What Colorado Fiscal Institute does

Colorado Fiscal Institute (CFI) is a Denver-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2011 that conducts nonpartisan fiscal and economic policy research, strategic communications, and advocacy focused on the State of Colorado. Its mission is to advance people-centered economic and fiscal policies that address income and racial inequality, with issue coverage spanning taxes, TABOR, state and federal budgets, housing, workers' rights, immigration, and environmental justice. The organization serves Colorado legislators, community-based organizations, grassroots advocates, and the general public, and explicitly identifies the Colorado General Assembly as a primary beneficiary of its nonpartisan policy analysis during legislative sessions.

CFI's core product portfolio includes The Purple Book (a Colorado fiscal policy compendium now in its 7th edition with a $25 suggested donation), the quarterly JobsWatch Report, the Forecast Five analysis series, ballot and voter-education guides (including Count Me In), TABOR reform resources, Policy Basics primers, an annual Legislative Scorecard, the Tax Ambassador Program (a six-module train-the-trainer course), and the Vision 2076 long-horizon civic engagement platform. All content is bilingual (English and Spanish via es.coloradofiscal.org), distributed through a multi-channel strategy spanning the organization's website, social media (Facebook, Instagram, Bluesky, TikTok), an email newsletter, video library, in-person events such as the annual Bars & Graphs, legislative briefings, and earned media coverage. CFI operates from a single headquarters at 110 16th Street Mall, Suite 1410, Denver.

CFI's business model is donation- and grant-based; revenue is not publicly disclosed. Disclosed financial allocation indicates 93% of spending on program services, 4% on administration, and 3% on fundraising. The organization holds core memberships in two national affiliate networks — the State Priorities Partnership (40+ state policy organizations, coordinated by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities) and the Economic Analysis and Research Network (EARN, ~60 organizations in 44 states plus DC, coordinated by the Economic Policy Institute) — and is a member of the Protect Colorado's Future Coalition, which unites 80+ Colorado organizations around fairer state tax policy. Leadership includes Executive Director and Founder Kathy White, Deputy Director Esther Turcios, Outreach Director Caitlin Schneider, Senior Economist Chris Stiffler, and a board chaired by Tiana Patterson.

Name

Colorado Fiscal Institute

Legal name

Colorado Fiscal Institute

Website

https://coloradofiscal.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Colorado Fiscal Institute is a Denver-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2011 that conducts nonpartisan fiscal and economic policy research, advocacy, and strategic communications for Colorado legislators, community organizations, and the public.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Policy Research and Advocacy

NAICS

Public Finance Activities (921130), Administration of Economic Programs (9261), Administration of Housing Programs, Urban Planning, and Community Development (925)

akta.pro primary industry

Budgeting & Fiscal Planning (BPAIAEAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

State/Provincial Treasury, Budget & Fiscal Management (BPAIABAC)

Keywords

• Fiscal policy research
• State budget analysis
• Tax policy advocacy
• Nonprofit policy research
• Economic policy analysis

Headquarters

HQ city

Denver

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: CFI is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that relies on donations of all sizes to fund its operations. The organization provides independent, accessible fiscal policy research and analysis to policymakers, community leaders, and residents.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Colorado Fiscal Institute is an independent, nonpartisan nonprofit that conducts equity-focused research, strategic communications, and advocacy on Colorado's tax, budget, and economic policies. It publishes flagship resources such as The Purple Book, JobsWatch reports, Forecast Five analyses, and a legislative scorecard; delivers voter and ballot education tools; runs a community training program (Tax Ambassador); and operates the Vision 2076 civic engagement platform.

Product overview

Colorado Fiscal Institute is a nonprofit policy research organization offering a suite of educational and engagement resources focused on Colorado fiscal and economic policy. The organization provides publications (The Purple Book, JobsWatch Reports, Forecast Five analyses), voter education tools (Ballot Guides, Count Me In), training programs (Tax Ambassador Program), and engagement platforms (Vision 2076). These products serve policymakers, advocates, community leaders, and residents to understand and participate in Colorado's tax, budget, and economic policy decisions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• The Purple Book A Colorado compendium of useful fiscal facts serving as a layperson's guide to state tax and budget policy for legislators, local leaders, and community advocates.
• JobsWatch Quarterly Report Quarterly report providing insights into Colorado's workforce and economy, analyzing employment trends, wage growth, and their impacts on working people.
• Forecast Five Regular analysis breaking down Colorado's latest fiscal trends, highlighting numbers that matter most for communities and policymakers.
• Ballot Guides Nonpartisan, objective ballot education resources providing information on every measure on the ballot for Colorado voters.
• TABOR Reform Resources Resources explaining Colorado's Taxpayer's Bill of Rights (TABOR), its fiscal impact, and advocacy efforts for reform.
• Video Library Collection of videos explaining Colorado state budget, taxes, TABOR, and fiscal policies in accessible formats including TABOR in 1, 2, 3, and 10 minute segments.
• Policy Basics Resources including Colorado Budget Basics, Tax Basics, TABOR Basics, and Federal Budget primers explaining fiscal policy fundamentals.
• Legislative Scorecard Annual scorecard tracking how lawmakers voted on key fiscal policy bills, providing a record of support for tax fairness and revenue reforms.
• Tax Ambassador Program Six-module train-the-trainer course teaching Colorado's tax code, fiscal constraints, and communication tools for community education.
• Vision 2076 Online civic engagement platform allowing Coloradans to share ideas and help shape a long-term vision for Colorado's future across all communities.
• Count Me In Nonpartisan ballot education resource partnering with communities statewide to share plain-language information on ballot decisions.

Quantifiable outcome

• Family Affordability Tax Credit cut child poverty by 37%
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, key, flagship and minor.

• State Priorities Partnership (SPP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCFI is a member of the State Priorities Partnership, a network of over 40 state-level nonprofit policy organizations working for equitable, responsible, and sustainable budget, tax, and economic policies. The network is coordinated at the national level by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities in Washington, D.C.
• Center on Budget and Policy PrioritiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational organization that coordinates the State Priorities Partnership network. Provides technical support and resources to state-level fiscal policy organizations including CFI.
• Economic Analysis and Research Network (EARN)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCFI is an active member of EARN, a nationwide network of research, policy, and advocacy organizations fighting state by state for an economy that works for everyone. The network includes nearly 60 organizations in 44 states and DC and is coordinated by the Economic Policy Institute.
• Mile High ConnectskeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerCFI partnered with Mile High Connects on transit affordability efforts. Their sophisticated research and analysis propelled the organization's work forward.
• Protect Colorado's Future CoalitionflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCFI is a member of this diverse coalition of community, grassroots, and policy organizations working to enact a fairer tax code that enables the state to invest in education, child care, and health care. The coalition includes over 80 Colorado organizations.
• Count Me InkeyGTM or Marketing PartnerCFI supports Count Me In, a nonpartisan, objective ballot education resource that partners with communities across Colorado to share resources on ballot decisions.
• Just Vote ColoradominorGTM or Marketing PartnerReferral partner for voter resources and election protection information available in multiple languages.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Center on Budget and Policy Priorities: National fiscal-policy organization that coordinates the State Priorities Partnership network of which CFI is a member. Operates at a much larger scale than CFI but performs the same core function: nonpartisan fiscal and budget analysis in service of equitable tax and budget policy.
• Economic Policy Institute: National think tank coordinating the EARN network, which CFI actively participates in. Comparable in mission (equitable economic policy research and advocacy) and methodological orientation (data-driven analysis), but at a national scale.

Direct peers

• Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy: National nonprofit focused on tax policy research, including state-level tax analysis. Highly comparable to CFI's TABOR and tax-code reform work; functions as a research partner rather than a direct competitor due to differing geographies.
• California Budget & Policy Center: State-level fiscal policy research and advocacy organization for California — the closest structural analog to CFI in another large, fiscally complex state. Produces similar research products (budget primers, tax analysis, scorecards) for state legislators and advocates.
• Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center: State-level fiscal policy organization producing budget and tax analysis for Massachusetts. Direct model-match to CFI: small nonprofit, equity-focused research, legislative engagement, and public education on state fiscal issues.
• Oregon Center for Public Policy: Oregon's independent fiscal research nonprofit focused on tax, budget, and economic policy for low- and middle-income households. Near-perfect structural twin to CFI in scope, mission, and operational model.
• Minnesota Budget Project: Statewide fiscal policy research and analysis project under the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits. Operates with the same model as CFI — research, analysis, and advocacy on state tax and budget issues for working families.
• DC Fiscal Policy Institute: Washington D.C.-based fiscal policy research and advocacy organization. Mirrors CFI's mission and product mix (budget analysis, tax policy, equity framing) at sub-national scale.
• New Mexico Voices for Children: New Mexico's child and family policy advocacy organization with a strong fiscal and budget research function (KIDS COUNT, budget analyses). Comparable in scope of fiscal work to CFI, though broader in policy scope.
• Hawaii Appleseed: Hawaii-based policy and fiscal research nonprofit focused on economic equity, housing, and tax fairness. Closely comparable to CFI in mission (equity-driven fiscal policy), delivery model (research + advocacy), and small-staff scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/ColoradoFiscalInstitute
• Instagraminstagram.com/coloradofiscalinstitute
• TikToktiktok.com/@coloradofiscalinstitute
• Xx.com/coloradofiscal
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/colorado-fiscal-institute

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles22 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Colorado Fiscal Institute