The Tax Code, Equity, and Access to Affordable Housing: A Conversation for Funders October 24th, 2019, 3:30-4:30pm EST REGISTER TODAY! The tax code is one of the most powerful tools the federal government has to provide families with economic security and wealth-building opportunities as well as to develop affordable housing and encourage community…
Over the last several years, the EITC Funders Network has partnered with Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees (GCIR) on issues at the intersection of tax credit access, immigration status, and racial and ethnic equity. Although the EITC is no longer on the list of benefits and services under the recently issued public charge rule,…
Tax provisions and the ways these provisions are enforced and administered are steeped in a context of historical racism and ongoing prejudice and discrimination. In a recently released report, The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) outlines the ways the federal tax code impacts racial disparities and explains how the tax-cut law enacted in…
Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families and Children’s HealthWatch recently published a health impact assessment to identify the potential health outcomes of creating a state-level EITC in Arkansas. The report states that a refundable EITC “may be one of the most effective ways to address the poor health outcomes experiences by Arkansans.” The authors recommend…
Last week, following the House’s passage of the legislation in April, the Senate passed the Taxpayer First Act of 2019, which includes language to permanently authorize the VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) program and to allow up to $30 million in funding. After 50 years in practice, VITA will be codified, offering providers and the…
Tell us about The Piton’s Foundation strategy and how Get Ahead Colorado and Tax Help Colorado fit into your work of supporting families and driving social change for low-income communities. For more than 40 years, The Piton Foundation, which is part of Gary Community Investments, has been investing in the Colorado community with a specific…
Racial Equity, Economic Security, and Taxes: Fitting the Puzzle Pieces Together Tuesday, June 11th, 2019 Seattle, Washington How can philanthropy—funders focused on equity and those focused on economic mobility—work together to promote more inclusive and equitable tax policies that help build prosperity for all? The EITC Funders Network, Philanthropy Northwest, and Puget Sound Asset…
Interview with a Funder In what ways are the Northwest Area Foundation’s program goals around achieving sustainable prosperity grounded in a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion? At the program level, we’ve had a version of this conversation for many years. In recent years, however, we’ve embarked on an intentional diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI)…
The 2019 Prosperity Now Scorecard, a resource for data on household financial health on the state and federal levels, finds that an alarming percentage of Americans – especially households of color – are currently living in financial uncertainty. For the first time, the 2019 Scorecard also ranks states on racial disparities. The report recommends enacting…
A December article from ProPublica takes a closer look at IRS audit rates by income. While higher-income taxpayers are still more likely to be audited, under pressure from Congress, the IRS has kept the audit rate of EITC recipients relatively high due to concerns about overpayment. The consistent budget cuts at the IRS, reports ProPublica,…