Concord, NH – New Hampshire Fiscal Policy Institute’s 8th Annual Budget and Policy Conference, Tackling Workforce Challenges and Strengthening Economic Opportunity, was held at Grappone Conference Center in Concord on Monday, October 16. The event had record attendance, with over 250 registrants. The attendees included a bipartisan, bicameral group of legislators, state department officials, business and community leaders, journalists, advocates, and concerned citizens coming together to discuss effective policy solutions to the most pressing issues the Granite State workforce faces.

“As a trusted, nonpartisan source for information, the New Hampshire Fiscal Policy Institute believes it is vital to convene stakeholders to ground the public policy dialogue in facts and research as leaders discussing policy solutions to our state’s challenges,” said Gene Martin, NHFPI Executive Director. “NHFPI is proud to uplift the work being done by so many; however, we also want to call attention to the data that shows more still must occur to ease NH’s workforce constraints. Even though the state faces a confluence of significant policy problems, I am heartened and optimistic about our future. Our conference showed we have leaders who understand that to address our workforce challenges, we have to strengthen the economic security of our residents.”

The conference featured leading policy experts to examine the cross-cutting issues of housing, health care, education, and child care. The keynote address, entitled Building an Economy for Everyone and presented by Dr. Sara Chaganti of the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, delved into the labor market disparities and inequities that need to be addressed to help move the New Hampshire economy forward to the benefit of all Granite Staters. NHFPI sessions on household finances and State taxes and revenues provided insights into the larger context and capacity for New Hampshire to invest in workforce supports.

To learn more and access conference resources, visit nhfpi.org/conference.

NHFPI’s 8th annual conference was the first in-person conference the organization has hosted since the beginning of the pandemic. We are grateful to have been able to offer the event as a result of the generous contributions of presenting sponsor New Hampshire Charitable Foundation, as well as sponsors Granite United Way, New Hampshire Housing, Merrimack County Savings Bank, Martin’s Landscaping & Construction, and Grappone Conference Center and media partners Business New Hampshire Magazine, InDepthNH.org, Manchester Ink Link, New Hampshire Bulletin, New Hampshire Business Review, and New Hampshire Public Radio.