The purpose of this assignment is for students to consider the ways in which bud
The purpose of this assignment is for students to consider the ways in which budgetary allocations impact
the creation and delivery of social policies and programs. For this assignment, students will choose a
federal- or state-level public program and provide a detailed analysis of the funding of this program.
Specifically, students will:
1. Articulate and briefly describe the program they have chosen, stating what the aim of the program
is and who the program beneficiaries are.
2. Identify funding amounts for the most current fiscal year and the two years prior. State whether
the funding has increased, decreased, or stayed the same over this period.
3. Assess the adequacy of the budget allocation to support the program based on criteria such as
what the program goals and aims are, whether or not it seems likely to serve a reasonable
proportion of eligible beneficiaries, the level of per-beneficiary spending or amount, and other
information relevant to understanding whether the funding level matches the level needed by a
program or policy to succeed. Cite evidence you used to make this determination.
4. Discuss how the current budget amounts have or might have influenced the implementation and
success of the program. Articulate how recommended funding changes put forward by
stakeholder might influence program outcomes. Indicate what policy stakeholders are
recommending for current or future funding for this program.
5. Discuss the ways in which the political, social, and economic climate seem to have (or have,
depending on the evidence you find) impacted the funding for these programs.
6. Articulate how funding allocations and budget trends seem to have (or have, depending on the
evidence you find) affected different groups of beneficiaries, reflecting social and economic
justice implications of this.
For this paper, students should cite state and/or federal budget documents and substantially integrate at
least four to five additional sources to assess/analyze what is happening with the budget priorities of the
state. This can include peer-reviewed literature, gray literature, and other documentation, but must be
specific to the program being discussed. This paper should be four to five pages (double-spaced) and adhere to APA formatting (7th edition).