The Federalism Index Project began with a clear mission: to assist educators, state leaders, and ordinary citizens to better understand and appreciate the significance of federalism in the overall structure of the United States Constitution.

 

The Federalism Index arises out of the recognition that federalism is difficult to measure and understand for the ordinary citizen. While there are ongoing efforts to model federal systems, and create sophisticated indexes to measure federalism in the United States and around the world, the Federalism Index is unique in its aim to unite the rich academic literature with new technology, modern data visualization techniques, and scholars who can help make the drama of American federalism accessible. 

 

In coming years, the Federalism Index will make major steps toward providing sound data and reliable research that is accessible to ordinary Americans who are not scholars or specialists. This multi-year project will collect, organize, and disseminate the best federalism data and research available, while making it accessible for broad academic and general audiences.