2026 Budget and Tax Briefing: Meeting the Moment. Shaping the Future - Day 1

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act makes deep cuts to vital programs like healthcare, housing, food assistance, and education while giving huge tax breaks to billionaires and corporations. This legislation will make it harder to fund the services people need most and shifts significant administrative and eligibility burdens onto states, forcing them to either cut spending, use up emergency funds, or raise taxes.

This two-day funder briefing begins with an Ideas Showcase (March 26) on visionary and actionable approaches to revenue generation and public benefit access, followed by an analysis of the federal and state budget and tax landscape and strategizing for what comes next (March 27).

Part 1 (11:00am – 12:00pm): Reimagining Public Benefits Access Ideas Showcase
What would it take to build a truly equitable and efficient public benefits system? One that streamlines access, reduces administrative burdens, and smoothly transitions individuals toward economic security. This session will showcase six future-focused program and policy innovations. We’ll start with quick, engaging Ignite presentations, followed by small group table conversations with presenters for deeper insight and connection-making.
• Center for Taxpayer Rights: Exploring automatic enrollment for tax and other public benefits.
• Digital Public Works: DiCIT: Software that increases access to benefits by minimizing applicant burden.
• Mirza:The Common App for public benefits: Transforming how families access safety net benefits.
• MyFriendBen: Medicaid Long-term Support Services (LTSS) Navigator: A digital guide protecting families’ homes, incomes, and dignity in long-term care decisions.
• Public Policy Lab: GovPay: A unified, privacy-first benefits payment platform.
• Rx Kids: A prescription for health, hope, and opportunity.

Part 2 (1:30pm - 2:30pm): Reimagining the Revenue Systems Ideas Showcase
What would it take to build a truly robust and equitable revenue system? One where everyone pays their fair share, no one pays more than they can afford, and enough revenue is raised to fund public goods that benefit us all, like childcare, education, housing, transportation, and health care? This session will showcase six future-focused program and policy innovations. We’ll start with quick, engaging Ignite presentations, followed by small group table conversations with presenters for deeper insight and connection-making.
• FACT Coalition: Using transparency to deter multinational corporate tax evasion and avoidance.
• Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy: Enacting state wealth proceeds taxes.
• New Practice Lab at New America: Automatically returning money owed to families missing out on tax credits.
• Niskanen Center: Reviving America’s contributory tradition by expanding payroll taxes as a foundation for public benefits.
• Tax Law Center at NYU Law: Remaking federal tax administration.
• Washington Center for Equitable Growth: Reclassifying large passthrough businesses to strengthen equitable revenue systems.

Cost: Free for CNJG Grantmakers and $95 for Non Member Grantmakers.

For questions, please contact Chanika Svetvilas, Manager of Programs and Learning.