Serving Utah Public Policy From a Refreshingly Independent Perspective

The mission of Utah Foundation is to promote a thriving economy, a well-prepared workforce, and a high quality of life for Utahns by performing thorough, well-supported research that helps policymakers, business and community leaders, and citizens better understand complex issues and providing practical, well-reasoned recommendations for policy change.

Encouraging Informed Public Policy

Public policies affect all of us in some way every day, whether through legislation, regulations, or local ordinances. Public policy choices determine how governments, programs, citizens, businesses, schools, and others interact with each other. Public policies define rights, responsibilities, roles and expectations, from who picks up your garbage to how much corporations should pay in taxes.

In Utah, many state and local public policy decisions are made by people who volunteer their time to serve in government office, and they can’t possibly be experts on each issue that comes before them. Many interest groups work hard to influence policy decisions to suit their members’ needs. But when important decisions are on the line, the information provided by those who have vested interests often serves only those interests.

“During my race for governor, Utah Foundation helped create one of the most issues-based campaigns this state has ever seen.”  Jon Huntsman, Jr., Former Governor, State of Utah

“In all the charitable giving that our organization makes, we find our support for Utah Foundation provides some of the biggest bang for our buck.” Harris H. Simmons, Chairman and CEO, Zions Bancorporation

• To learn how to support Utah Foundation, please visit our Become a Member page.
• For information about Utah Foundation's professional staff, please visit our Staff Directory.
• We are proud of our Board of Trustees. View the Board list here.
• Learn about our recent activities from our Press Releases and Research Reports section

Policymakers and concerned citizens need balanced information on issues, and they need research they can trust from an independent source. That’s why Utah Foundation exists. Our accurate, unbiased research has helped people understand and get involved in the issues that impact their lives.

The Experience to Handle Crucial Public Policy Issues

Covering a wide range of public policy issues, Utah Foundation professionals are particularly skilled in matters of public finance, public and higher education, and economics. We have a reputation for taking on just about any issue that has a major effect on Utah’s economy, governments, or society, including issues like poverty, health care, the environment, or transportation.

The Trusted Source for People Working to Create a Better Utah

Utah Foundation has established a reputation for being fair, accurate, and nonpolitical. As a result, we enjoy support from Foundation members throughout the private, public, and nonprofit sectors. People across the political spectrum find Utah Foundation’s work of great value in understanding important issues. Our research findings are frequently used to guide important decisions in the halls of government and in the boardrooms of businesses throughout the state. Regardless of a reader’s political philosophy, our research is reliable and useful. In other words, Utah Foundation is trusted.

Generating Clearly Independent Research

We engage in rigorous fact-finding and analysis before publishing any research findings. All Utah Foundation research reports must be, and are factual, independent, and balanced. Utah Foundation makes its findings available to a wide audience in order to educate as many Utahns as possible on the issues. We work hard to ensure that policymakers, advocates, and the public are informed to the highest level and armed with the knowledge they need to make sound public policy.

Utah Foundation reports are published in print and on the Internet. As a Utah Foundation member, you can receive our publications by mail, email, or access them on our website, www.utahfoundation.org. Our website is already a popular and valuable public resource. Thousands of people each month read Utah Foundation reports online to become more aware and informed on the crucial issues facing our state.

Make a Positive Impact on Utah—Join Utah Foundation

By helping our citizens and policymakers stay informed on crucial issues, Utah Foundation contributes to Utah’s reputation as one of the greatest states in which to live, work, and run a business. Informed participants make better decisions, and decisions on important public policy issues affect us all, from corporate leaders to small business people to schoolteachers and concerned citizens.

For more than 60 years, Utah Foundation has been supported by private, voluntary memberships and grants from business firms, foundations, agencies and individuals throughout Utah who recognize the value of accurate, unbiased, understandable information. Please join our current members in supporting our work.

Membership Has its Privileges

As a current member of Utah Foundation, you will receive:

• Award-winning research reports on high-priority issues.
• Special reduced-price admission to all Utah Foundation research luncheons where Foundation staff, policy experts and public officials discuss research findings.
• Member discounts on Utah Foundation policy conferences featuring community leaders and distinguished researchers discussing Utah’s most pressing public policy issues.
• Participation in the nominating process for future research topics.
• Enhanced access to Utah Foundation’s professional staff to discuss your questions and concerns on important policy or economic issues.
• The satisfaction of knowing that you are helping to make Utah a better place.