Our Vision
An America where government is accountable, life is affordable, markets are honest, and opportunity is open to everyone, regardless of income or ZIP code.
Our Mission
The Southwest Public Policy Institute advances better living through better policy. We defend human dignity, economic freedom, and accountable government through research, advocacy, and litigation that test how policy actually works for the people who live under it.
The Institute is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charity. Donations to the Institute are tax-deductible.
What We Do
The Southwest Public Policy Institute (SPPI) is a national research institute and think tank. We publish numbered white papers and two-page policy briefs; testify and file comments before legislatures and regulators; draft model legislation; join coalition letters; and go to court, in our own lawsuits and as amicus curiae. Our staff write for national outlets and are interviewed on television, radio, and podcasts.
Our Approach
SPPI is a “do-tank” that works outside the echo chamber. We take our research to the people it affects, on the issues that matter most to them, meeting people where they are, not where political ideologies expect them to be.
Our approach is grounded in consumer emulation: replicating real-world experiences to test how policies, systems, and markets actually work for everyday Americans. From applying for credit and navigating public services to requesting public records and scrutinizing regulations, we investigate the barriers that families and small businesses face and propose reforms grounded in that experience.
We champion innovation at the national, state, and local levels by empowering individuals, encouraging entrepreneurship, and expanding voluntary, community-driven solutions. With one guiding principle — WE AGREE — we work to restore trust in the policymaking process and deliver what public service should always provide: better living through better policy.
Our Origins
Patrick M. Brenner founded SPPI in New Mexico in 2022 as a regional think tank. Its research on consumer credit and its work for open government soon drew national attention (in 2023, for example, it led a campaign for accountability after a Consumer Financial Protection Bureau data breach exposed the personal information of more than 250,000 consumers), and SPPI now works nationally. The Institute keeps its name and its New Mexico roots; its research covers the country.
Our Team and Leadership
SPPI’s staff carry out its research, writing, litigation, and outreach; its Board of Directors oversees the Institute and holds it to its mission.
Board of Directors
The board sets SPPI’s direction and oversees its work. Meet the directors.
Staff
The researchers, writers, and advocates who do SPPI’s work day to day.
Transparency
We publish our finances and filings openly. You can review SPPI in the standard nonprofit directories:
- SPPI on ProPublica’s Nonprofit Explorer: our IRS filings, revenue, and expenses.
- SPPI on Candid (GuideStar): our profile, goals, and programs.
- SPPI on Charity Navigator: our listing (not yet rated).
- SPPI on Wikipedia: an independent summary of the Institute’s history and work.