In early 2014, the National Community Tax Coalition was no longer a resource for the field. A few months later, with guidance from the field and charitable foundations, the Corporation for Enterprise Development (CFED) took up the mantle as the central support organization for free tax and financial service providers through the Taxpayer Opportunity Network (TON).
The EITC Funders’ Network hosted a webinar with CFED staff on the birth of TON last February, and we recently caught up with CFED staff to discuss TON’s goals for and beyond the 2015 tax season.
As a new project, TON is continuing to gather input from network members and other stakeholders. The Network’s website boasts an impressive array of resources—In addition to the ongoing Tax Prep Dispatch newsletter and IRS updates, TON offers an online learning community and advocacy center. Additional goals for the Network include exploring ways to foster peer learning, looking at revenue generating strategies for programs, and establishing a permanent leadership structure.