Following up on yesterday’s heartfelt message from Lauren Smith and those notes you saw from our researchers throughout November, I’m honored to invite your philanthropy on Giving Tuesday with the new link below.  

Washington Policy Center’s ‘Thanks to Free Markets’ series has highlighted something profound, but straightforward: Washington is at its best when people take responsibility, look out for one another, and believe that tomorrow can be better than today. Those principles shaped my own upbringing, and they shape the work we do at Washington Policy Center every single day. 

Growing up, I watched my parents work hard and trust that perseverance was the path to prosperity. Those lessons stayed with me. They remind me that strong communities are built by people helping people. 

That spirit is alive in Washington, but it’s getting harder to find. Families are feeling the weight of rising costs, growing taxes and policies that too often make life harder rather than easier. Too many people feel that they’re losing control over the decisions that matter most: how they work, how they raise their children, how they build a future. 

This is why Giving Tuesday matters to Washington and to WPC.  

Washington Policy Center is entirely independent; funded by citizens, not the government. That independence is our strength, because it allows our researchers to tell the truth plainly, arm leaders with better data regularly, and give Washingtonians real alternatives rooted in freedom and opportunity. 

Today, I’m asking for your consideration. To continue this crucial work, we need your partnership. Washington requires a constant, well-resourced defense of freedom. Our budget fuels every research report, media engagement, legislative briefing and community education event. This is only made possible by philanthropic investment from caring Washingtonians like you.  

A Giving Tuesday contribution ensures that independent research reaches the people who need it most: legislators seeking honest analysis, journalists seeking facts, and citizens seeking solutions grounded in personal responsibility and economic freedom.  

If you believe Washington’s future is worth fighting for and have found value in the personal stories and insights we shared last month and throughout 2025, I hope you’ll join me in making a special Giving Tuesday commitment to WPC today. 

As my colleague Todd Myers wrote last week, some of the most remarkable people in the world are standing with us, and you are one among them. Thank you for entrusting Washington Policy Center to lead our state to a brighter future.  

With gratitude for the difference you make for WPC and the people of Washington, 

Steven Hatting 
President & CEO 
Washington Policy Center