Funder Virtual Convening: What do Taxes have to do with Equity?

Connecting Policy and Grassroots Strategies to Advance Race, Gender and Immigrant Equity through Tax Policy

Video of session #1 here

In a time when our communities are grappling with the multiple challenges of the pandemic, economic insecurity, and growing unrest over structural racism, charitable foundations are looking for strategies to work cross-sectionally to address root causes and build toward a better future. A critically important, but often overlooked, element of how racism, sexism and xenophobia manifest is found in federal and state tax policies.

Please join Economic Opportunity Funders, EITC Funders Network, Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees, and Closing the Women’s Wealth Gap for an interactive discussion of how charitable foundations are supporting policy and grassroots organizing strategies to increase equity in the tax code and explore learnings from concrete examples–especially for immigrant workers, education funding, and families with children–nationally and in states. 

Moderated by Cassandra McKee of Wellspring Philanthropic Fund, this gathering will have two sessions:

• Part 1: A Funders Perspective on Advancing Equity Through Tax Policy: Hear from funder colleagues about how their foundations are advancing race, immigrant, and gender equity strategies by funding tax policy change and organizing efforts, and their lessons learned.
  • Speakers:
    • Danielle Goonan, The Rockefeller Foundation
    • Dr. Carmen Rojas, Marguerite Casey Foundation

Watch the video of session #2 here

• Part 2: Lessons from the Field and Opportunity for Advancement: A panel of policy and community engagement leaders will provide brief overviews of efforts underway to advance immigrant, racial and gender equity by making changes to the tax code. Then participants will break into small groups to dig more deeply on these strategies, identify key learnings, and opportunities for advancement
  • Speakers:
    • Immigrant Equity and the Tax Code — learning from Colorado ITIN Expansion: Carol Hedges, Colorado Fiscal Institute and Lizeth Chacon, Colorado People’s Alliance
    • Racial Equity and the Tax Code  — learning from California efforts to create equity through the school funding formula: Michael Russo, Advancement Project California
    • Gender Equity and the Tax Code — learning from federal efforts to advance gender equity through expanding and modernizing tax credits: Elyssa Koidin Schmier, MomsRising 

Speakers: