Manchester Ink Link – December 2, 2024
CONCORD, NH – The New Hampshire Fiscal Policy Institute’s 9th Annual Budget and Policy Conference will be held on Friday, December 6, 2024, at the Grappone Conference Center in Concord. The event will bring together nearly 400 of New Hampshire’s policymakers, community and business leaders, educators, journalists, and concerned residents. “The New Hampshire State Budget is one of the most important things that affect residents’ lives. It is more than just a spreadsheet on the website; it deeply impacts the life of everyone,” says Gene Martin, NHFPI Executive Director. “Our conference will provide attendees with nonpartisan insights into the composition of the State Budget, how it’s funded, and how issues such as child care, housing, economic security, health, public education, demographics, and the workforce all interconnect.”
Breakout sessions will feature NH DHHS Commissioner Lori Weaver, NH DOE School Finance Bureau Administrator Mark Manganiello, NH Housing Manager of Community Engagement & Education Sarah Wrightsman, UNH Carsey School Research Assistant Professor Jess Carson, and
To see the full agenda and register, visit nhfpi.org/conference.
NHFPI’s 9th Annual Budget and Policy Conference schedule includes:
State Budget Primer
Attendees will gain a foundational understanding of the process and timeline of the New Hampshire State Budget. NHFPI Staff will recap some key policy changes during the 2024-25 State Budget and look ahead to the 2026-27 State Budget environment.
NH DHHS Priorities for 2025 & Beyond
The NH Department of Health and Human Services has released its Roadmap 2024-2025, outlining initiatives and goals to advance key priorities for the upcoming fiscal year and beyond. NH DHHS Commissioner Lori Weaver will discuss those priorities and participate in a discussion with NHFPI Executive Director Gene Martin before taking questions from attendees.
How Public Education is Funded
Funding for public education is the state’s second-largest program and relies on funding from both the state and local levels. To help attendees understand the fiscal foundations of these key policies, NH Dept. of Education School Finance Bureau Administrator Mark Manganiello will explain how public K-12 education is funded. NHFPI Research Director Phil Sletten will discuss state funding for post-secondary education.
Demographic & Economic Trends
NHFPI staff will provide attendees with an overview of key demographic and economic trends facing the Granite State using newly published analysis from NHFPI’s second edition of New Hampshire Policy Points. Attendees will gain insights into residents regarding population changes, income and economic security, and jobs and the economy.
Meeting NH’s Housing Needs
NH Housing Manager of Community Engagement & Education Sarah Wrightsman will discuss the state’s lack of rental and for-sale housing inventory and what multi-prong approaches can be taken to alleviate the housing crisis. She will outline current housing costs, why 60,000 new units are needed by 2030, how housing investments are currently being used, and what insights stakeholders can learn from recent research on the NH housing market.
Meeting NH’s Child Care Needs
NHFPI Senior Policy Analyst Nicole Heller will discuss how the Early Care and Education system is funded in NH and the ongoing challenges of an unsustainable business model, highlighting the opportunity cost of lost economic activity to the economy. UNH Research Assistant Professor Jess Carson will also join the presentation to share her insights from the Carsey School of Public Policy’s analyses in the Granite Guide to Early Childhood.
Funding Public Services & Investing in NH’s Future
NHFPI Staff will provide analysis explaining how the State Budget pays for public services through the collection of both tax and non-tax revenue. Attendees will also receive a preview of NHFPI’s new research as the new State Budget is being built.
Federal Budget & Policy Impacts on NH
Federal funding makes up nearly one-third of the NH State Budget. Attendees will learn how the federal budget interacts with the State Budget in various policy areas such as health, child care/education, housing, and transportation.
NHFPI’s 9th Annual Conference is open for registration, which is $50 per person. This event was made possible through the generous contributions of presenting sponsor New Hampshire Charitable Foundation, as well as sponsors Preti Strategies, Clove Hitch Advisors of Steward Partners (formerly The Sedoric Group of Steward Partners), New Hampshire Housing, State Employees Association of NH, The Nature Conservancy, Northeast Delta Dental, and New Hampshire Children’s Health Foundation, and media partners Business New Hampshire Magazine, New Hampshire Business Review, InDepthNH.org, Manchester Ink Link, New Hampshire Bulletin, and New Hampshire Public Radio.