Causes: Civil Rights, Civil Rights, Social Action & Advocacy, Human Service Organizations, Human Services, Public Finance, Taxation & Monetary Policy

Mission: United for a Fair Economy (UFE) challenges the concentration of wealth and power that corrupts democracy, deepens the racial divide, and tears communities apart. We use popular economics education, trainings, and creative communications to support social movements working for a resilient, sustainable and equitable economy.

Results: For almost two decades, UFE has engaged in state and federal policy debates, provided trainings and support for organizers across the nation, and published illuminating reports, such as our annual State of the Dream highlighting the true consequences of economic inequality and the racial wealth divide. Our unique popular economics education trainings and curricula provide essential resources and tools for grassroots organizers. And our creative communications engage people through culture, values, storytelling, and art. One of UFE’s most notable accomplishments is the Responsible Estate Tax in late 2012 that resulted in the first increase in the federal estate tax rate in 28 years. This was the culmination of almost 10 years of advocacy, beginning during the Bush administration, to preserve and return some progressivity to the federal estate tax.

Target demographics: UFE exposes and challenges the deep-seated systemic causes of inequality: institutionalized racism, low wages, exorbitant CEO compensation, regressive tax policies, and more. We engage in state and federal policy debates, provide trainings and support for organizers across the nation, and publish illuminating reports. UFE’s goal is to build a vibrant economic justice movement, help people “connect the dots, ” and work towards solutions that address inequality at its roots.

Direct beneficiaries per year: Last year, UFE led workshops and trainings for 2,329 participants in 13 states and Ontario, and 115 people from 28 states downloaded training materials from our website for use in high schools, colleges and universities and labor education programs. Our most popular workshops are “The Growing Divide” and “Closing the Racial Wealth Divide. ”

Geographic areas served: National

Programs:
•UFE’s signature Economics for Everyone programs use popular education methodology to strengthen grassroots power by sharing an interactive and accessible analysis of the economy.
•Our Inclusive Economy Network brings together grassroots groups in strategic states to push for progressive and equitable public policy.
•We use creative communications to challenge popularly-held myths about wealth creation and expose the structures of power and policies that maintain extreme economic inequality.
•Our Responsible Wealth project organizes wealthy progressives and business owners – those in the top 5% of income and assets in this country – to use their influential voices in the fight for a fair economy. UFE believes in a broad-based movement to build power from the bottom up and unite the many voices speaking out against inequality. We seek opportunities to connect low-wage worker networks to broader state and national economic justice coalitions in support of progressive taxes and a robust public sector, critical strategies against rising inequality.