Engaging funders in budget and tax policy for more than two decades!

Public budgets are one of the most important policy instruments of our government. They are moral document that reflects 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 current 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 with the opportunity to 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.

SAVE THE DATE!

2024 Budget and Tax Briefing

March 19, 2024 | Arlington, VA

How will budget and tax issues impact supports and services for workers, families, and communities? What lies ahead at the federal level and in the states? What’s at stake and in play as we head into the 2024 elections?

This year’s briefing will bring together funders to network with colleagues and learn about and discuss:

Key battles and opportunities at the federal and state level;
Coordinated efforts underway to shape the budget and tax fights ahead; and
Implications for philanthropy in the short and long term and strategies for individual and collective action.

Registration and agenda details will be shared in the coming months.

Become a Sponsor

Support EOF and this signature event by becoming a sponsor!

Sponsorship levels start at $1,500 and provide the unique opportunity to support the engagement of national, regional, and local philanthropy in budget and tax policy.

Sponsors receive free meeting registrations and recognition on the conference program, signage, marketing, and EOF website.

View Sponsorship Opportunities

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 local watch parties? Contact Cema Siegel at csiegel@eofnetwork.org.

Why Host a Watch Party
Watch Party Logistics
2023 Watch Party Hosts
Sample Agenda
Resources

Watch Party Goals

The purpose of the watch parties is to help 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. Revenue growth and unprecedented federal aid will shape many upcoming legislative sessions as states determine funding priorities for the coming year. Policymakers will face critical choices on whether to prioritize tax cuts or investments that will support a robust recovery and reduce long-standing racial and economic inequities that the pandemic exposed and worsened.

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 live or as a recording at a later date. We recommend scheduling your program within 4 weeks of the livestream to ensure the content is timely and up-to-date, as the federal policy, budget, and revenue landscape changes so quickly.
EOF will provide you with the YouTube Livestream/Recording Link (the link will be the same for the livestream and recording).
As a watch party host, you set up your own registration and share the link with registrants. Typically, watch parties are organized as two-hour programs (in-person or virtual), where participants view the budget and tax outlook presentation 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). If you don’t have the bandwidth to provide any supplemental programming, it is also possible to just share the livestream/recording link with registrants.
We ask that hosts share watch party details (date, time, venue, sponsors, speakers, and number of participants) so that we can track participation.
Watch party hosts will be recognized on the EOF website and meeting materials.

Many thanks to our 2023 Watch Party Hosts!

Interested in hosting a local watch party? Contact Cema Siegel at csiegel@eofnetwork.org.

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. Sharon Parrott, President, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities
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

PEW Fiscal 50: State Trends and Analysis: This interactive resource from The Pew Charitable Trusts, allows you to sort and analyze data on key fiscal, economic, and demographic trends in the 50 states and understand their impact on states’ fiscal health.
NCSL State Fiscal Briefs: NCSL Fiscal Briefs are snapshots of timely state budget and tax issues. Check back monthly for the latest brief compiled by NCSL’s Fiscal Affairs Team.
Urban Institute State Fiscal Briefs: National recessions and federal tax and spending changes can affect budgets in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. And big policy questions, such as whether to increase teacher salaries or expand health care access, can pop up in many states at the same time. But each state faces unique economic, political, cultural, and historical pressures that affect how fiscal issues emerge and how problems are resolved. That’s why the State and Local Finance Initiative put together these 51 briefs, detailing the dynamics that influence major policy issues in each state.
Momentum for New and Expanded State Child Tax Credits, Earned Income Tax Credits Continued in 2023, Samanthan Waxman and Amelia Minkin, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, August 1, 2023.
State Limits on Revenues and Budgets Stifle Democracy, Bernie Gallagher, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, June 27, 2023.
Buckle Up. 2025 Promises To Be An Historic Year In Tax And Budget Policy, Howard Gleckman, Tax Policy Center, June 7, 2023.

Why Host a Watch Party

Watch Party Goals

The purpose of the watch parties is to help 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

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 live or as a recording at a later date. We recommend scheduling your program within 4 weeks of the livestream to ensure the content is timely and up-to-date, as the federal policy, budget, and revenue landscape changes so quickly.
EOF will provide you with the YouTube Livestream/Recording Link (the link will be the same for the livestream and recording).
As a watch party host, you set up your own registration and share the link with registrants. Typically, watch parties are organized as two-hour programs (in-person or virtual), where participants view the budget and tax outlook presentation 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). If you don’t have the bandwidth to provide any supplemental programming, it is also possible to just share the livestream/recording link with registrants.
We ask that hosts share watch party details (date, time, venue, sponsors, speakers, and number of participants) so that we can track participation.
Watch party hosts will be recognized on the EOF website and meeting materials.

2023 Watch Party Hosts

Many thanks to our 2023 Watch Party Hosts!

Interested in hosting a local watch party? Contact Cema Siegel at csiegel@eofnetwork.org.

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. Sharon Parrott, President, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities
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

PEW Fiscal 50: State Trends and Analysis: This interactive resource from The Pew Charitable Trusts, allows you to sort and analyze data on key fiscal, economic, and demographic trends in the 50 states and understand their impact on states’ fiscal health.
NCSL State Fiscal Briefs: NCSL Fiscal Briefs are snapshots of timely state budget and tax issues. Check back monthly for the latest brief compiled by NCSL’s Fiscal Affairs Team.
Urban Institute State Fiscal Briefs: National recessions and federal tax and spending changes can affect budgets in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. And big policy questions, such as whether to increase teacher salaries or expand health care access, can pop up in many states at the same time. But each state faces unique economic, political, cultural, and historical pressures that affect how fiscal issues emerge and how problems are resolved. That’s why the State and Local Finance Initiative put together these 51 briefs, detailing the dynamics that influence major policy issues in each state.
Momentum for New and Expanded State Child Tax Credits, Earned Income Tax Credits Continued in 2023, Samanthan Waxman and Amelia Minkin, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, August 1, 2023.
State Limits on Revenues and Budgets Stifle Democracy, Bernie Gallagher, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, June 27, 2023.
Buckle Up. 2025 Promises To Be An Historic Year In Tax And Budget Policy, Howard Gleckman, Tax Policy Center, June 7, 2023.

2023 Budget and Tax Briefing

How will budget and tax issues impact supports and services for workers, families, and communities? What lies ahead at the federal level and in the states?

During this funder briefing, participants learned about discussed:

Narrative change strategies on making the case for government and taxes;
Key battles and opportunities at the federal and state level;
Coordinated efforts underway to help shape the budget and tax fights ahead; and
Implications for philanthropy in the short and long term.

Agenda

Event Page

RECAP + RECORDING: Federal Budget and Tax Outlook

Raising the debt ceiling and avoiding an economic recession is a priority across the political aisle amid ongoing federal budget and tax debates, but leaders from each party have vastly different plans for how to do so. Democrats are advocating for raised revenues to support increased investment in the American people, while Republicans are seeking lower taxes and budget cuts. These proposals have both near- and long-term policy implications about the role, shape, and size of the government.Read More »

RECAP + RECORDING: State Budget and Tax Outlook

State budgets have experienced both important gains and losses over the past several years. There have been calls in Congress to rescind American Rescue Plan funds that have not yet been spent, and there are significant tax cuts occurring at the state level under both Republican and Democratic leadership. However, states—such as Massachusetts and New Mexico—have also experienced significant wins in securing funding for essential services.Read More »

RECAP + RECORDING: Making the Case for Government and Taxes

In recent years, the public’s trust in the government has diminished. These misgivings pose a challenge for activists who advocate for a robust role of government in program development and spending on essential services for and investment in communities. Panelists discussed the importance of developing narrative frames that will enable the public to understand the numerous benefits that government programs and a fair and adequate tax system can provide.Read More »

RECAP + RECORDING: Working Together to Shape Upcoming Budget and Tax Debates

Roughly $1.8 billion is spent each year on tax lobbying, largely by private groups seeking to lower their taxes. As a result, many corporations avoid paying billions of dollars in federal income taxes and receive tax rebates while measures that would reduce the tax burden on lower-income Americans face opposition in federal and state legislatures. Given this opposition, advocates need support in implementing their strategies to raise revenues and build a more just and equitable tax system.Read More »

Budget and Tax Briefing Archive

Access an archive of select Budget and Tax Briefings here.