Fair Share America is a coalition that coordinates left-of-center efforts to raise taxes on corporations and high-income individuals. ¹ It was created by the Rockefeller Foundation and is supported by the National Education Association (NEA), the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), and other labor unions and left-of-center public policy advocacy organizations. ²

Fair Share America is not affiliated with the Fair Share Alliance organizations such as the advocacy nonprofit Fair Share, charitable organization Fair Share Education Fund, or super PAC Fair Share Action. ¹

Background

Fair Share America was created in 2024 to coordinate left-of-center efforts to increase federal and state tax revenues. ³ It grew out of a series of four meetings convened by the Rockefeller Foundation and supported by several labor unions and left-of-center organizations including the National Education Association (NEA), Service Employees International Union (SEIU), Americans for Tax Fairness, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP), and Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy (ITEP). ^{4 2}

Activities

Fair Share America was launched a year and a half before the statutory expiration of many of the “Trump tax cuts” created in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (TCJA) that passed during the first Trump administration. ⁵ The coalition supports allowing those tax cuts to expire, increasing the corporate income tax rate, and increasing taxes on households earning more than $400,000 per year. ⁵ It also supports related efforts to increase corporate and individual income tax collections at the state level. ¹

Fair Share America also promotes a “tax justice” model that would dedicate increased tax revenues to left-of-center environmental projects, social services, and other government programs. ⁴

Leadership

The founding executive director of Fair Share America is Kristin Cowell. ⁶ Previously, Cowell had worked in leadership roles at left-of-center groups We Are Wisconsin, Wisconsin Progress, the State Revenue Alliance, the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP), and the labor union-funded political advocacy organization United Working Families. ^{6 7}

In 2005, Cowell faced criminal charges for filing false campaign reports related to her unsuccessful campaign for a Milwaukee school board seat. ⁸ She pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor and was sentenced to 40 hours of community service and a $750 fine. ⁸

Coalition Members

Fair Share America coalition members include Affordable Virginia, Americans for Tax Fairness, Arizona Alliance for Retired Americans, Arizona Center for Empowerment, Better Taxes for a Better America, Caring Across Generations, Center for Popular Democracy, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP), Connecticut For All, Empire State Voices, Fairness for Iowa, Family Values at Work, For the Many NJ, Payback Campaign, Honest Arizona, Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy (ITEP), Invest in Our New York, ISAIAH, Living United for Change in Arizona (LUCHA), Maine Center for Economic Policy (MECEP), Make the Road Nevada, MD Economy, Michigan Families for Fair Care, Montana Budget and Policy Center, Montana Women Vote, National Domestic Workers Alliance, National Education Association (NEA), National Women’s Law Center, Nebraska For Us, New Jersey Policy Perspective, New Virginia Majority, Opportunity Wisconsin, Our Economy, Pennsylvania Policy Center, Public Assets Institute, Rocky Mountain Values, Service Employees International Union (SEIU), State Revenue Alliance, Tax Fairness for Virginia, Commonwealth Institute for Fiscal Analysis, Unrig Our Economy, Together PA, United for Democracy, We Make Minnesota, and West Virginia Center on Budget and Policy. ⁵

1. Fair Share America. Accessed March 17, 2025. https://www.fairshareusa.org/.
2.  Hamilton, Masha. “Born at Bellagio: A Fair Share Tax Coalition.” The Rockefeller Foundation, September 19, 2024. https://www.rockefellerfoundation.org/grantee-impact-stories/born-at-bellagio-a-fair-share-tax-coalition/.
3. Becker, Bernie. “Progressives Make Big Play on 2025 Tax Debate.” Politico, September 16, 2024. https://www.politico.com/newsletters/weekly-tax/2024/09/16/progressives-make-big-play-on-2025-tax-debate-00179275.
4. Oprysko, Caitlyn. “New Group Springs up to Defend IVF.” Politico, September 16, 2024. https://www.politico.com/newsletters/politico-influence/2024/09/16/new-group-springs-up-to-defend-ivf-00179390.
5. “Introducing Fair Share America.” State Revenue Alliance, September 16, 2024. https://www.staterevenuealliance.org/introducing-fsa.
6. “Our Leadership.” Fair Share America. Accessed March 17, 2025. https://www.fairshareusa.org/our-leadership.
7. “Kristen Crowell.” Netroots Nation. Accessed March 17, 2025. https://www.netrootsnation.org/profile/kristen-crowell/.
8. Mihalopoulos , Dan. “United Working Families PAC Leader Filed False Campaign Report in Wisconsin.” Chicago Sun-Times, March 29, 2015. https://chicago.suntimes.com/2015/3/29/18366560/united-working-families-pac-leader-filed-false-campaign-report-in-wisconsin.