The Budget Center communications team chatted with Scott Graves (he/him), Budget Director at the Budget Center, who leads the organization’s work on state and local budget processes and analyzes justice system policies.
This Q&A series is your chance to get to know our team, their areas of expertise, and how their work at the Budget Center supports policy change in California. In this conversation, we’ll explore Scott’s recent efforts to help give Californians the tools they need to effectively engage decision makers and advocate for fair and just policy choices.
This interview was edited by Kat Petsalis, Communications Strategist at the Budget Center.
Can you tell us about your role at the Budget Center?
Yes! I’m the Budget Director at the Budget Center, and my focus areas include both external and internal training related to budget and policy issues. I started at the Budget Center in 2002, initially working on health and human services, child care, and housing, and gradually moved into exploring the state and local budget processes and helping advocates understand how they work. My work in this space will allow me to dedicate more time over the next few years to create additional products that help Californians engage with these processes effectively.
Additionally, I’l be working to ensure our team, especially our policy analysts, understand budget and policy processes thoroughly. This knowledge is crucial for analyzing the state budget and policy bills, as well as for presentations. My goal is to build confidence within our team to engage with these topics proficiently and effectively.
What’s kept you at the Budget Center for this long?
That’s a really good question, and one I don’t often have to think about, because there’s just something inherent about this place that keeps me here. But a couple of things really spring to mind.
First of all, the people I’ve worked with are a significant factor. The folks who have come through this organization over the years are incredibly smart, motivated, and believe in the power of solid facts and analysis to change public policy. It’s really inspiring to be surrounded by hardworking people who are committed to making California a better place.
Additionally, the integrity and credibility of the organization are crucial. Even with inspired and hardworking people, an organization won’t make much headway if it lacks these key ingredients. The Budget Center has been successful in informing public policy debates and shaping policies. I want to work in a place where my efforts aren’t just theoretical but have real-world implications. The Budget Center isn’t an ivory tower; our work is seen and has the potential to impact lives.
How has your background at the Budget Center influenced your perspective on the importance of understanding the state budget process?
At the Budget Center, we focus on making the budget process easy to understand so that people can be empowered to influence policymaking. We provide trainings and clear explanations, not just of the documented processes but also of the unwritten rules, which are often the most challenging barriers. But the learning never stops — I continue to learn new aspects of the process, reinforcing my belief in the importance of this work.
Our organization’s efforts to help people understand the process have validated my perspective. We’ve received feedback from advocates about the importance of our work in enabling their engagement. This has motivated us to dig deeper and expand our efforts, both in breadth and depth, to address the many areas where people need support to engage effectively. The next big advance in this work will be a new online Budget Academy that we hope to launch later this year!
What inspired your passion for research and public policy?
During my doctoral program, I gradually realized that I didn’t want to pursue an academic career. While I valued the research and writing, I felt isolated, as much of it seemed confined to obscure journals with limited readership. I questioned if I wanted my work to follow that path.
As I progressed through my program, I found myself more interested in a role that combined research, analysis, writing, and public speaking with the opportunity to influence real-world policymaking. When my partner, Delfina, and I decided to return to California from Texas, I quickly began searching for jobs in this space. Fortunately, an analyst role focusing on human services programs opened up at what was then called the California Budget Project.
Since I’d been living in Austin, I was already familiar with the Center for Public Policy Priorities (now called Every Texan), which is in the same national network as the Budget Center. This awareness helped me realize there was a group in Sacramento doing similar work. It felt like the stars aligned, so I applied, got the position, and the rest is history.
What is something exciting you have worked on or are currently working on?
In addition to the state budget process, I have long been passionate about justice system-related issues. Justice system reforms have significantly reduced the prison population, contributing to a more equitable California and promoting fiscal responsibility. Our state prison system has been one of the most wasteful and inequitable areas for decades. By protecting the gains we’ve made and advocating for further reforms, we can redirect funds to more worthy investments in communities across the state.
For every dollar we save by reducing state prison spending, we free up resources to invest in other critical areas. The negative effects of prioritizing spending on systems of punishment and incarceration fall disproportionately on Black Californians and other people of color. At the Budget Center, this work stands out because it allows us to argue for both equitable policies and greater fiscal responsibility. By continuing to advance and sustain these reforms, we can build a more equitable California while spending less on the corrections system, freeing up funds for much-needed investments elsewhere.
What is one thing that you can’t get through the workday without?
I can’t get through the workday without coffee. I’m a caffeine addict, but I limit my coffee intake to the mornings. I drink a couple of strong cups in the morning and stay away from caffeine in the afternoon. So far, I’ve managed to stick to just my morning coffee to get through the day!
How do you like to spend your time outside of work?
I love spending time in the mountains whenever possible. While I’m not a big mountain climber, I have a deep affection for Mono Lake and the Eastern Sierra. My daughter and I are volunteers at Mono Lake, and we go back occasionally to stand at the lakeshore and answer visitors’ questions. Besides that, I enjoy hiking in the foothills or mountains, visiting rivers and lakes, and generally spending time in nature.