Bell Policy Center

Background Statement

Since 2000, the Bell Policy Center has worked to advance economic opportunity in Colorado. Over the years, the Bell has fought for fiscal reforms, innovations in our education system, higher wages for workers, advances in human services, and better consumer protections for Coloradans.

This year, we're celebrating our 25th anniversary, and as we look to the next 25 years of work, some of our challenges look different. The high cost of living has become a significant barrier to upward mobility and economic inequality is growing every year. These fraught times call for bold action and we're here to continue leading with rigorous research, community partnership, strategic communication, and effective advocacy for policy ideas "that ring true."

The Bell focuses its work on efforts to:

* Fund Economic Mobility: Ensure public funding for key levers of economic mobility in Colorado.


* Strengthen the Caring Economy: Elevate and strengthen the caring workforce – workers and caregivers providing child care, or direct care for older adults and people with disabilities – and the families they serve.

* Close Equity Gaps: Address structural barriers in economic mobility systems, particularly housing, asset-building, credit and financial services, postsecondary education and workforce development, and aging.


* Tell the Economic Story: Tell Colorado’s economic story through the lenses of tax fairness, racial equity, and economic mobility.