About NC Policy Watch

NC Policy Watch is a public policy organization with a simple mission: to change the way our elected officials debate the important issues facing North Carolina and, ultimately, to improve the quality of life in the state by convincing state leaders to make the kinds of investments in people and institutions that allow us to address our most pressing problems. NC Policy Watch is an independent project of the NC Justice Center, North Carolina’s leading private, nonprofit anti-poverty organization. The two organizations share the same guiding objective—to bring about social, political and economic justice in North Carolina. NC Policy Watch is principally funded through a grant from the A.J. Fletcher Foundation.

Among the specific issues addressed in this effort are the affordable housing crisis, the state’s shameful HIV/AIDS policy, the lack of resources devoted to health care – especially for the mentally ill, our unacceptable high school dropout rate, the struggles of immigrants in North Carolina, tax fairness, and many others.

NC Policy Watch is also committed to reforming government so that the public can take an active part in these debates. We work to promote lobbying reform, campaign finance reform, and the establishment of an independent commission to draw districts for the General Assembly and Congress.

To advance this ambitious agenda, NC Policy Watch generates a steady flow of timely, accurate and hard-hitting commentaries and analyses that challenge North Carolina leaders to chart a new and better course. Most of our work is accessible on this website including The Fitzsimon File, daily radio commentaries, excerpts from News and Views – our weekly radio show, and Weekly Briefing – our newest newsletter. The staff members of NC Policy Watch speak frequently at forums and events throughout the state and regularly provide insights and expert analysis for various media outlets. Director Chris Fitzsimon is a regular panelist on NC SPIN, a syndicated weekly television talk show about state government and politics.

We also sponsor a regular luncheon series, "Crucial Conversations," which brings prominent state and national leaders together with the community to talk about issues facing the state.