Impartial, data-driven research and policy insights for a thriving Tennessee

Get Email Updates

FEATURED

The Budget in Brief: Summary of Gov. Lee’s FY 2026 Recommended Budget

Budget Analysis, Education, Housing, Transportation

Tennessee State Budget Primer

Explore Federal Funding in Tennessee

Budget & Taxes, Education, Health, Infrastructure, Local Finance, Transportation

The President and Congress are actively engaged in decisions and discussions that influence the direction and distribution of federal funding. To provide context for these actions, we compiled data on the flow of federal funding to Tennessee in the most recent full federal fiscal year—a total of over $110 billion in FFY 2024.

Tennessee’s Housing Challenges: Where and Why It Got So Expensive

Economy, Housing

Tennessee Tax Revenue Tracker for FY 2025

Taxes

The Sycamore Institute Names First Tri-Cities Board Member, Dr. Jeff McCord

Inside Sycamore

Why Housing Matters for Tennessee

Education, Housing, Local Finance, Public Policy 101

UPCOMING EVENTS

May

8

The Sycamore Institute’s 2025 Annual Forum

The Sycamore Institute

11:00 am - 1:00 pm

Join the Sycamore Institute on May 8th for our 2nd Annual Forum. This year’s theme is Together, Tennessee: Sharing a Future When We Disagree. This year’s luncheon will feature a […]

Learn More

RESEARCH TOPICS

Children's Mental Health, Health Care & Insurance, Public Health

Child Mental Health Programs and Services in Tennessee

The Education Freedom Scholarship Act and Private Schools in Tennessee

Budget & Taxes, Budget Analysis, Local Finance, Taxes

Beyond Rates: Property Tax Capacity and Effort in Tennessee’s 95 Counties

Children & Youth, Economy, Education, Health

National Report Ranks Tennessee 36th in Child Well-Being, Spotlights Learning Loss and Chronic Absenteeism

Budget Analysis

Summary of Tennessee’s FY 2025 Enacted Budget

Budget & Taxes, Education, Health, Infrastructure, Local Finance, Transportation

Explore Federal Funding in Tennessee

Budget & Taxes, Education, Newsletter

The Scoop: Share Your Love

Economy, Public Policy 101

5 Ways to Measure Prosperity in Tennessee

Children & Youth, Economy

Childcare in Tennessee

Budget & Taxes, Public Policy 101

A Glossary of Key Budget Terms

Budget Analysis, Education, Housing, Transportation

The Budget in Brief: Summary of Gov. Lee’s FY 2026 Recommended Budget

Behavioral Health, Children & Youth, Children's Mental Health

Youth Mental Health in Tennessee: Eight Opportunities for Additional Action

Behavioral Health, Budget Analysis, Local Finance

Opioid Settlement Funds in Tennessee

Education, Housing, Local Finance, Public Policy 101

Why Housing Matters for Tennessee

Economy, Education, Public Health, Public Policy 101

5 Simple But Important Things to Know About Statistics

TESTIMONIALS

Sycamore Institute’s well-sourced research and thoughtful, objective analyses are refreshingly untainted by partisan or self-interested bias.

PATRICK SHEEHY

Tennessee Business Roundtable

The Sycamore Institute is an invaluable resource. I can always trust Sycamore to be an independent and impartial voice.

SEN. RAUMESH AKBARI (D)

Senate Democratic Leader

No one in Tennessee explains complicated topics better than Sycamore. I’m a more informed and effective legislator thanks to their work.

REP. MARK WHITE (R)

Chairman, House Education Committee

Sycamore plays an essential role in strengthening Tennessee’s nonprofit sector with clear, actionable insights you can’t find anywhere else.

KEVIN DEAN

Tennessee Nonprofit Network

1,579

Media Hits

Through 2024

2,001

Graphics Created

Through 2024

267

Requests for Expertise

Through 2024

IN THE NEWS

Bond BuyerFebruary 27, 2025

Proposed Tennessee budget has $930 million in bonds

Nashville BannerJanuary 28, 2025

Price Tag for Gov. Bill Lee’s Special Session Could Approach $1 Billion

Chattanooga Times Free PressDecember 11, 2024

Community foundation receives $5 million line of credit for affordable housing

Public News Service & 6 Other NewspapersDecember 10, 2024

College cost still a major hurdle for Tennessee students