Forward With Families in Action: Reimagining State Revenue to Advance Family Economic Mobility

Across the country, leaders are rethinking what it takes to ensure every family has the opportunity to thrive. In Washington state, Ascend Fellow Dr. Lori Pfingst and the Washington Economic Justice Alliance (the “Alliance”) are advancing a powerful example of what Forward With Families looks like in action.

Their work starts from a clear premise: economic mobility is shaped not only by programs and services, but by the underlying policies that determine how resources flow – and who benefits. By centering community voice and lived experience, Pfingst and her partners at the Alliance are working to dismantle poverty at its roots and create conditions proven to build intergenerational well-being.

Tax fairness is a cornerstone of this work and Gov. Bob Ferguson’s recent signing of Washington’s new “Millionaire Tax” is a significant step toward a tax system that can unlock the investments all families need to thrive.

“Tax fairness has been central to my work for children and families throughout my career,” said Pfingst. “We all have a shared responsibility to contribute to public goods that build our collective well-being. For too long in Washington, we’ve relied on those with the least to fund investments everyone depends on. This new measure begins to change that.”

Centering Families – Not Just Policies

The Alliance’s approach reflects a defining principle of Forward With Families: solutions must be built with families, not for them.

The Alliance emerged from Washington’s 10-year plan to Dismantle Poverty, where leaders made a deliberate choice to center people with experience living on a poverty income as partners in shaping policy. That commitment continues today – not as a one-time engagement, but as an ongoing system of partnership, accountability, and insight.

“The people who helped create the plan remain pivotal partners in the work,” said Pfingst. “They hold us accountable and help us understand in real time what’s working and what’s not.”

This approach has reshaped not only policy outcomes, but relationships between communities and institutions.

“It’s not just about policies and programs,” she said. “It’s about people being seen, heard, and understood. That trust makes it possible to navigate challenges and move a bold agenda forward together.”

A Systems Approach to Disrupting Poverty

Disrupting intergenerational poverty requires more than strong programs. It requires aligned leadership, political will, and sustained investment.

In Washington, that alignment is taking shape around a shared North Star: ensuring every child and family can meet their basic needs, fully contribute their talents, and pass well-being on to future generations. 

“You need lived expertise at the table – but you also need leaders with power who are willing to say, ‘We need to do this,’” said Pfingst. “And then you need the resources to follow.”

The Millionaire Tax is a critical part of that equation. By generating new revenue from those most able to contribute, the state can expand investments in priorities like the Working Families Tax Credit (state EITC) , affordable and high-quality education for all ages, and foundational supports like health care and child care.

These policies represent some of the most effective ways to improve economic stability for families – including putting cash directly in parents’ pockets to afford everyday essentials like food and rent.

The Power of Public-Private and Tribal Partnership

A defining feature of Washington’s approach is its emphasis on cross-sector partnership – including engagement with Tribal communities.

“There is so much wisdom in Indigenous communities about what it means to center the well-being of people and place,” said Pfingst. “We have a responsibility to learn from that and to honor Tribal sovereignty in how we move forward.”

At the same time, the Alliance is helping to model a balanced role for philanthropy and government.

“Philanthropy can be a catalyst – investing in research, piloting solutions, helping us move faster,” she said. “But philanthropy is not a replacement for the investments government should be making in its people and communities. The paramount responsibility of any government is to promote the well-being of the people it serves.”

This alignment – across public, private, and Tribal partners – is essential to building systems that are equitable, innovative, and durable.

From Defensive to Forward Momentum

For years, many state efforts have focused on protecting critical supports for families. In Washington, leaders have the opportunity  to move beyond defense toward proactive investment.

“The Millionaire Tax allows us to shift out of a defensive posture,” said Pfingst. “It gives us the ability to move forward – to make the investments we know families need.”

That includes sustaining and expanding efforts like Washington’s Working Families Tax Credit as well as Fair Start for Kids Act, which is working to build a more accessible and affordable child care system for families across the state.

Even amid political division, she sees a growing appetite for connection and shared progress.

“People across the country overwhelmingly want the same basic things for their families, friends and neighbors – health, happiness, and peace of mind that it’s going to be OK,” she said. “We may disagree on how to get there, but we have much more that unites us than divides us.”

What Other States Can Learn

Washington’s experience offers a roadmap for other states looking to advance family economic mobility through Forward With Families:

• Start with families. Directly engage with communities to understand their priorities – and build solutions from that foundation.
• Center lived experience. Treat people closest to the challenges as essential partners in design and implementation.
• Align around a North Star. Establish a shared commitment to family well-being that can guide decisions across sectors.
• Advance equitable revenue policy. Sustainable investment requires systems that distribute resources to build well-being for all.
• Build cross-sector partnerships. Government, philanthropy, and community must work together – each playing a distinct role.

“It can feel overwhelming,” said Pfingst. “But strategic persistence pays off. Talk to families. Really listen and learn from them. When you start to hear the same priorities again and again, that’s where the solutions begin.”

Looking Ahead

For Pfingst, this moment represents both urgency and opportunity.

“There is always opportunity in a crisis,” she said. “Frameworks like Forward With Families help us stay grounded in what matters most – building the well-being of children and families.”

With the passage of the Millionaire Tax and continued momentum across sectors, Washington is demonstrating what’s possible when policy, partnership, and community voice come together.

The lesson is clear: when systems are aligned and families are centered, transformative change is not only possible – it’s already underway.