Economic Opportunity Fundes Annual Budget and Tax Briefing

Public budgets and the revenue systems that support them are some of the most important policy instruments of our government. They reflect our values and priorities through decisions on how to tax residents and businesses and spend these collective resources. These decisions impact what families have to spend on basic needs and invest in their future, define the size of the government and its role in the national economy, and affect the lives of all Americans.

A solid understanding of budget and tax policy within our political and economic climate is crucial for anyone working in philanthropy.

Since 2004, EOF has hosted an Annual Budget and Tax Briefing to provide funders the opportunity to network colleagues and learn about and discuss pressing political developments, federal and state budget and tax battles and opportunities, and how the current landscape impacts families, workers, and communities. It is the only event of its kind focused on philanthropy and budget and tax policy.

2026 Budget and Tax Briefing

Stay tuned! Dates for our 2026 Annual Budget and Tax Briefing to be announced in Summer 2025.

Host a Watch Party

Since 2014, local watch parties have been organized to expand our reach to funders unable to travel to DC by web streaming our federal budget and tax outlook plenary session. Typically, watch parties are organized as two-hour programs, where participants come together to view the budget and tax outlook presentation (live or as a recording on a later date) and then engage in a discussion with local experts on how the current landscape impacts critical programs and services in their state or area of interest (e.g. workforce development or child care and early learning).

Interested in learning more about host a watch party? Contact Cema Siegel at [email protected]

Watch Party Goals

The purpose of the watch parties is to help state and local funders:

  • Gain a better understanding of this year’s pressing federal budget and tax issues;
  • Discuss with peers the implications for programs serving struggling workers, families, and communities; and
  • Consider grantmaking strategies and opportunities for collaboration with like-minded stakeholders.

Why Federal Budget and Tax Policy Matters to State and Local Funders 

States get about one-third of their revenue from the federal government — funds that help pay for health care, schools, housing, roads, child care, job training, and a range of other programs. Unlike the federal government, most states and localities must balance their budgets every year and are directly affected by fluctuations in federal funding, presenting state policymakers with important choices regarding how to adjust their own spending in response.

State budgets are expected to shrink substantially in 2025, as the post-pandemic era of federal aid, record spending, and historic tax cuts comes to a close. Policymakers will face difficult decisions about whether to raise taxes or reduce critical programs and services like food assistance, Medicaid, housing, and education investments. In addition, the expiration of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act presents an urgent moment to ensure states and localities have the revenues they need to invest in programs for children and families and an opportunity to correct our course towards a more equitable tax code. These debates and their outcomes will touch every corner of philanthropic work — early childhood, health care, state, and local government services, climate change, housing, senior services, family support services, and much more.

Local Watch Party Logistics

  • There is no fee to participate.
  • The only technology needed is an internet connection.
  • Watch parties can view the federal budget and tax outlook session and/or the state budet and tax outlook session live or as a recording at a later date.
  • EOF will provide a Zoom link to share with registrants.
  • As a watch party host, you set up (and co-brand) registration for your watch party.
  • Hosts can provide supplemental programming (in-person or virtual), where participants view the federal budget and tax outlook presentation (live or a recording) and then engage in a discussion with local experts on how the current landscape impacts critical programs and services in their state or around a particular issue area (e.g. workforce development or child care and early learning). We recommend scheduling your supplemental program within 4 weeks of the live stream to ensure the content is timely and up-to-date. Watch party hosts can watch the live stream/recording during their supplemental program or share the link as pre-viewing for their program. Hosts also have the option of sharing the state budget and tax outlook Zoom link or recording as pre-viewing for their program.
  • For hosts who don’t have the bandwidth to provide supplemental programming, it is also possible to just share the Zoom link(s) with your registrants.
  • We ask that hosts share watch party details (number of registrants, as well as the date, time, venue, and speakers of a supplemental program if applicable) so that we can track participation.
  • Watch party hosts will be recognized on the EOF website and meeting materials.

Many thanks to our 2025 Watch Party Hosts!

 

2025 Watch Party Host Logos

Virtual Budget and Tax Briefing for Grantmakers
[Date, Time]
[Host, Location Address]

Sample Agenda

5-10 minutes      Welcome and Introductions

60 minutes    Federal Budget and Tax Outlook

Government services, structures and systems are an essential foundation for a healthy economy where opportunity and prosperity are broadly and equitably shared. Noted tax and budget policy expert Sharon Parrott will provide an overview on the key provisions in the federal budget, discuss current and upcoming budget debates, and offer insights on the potential impact on struggling families, workers and communities.

60 minutes Funder Discussion

Local experts will share their perspective on [state’s] fiscal landscape and how the federal landscape will affect funding for critical programs and services serving children and families in [state].   We will then have an open discussion about what this means for our work as funders and for the work of our grantees.

Local speakers may include staff from the State Priorities Partnership group in your state or other non-profit human services coalitions.  Sample questions your follow-up conversation might explore:

  • How does the federal tax and budget landscape impact our state/locality?
  • How do federal decisions impact the resources our state and local leaders can access for critical safety net human services, health and/or education services?
  • If proposed federal changes go through, how would this impact the areas our foundations focus on and our grantmaking seeks to advance?
  • What is the policy and advocacy infrastructure in our state/locality to help inform federal and state decision makers?  How is it connected to federal and state tax and budget debates?  What are its strengths and areas that need attention?
  • How can we, as grantmakers, work collaboratively to ensure that decisions made about public funding impacting struggling populations and communities are informed by the best practices of our grantees?

[Add speaker names here].

5-10 minutes Closing Remarks/Adjourn
Why Host a Watch Party

Watch Party Goals

The purpose of the watch parties is to help state and local funders:

  • Gain a better understanding of this year’s pressing federal budget and tax issues;
  • Discuss with peers the implications for programs serving struggling workers, families, and communities; and
  • Consider grantmaking strategies and opportunities for collaboration with like-minded stakeholders.

Why Federal Budget and Tax Policy Matters to State and Local Funders 

States get about one-third of their revenue from the federal government — funds that help pay for health care, schools, housing, roads, child care, job training, and a range of other programs. Unlike the federal government, most states and localities must balance their budgets every year and are directly affected by fluctuations in federal funding, presenting state policymakers with important choices regarding how to adjust their own spending in response.

State budgets are expected to shrink substantially in 2025, as the post-pandemic era of federal aid, record spending, and historic tax cuts comes to a close. Policymakers will face difficult decisions about whether to raise taxes or reduce critical programs and services like food assistance, Medicaid, housing, and education investments. In addition, the expiration of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act presents an urgent moment to ensure states and localities have the revenues they need to invest in programs for children and families and an opportunity to correct our course towards a more equitable tax code. These debates and their outcomes will touch every corner of philanthropic work — early childhood, health care, state, and local government services, climate change, housing, senior services, family support services, and much more.

Watch Party Logistics

Local Watch Party Logistics

  • There is no fee to participate.
  • The only technology needed is an internet connection.
  • Watch parties can view the federal budget and tax outlook session and/or the state budet and tax outlook session live or as a recording at a later date.
  • EOF will provide a Zoom link to share with registrants.
  • As a watch party host, you set up (and co-brand) registration for your watch party.
  • Hosts can provide supplemental programming (in-person or virtual), where participants view the federal budget and tax outlook presentation (live or a recording) and then engage in a discussion with local experts on how the current landscape impacts critical programs and services in their state or around a particular issue area (e.g. workforce development or child care and early learning). We recommend scheduling your supplemental program within 4 weeks of the live stream to ensure the content is timely and up-to-date. Watch party hosts can watch the live stream/recording during their supplemental program or share the link as pre-viewing for their program. Hosts also have the option of sharing the state budget and tax outlook Zoom link or recording as pre-viewing for their program.
  • For hosts who don’t have the bandwidth to provide supplemental programming, it is also possible to just share the Zoom link(s) with your registrants.
  • We ask that hosts share watch party details (number of registrants, as well as the date, time, venue, and speakers of a supplemental program if applicable) so that we can track participation.
  • Watch party hosts will be recognized on the EOF website and meeting materials.
2025 Watch Party Hosts

Many thanks to our 2025 Watch Party Hosts!

 

2025 Watch Party Host Logos
Sample Agenda

Virtual Budget and Tax Briefing for Grantmakers
[Date, Time]
[Host, Location Address]

Sample Agenda

5-10 minutes      Welcome and Introductions

60 minutes    Federal Budget and Tax Outlook

Government services, structures and systems are an essential foundation for a healthy economy where opportunity and prosperity are broadly and equitably shared. Noted tax and budget policy expert Sharon Parrott will provide an overview on the key provisions in the federal budget, discuss current and upcoming budget debates, and offer insights on the potential impact on struggling families, workers and communities.

60 minutes Funder Discussion

Local experts will share their perspective on [state’s] fiscal landscape and how the federal landscape will affect funding for critical programs and services serving children and families in [state].   We will then have an open discussion about what this means for our work as funders and for the work of our grantees.

Local speakers may include staff from the State Priorities Partnership group in your state or other non-profit human services coalitions.  Sample questions your follow-up conversation might explore:

  • How does the federal tax and budget landscape impact our state/locality?
  • How do federal decisions impact the resources our state and local leaders can access for critical safety net human services, health and/or education services?
  • If proposed federal changes go through, how would this impact the areas our foundations focus on and our grantmaking seeks to advance?
  • What is the policy and advocacy infrastructure in our state/locality to help inform federal and state decision makers?  How is it connected to federal and state tax and budget debates?  What are its strengths and areas that need attention?
  • How can we, as grantmakers, work collaboratively to ensure that decisions made about public funding impacting struggling populations and communities are informed by the best practices of our grantees?

[Add speaker names here].

5-10 minutes Closing Remarks/Adjourn
Resources

2025 Budget and Tax Briefing

RECAP + RECORDING: Federal Budget and Tax Outlook

In this session, noted tax and budget policy expert Sharon Parrott provided an overview of the federal landscape, current and upcoming budget and tax debates, and insights on the potential impact on families, workers, and communities. A panel of experts shared how field leaders are working together to address the critical budget and tax debates ahead, build long-term power, and advance a racially and economically just tax system.

Read More »

RECAP + RECORDING: State Budget and Tax Outlook

In three fireside chats with funders and advocates from Washington, DC, Ohio, and New York, speakers shared how advocates have successfully championed laws to increase taxes on the wealthy and corporations to fund critical investments in education and early childhood, documented the harm and impact of repeated attacks on the state income tax, and are working to proactively to explain the impact of federal cuts in 2025.Read More »

RECAP + VIDEO: Celebrating our 2025 Law & Social Policy Legacy Award Winner, Missouri Workers Center

The Law & Social Policy Legacy Award was established in 2020 to recognize organizations defending and advocating for low-wage workers’ rights and to increase knowledge of this work in the philanthropic community. A $10,000 award will be given by EOF with support from the Public Welfare Foundation annually until 2030 as a part of their legacy investment into the Workers’ Rights field. We recognized and celebrated our 2025 award winner, Missouri Workers Center, as part of this briefing.Read More »

Related Resources

View a select list of resources shared by our speakers related to the 2025 Budget and Tax Briefing topics.Read More »

MANY THANKS TO OUR PLANNING COMMITTEE!

  • Abriana Kimbrough, Washington Area Women’s Foundation
  • Anna Shireen Wadia, Care for All with Respect and Equity (CARE) Fund
  • Marcia Egbert, The George Gund Foundation
  • Michael Cassidy, The Annie E. Casey Foundation

MANY THANKS TO OUR WATCH PARTY HOSTS!

Since 2014, local watch parties have been organized to expand our reach by live streaming our federal and state budget and tax outlook sessions. We were thrilled to expand the reach of our 2025 program through 17 virtual watch parties. Thank you to our Watch Party Hosts who made this possible!

 

2025 Watch Party Host Logos

Thank You To Our Sponsor!

EOF appreciates the support of our 2025 Budget and Tax Briefing sponsor.

W.K. Kellogg Foundation logo

EOF programming is also made possible through the generosity of our Supporting Members.

The Annie E. Casey Foundation
Blue Shield of California Foundation
Ford Foundation
The George Gund Foundation
The Kresge Foundation
New Economy Initiative
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Stoneman Family Foundations
W.K. Kellogg Foundation

Budget and Tax Briefing Archive

Access an archive of select Budget and Tax Briefings here.