Advancing Tax Systems That Work for All
About the Network
The Tax Equity Funders Network brings together national, regional and local level funders working to improve equity and economic security by reducing the tax burden on lower-income workers and modernizing state and federal tax systems. The Tax Equity Funders Network seeks to use the tools of our tax systems to undo historic race, ethnic, gender, and ability discrimination and provide avenues for low- and moderate-income families and communities to thrive.
As a result of our work, funders are more informed about the inequities of the tax system and tax-linked strategies to reduce poverty and improve equity, and able to shape the field according to emerging innovations and best practices.
We celebrated 20 years as a network in 2024. Take a look at our Timeline to learn more about our accomplishments over the years.
What do we mean by “tax equity”?
The tax code is one of the largest tools federal, state, and local governments can use to provide families with economic security and wealth-building opportunities. Yet the tax code systematically disadvantages women, people of color, immigrants, and low-income families. The Tax Equity Funders Network is committed to using the tools of our tax systems to undo historic race, ethnic, gender, and ability discrimination and provide avenues for low- and moderate-income families and communities to flourish.
We use the D5 Coalition’s definition of equity to ground our work: “Improving equity is to promote justice, impartiality and fairness within the procedures, processes, and distribution of resources by institutions or systems. Tackling equity issues requires an understanding of the underlying or root causes of outcome disparities within our society.“
Network Goals
The Tax Equity Funders Network works to increase equity, reduce financial stress, and improve health, education and employment outcomes for lower-income Americans by:
Reducing the tax burden to improve outcomes
Expanding access to federal and state tax credits
Removing financial, system, and process burdens
How We Do It
The Tax Equity Funders Network engages philanthropic partners in addressing equity, reducing financial stress, and improving health, education and employment outcomes for lower-income Americans by:
Connecting
Strategizing
Building
Events & Webinars
Immigrant Families at Risk: Public Charge Proposals, Data Sharing and How Funders Can Help
Immigrant families are navigating a rapidly shifting policy landscape that could dramatically change how they access basic supports and how their sensitive personal information is used. Changes to Basic Supports. A newly released set of proposed federal rules would significantly…
Ask Me Anything with the Center on Poverty & Social Policy on the Child Tax Credit
The US has one of the highest child poverty rates of any developed nation. During the pandemic, an expanded Child Tax Credit (CTC) reduced child poverty by half. That expansion has lapsed and child poverty is again on the rise.…