynolds moved with purpose. She introduced the bill during her Condition of the State address, launched an immediate public campaign, and signed universal school choice into law within three weeks. The speed was intentional—legislators needed to vote before opposition had time to organize.

The results speak for themselves. Iowa now offers universal Education Savings Accounts, enhanced open enrollment, expanded charter schools, and robust homeschooling options.

“Competition is a good thing, and it was absent in education,” noted Reynolds. “It drives innovation. It makes us better.”

The State Solution

While Washington, DC, may capture headlines, the real work of restoring liberty and prosperity is happening in capitals from Des Moines to Austin to Tallahassee. As voters head to the polls in the coming year, they’ll have the chance to elect leaders who understand what Governor Reynolds has proven: that states aren’t merely administrative units, but laboratories where bold ideas become proven policies, where competition breeds excellence, and where collaboration amplifies success. The Founders designed our federal system precisely for this purpose—so states could experiment, innovate, and learn from one another while keeping power close to the people. Thanks to our 50-state Network and governors willing to lead, that vision is alive and delivering results for millions of Americans. The question isn’t whether states can solve America’s challenges—Iowa and dozens of others have already shown they can. The question is whether state leaders will seize this opportunity.

Our Network of 64 independent state think tanks plays a vital role in society by providing reliable research, analysis, and education to help lawmakers develop and advance policies that serve their communities. For more information, click here.

If you are interested in viewing a copy of the latest updates from our affiliates, please download the full issue, or contact Taylor Anderson at tanderson@spn.org.

Alabama
Alabama Policy Institute

Alaska
Alaska Policy Forum

Arizona
AZ Liberty Network
Goldwater Institute

Arkansas
Arkansas Policy Foundation
Opportunity Arkansas

California
California Policy Center
Pacific Research Institute

Colorado
Independence Institute

Connecticut
Yankee Institute for Public Policy

Delaware
Caesar Rodney Institute

Florida
Foundation for Government Accountability
The James Madison Institute

Georgia
Georgia Center for Opportunity
Georgia Public Policy Foundation

Hawaii
Grassroot Institute of Hawaii

Idaho
Idaho Freedom Foundation
Mountain States Policy Center

Illinois
Illinois Policy Institute

Indiana
Indiana Policy Review Foundation

Iowa
Iowans for Tax Relief

Kansas
Kansas Policy Institute

Kentucky
Bluegrass Institute

Louisiana
Pelican Institute for Public Policy

Maine
Maine Policy Institute

Massachusetts
Pioneer Institute

Michigan
Mackinac Center for Public Policy

Minnesota
Center of the American Experiment
Freedom Foundation of Minnesota

Mississippi
Empower Mississippi Foundation
Mississippi Center for Public Policy

Missouri
Show-Me Institute

Montana
Frontier Institute

Nebraska
Platte Institute for Economic Research

Nevada
Nevada Policy

New Hampshire
Josiah Bartlett Center

New Jersey
Garden State Initiative
New Jersey Policy Institute

New Mexico
Rio Grande Foundation

New York
Empire Center

North Carolina
John Locke Foundation

North Dakota
Roughrider Institute

Ohio
The Buckeye Institute

Oklahoma
Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs

Oregon
Cascade Policy Institute

Pennsylvania
Commonwealth Foundation

Rhode Island
Rhode Island Center for Freedom & Prosperity

South Carolina
Palmetto Promise Institute
South Carolina Policy Council

South Dakota
Great Plains Public Policy Institute

Tennessee
Beacon Center of Tennessee

Texas
Texas Public Policy Foundation

Utah
Libertas Institute
Sutherland Institute

Virginia
Thomas Jefferson Institute for Public Policy
Virginia Institute for Public Policy

Washington
Freedom Foundation
Washington Policy Center

West Virginia
Cardinal Institute for West Virginia Policy

Wisconsin
Badger Institute
Institute for Reforming Government
MacIver Institute for Public Policy
Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty

Wyoming
Wyoming Liberty Group

Thank you to our national parters who work with us to advance freedom across the country in key areas including education, law, free speech, energy and the environment, and tax reform.

1851 Center for Constitutional Law
50CAN
Abundance Institute
Accuracy in Media
Acton Institute
AMAC Action
America’s Future
America First Policy Institute
American Conservative Union
American Consumer Institute
American Council of Trustees and Alumni
American Dream Legal
American Enterprise Institute
American Institute for Economic Research
American Juris Link
American Legislative Exchange Council
Americans for Fair Treatment
Americans for Prosperity
Americans for Tax Reform
Archbridge Institute
Arizona Free Enterprise Club
Association of American Educators Foundation
Atlas Network
Bill of Rights Institute
Capital Research Center
Cato Institute
Centennial Institute
Center for Education Reform
Center for Independent Employees
Center for Independent Thought
Center for Individual Rights
Center for Latino Leadership
Children’s Scholarship Fund
Cicero Institute
Citizen Action Defense Fund
Citizens Against Government Waste
Citizens Council for Health Freedom
Coalition for Liberty
Common Sense Institute
Commonwealth Partners Chamber of Entrepreneurs
Competitive Enterprise Institute
Do No Harm
DonorsTrust
EdChoice
Energy & Environment Legal Institute
ExcelinEd
Federalist Society
Fiscal Alliance Foundation
Forge Leadership Network
Foundation for Economic Education Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE)
Franklin News Foundation
Fraser Institute
Free the People
Free to Choose Network
Goodman Institute for Public Policy Research
Heartland Institute
Independent Institute
Independent Women’s Forum
Inspired Life
Institute for Family Studies
Institute for Free Speech
Institute for Humane Studies
Institute for Justice
Institute for Policy Innovation
Institute for the American Worker
Institute of Economic Affairs
Instituto de Libertad Economica
Jersey 1st
Judicial Watch
Kentucky Forum for Rights, Economics and Education
Leadership Institute
Lexandria
Libertarian Policy Foundation
Liberty Justice Center
Louisiana Family Forum
Lucy Burns Institute
Ludlow Institute
Magnolia Tribune Institute
Manhattan Institute for Policy Research
Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance
Media Research Center
Mercatus Center
Middle Resolution Policy Foundation
Millennial Debt Foundation
Mountain States Legal Foundation
Napa Legal Institute
National Review Institute
National Right to Work Legal Defense & Education Foundation Inc.
National School Choice Awareness Foundation
National Taxpayers Union Foundation
New Civil Liberties Alliance
North Carolina FreeEnterprise Foundation
Opportunity for All Kids
Pacific Legal Foundation
People United for Privacy Foundation
Property & Environment Research Center (PERC)
Philanthropy Roundtable
Prison Fellowship
Project 42
Reason Foundation
Reformers Academy
Respect America
R Street Institute
Save Our States
Southeastern Legal Foundation
Speech First
Stand Together Trust
Steamboat Institute
Students for Liberty
Tax Foundation
The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty
The Center for Growth and Opportunity at Utah State University
The College Fix
The Foundation for American Innovation
The Free State Foundation
The Fund for American Studies
The Heritage Foundation
The James G. Martin Center for Academic Renewal
The Jesse Helms Center
The Policy Circle
True Charity
Truth in Accounting
Upper Midwest Law Center
Young America’s Foundation
Young Americans for Liberty
Young Voices