On November 6, 2013 Applied Research Center (ARC) was rebranded as Race Forward: The Center for Racial Justice Innovation. The content on this page was published on the ARC website prior to the rebrand.

Economic policies and public spending and revenue decisions have enormous impacts—positive and negative—on different racial and ethnic groups. A Racial Equity Impact Assessment is a conscious and careful analysis of the effects of public decisions on different racial and ethnic groups.

Race Forward’s Racial Equity Impact Assessments for Economic Policies and Budgets Toolkit will help you assess the actual or anticipated effects of public policies and budgets in order to identify ways to maximize equity and inclusion, and minimize adverse and unanticipated impacts.

The toolkit includes:

• The Racial Equity Impact Assessment Guide for Economic Policies and Public Budgets: This guide includes a list of helpful questions to consider when conducting a racial impact assessment on existing or proposed economic policies or public budgets.
• Advocating for Racial Equity in Economic Policies and Public Budgets: Examples & Resources: This list provides research, recommendations, findings and frames by a dozen organizations engaged in the public debate around the federal economic recovery and stimulus policies, state budgets, and the subprime lending crisis. Many include links to action options.