Golden State Opportunity and the CalEITC Celebrate 10 Years

All photos by True Love Photo

January 15th was a night of celebration, hope, and a glimpse at the future of both Golden State Opportunity and the California Earned Income Tax Credit. Lawmakers, community partners past and present, and members of GSO gathered at the California Museum in Sacramento to celebrate ten years of the California Earned Income Tax Credit and GSO’s work to end poverty in the state by securing more resources for communities in need.

Alongside California State Controller Malia Cohen and State Treasurer Fiona Ma, GSO recognized the impact of a decade of the tax credit, which has put over $7 billion back in the pockets of Californians who make less than $32,000 a year. Over the last ten years, the Legislature has continued to expand support to the effectiveness of the CalEITC with the creation of the Young Child Tax Credit and the Foster Youth Tax Credit.

“The CalEITC has been a critical lifeline for so many Californians and GSO was proud to help put over $1.4 billion back into their pockets last year,” said Amy Everitt, President of GSO. “GSO was founded on a vision of ending poverty in California and as we look to the next decade, we want to think boldly about how the state will deploy its resources to fundamentally change the lives of working Californians.”

At the event, GSO honored Senate President pro Tem Emeritus Toni Atkins with the Champion Award for her work to create and expand access to the CalEITC.

“The California EITC has been a powerful tool to lift families out of poverty, providing tax relief to working families,” said Atkins. “I’m proud of the work we have done over the last ten years to expand access to help even more Californians make ends meet. Partners like GSO have been pivotal to ensuring every taxpayer is able to claim the credits they deserve and their community outreach was critical when we needed to provide pandemic relief fast. They have been trusted partners for the last decade and we look forward to another decade of partnership.”

Governor Gavin Newsom was awarded the Pioneer Award for his administration’s work to broaden eligibility of the CalEITC to include youth under the age of 25, families with young children, and former foster youth.

GSO’s focus on community-powered outreach has helped California work to reach its goal to lift more people out of poverty and connect historically excluded communities with tax credits that maximize refunds. This work is undertaken by our Community Connect partners, organizations that recruit and train volunteers to provide free tax preparation services and other wraparound services for the community.

As part of honoring this work, GSO also recognized Isaías Hernández, Executive Director of Eastmont Community Center, a Community Connect partner in Los Angeles. Hernández has implemented innovative strategies, like training AmeriCorps members to become IRS-certified Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) preparers to expand access to the state’s support programs. Receiving the Community Champion award, Hernández recognized the hard work organizations like his put in to reach as many members of the community as possible.

“GSO helps support the work we do at Eastmont Community Center to reach out to community members that trust us and support them through the tax filing process,” said Hernández. “Without the leadership of the state, we would not have been able to build a coalition of community organizations to grow our collective reach, engaging hard-to-reach tax filers and providing them with free tax preparation assistance to bring more money back into their pockets.”

Since its inception in 2015, the CalEITC has been a crucial financial lifeline for California’s working families. Paired with free tax preparation services, eligible individuals and households who file both state and federal tax returns stand to receive thousands of dollars in support—funds that can be used to help make rent, prepare for emergencies, or afford essential childcare services. By offering refundable tax credits, the program not only helps families navigate the rising costs of living but also bolsters economic resilience in communities statewide. The Franchise Tax Board has found that the combination of the CalEITC and YCTC lifts over 142,000 individuals out of deep poverty compared to a family’s base income without either EITC program.

Golden State Opportunity has been a major player in helping millions claim credits through the CalEITC since its inception and looks toward a future where even more Californians get the help they need.