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Tax Ambassador Program

Taxes shape our lives. Learn how to shape the conversation.

Helping Coloradans Understand the Tax Policies Shaping Their Lives

Tax knowledge builds community power. It helps people understand what is at stake and speak up for the future they want.
Tax Ambassador Logo

Taxes help pay for schools, health care, roads, housing and other public services. They also shape who has power, who has opportunity and which communities have the resources they need to thrive.

But tax and budget policy can feel complicated or out of reach.

CFI’s Tax Ambassador Program helps people understand how Colorado’s tax system works, why it matters and how to talk about it with their communities.

Anyone can be a Tax Ambassador. You do not need a background in civics, public policy, economics or tax law. You can be an educator, organizer, student, business owner, nonprofit worker, parent, retiree or community member.

All you need is an interest in learning how tax and budget policy shape our lives, our communities and our future.

A Spanish-language version of the program, Embajadores Fiscales, is coming soon. Reach out to rotella@coloradofiscal.org to join the list to be notified when the first cohort opens.

13

Tax Ambassador cohorts graduated

300+

Tax Ambassadors across Colorado

Register for the next tax ambassador cohort

Frequently Asked Questions

A Tax Ambassador is someone who understands the ins and outs of Colorado’s tax and budget systems and is prepared to share that knowledge with others.

Tax Ambassadors help make tax policy easier to understand. They share reliable information, connect fiscal policy to everyday issues and help their communities take part in important conversations about Colorado’s future.

Through the program, participants learn how to:

  • Understand how Colorado raises and spends our public money
  • Connect tax policy to racial and economic justice
  • Explain complicated issues in clear, accessible language
  • Recognize how tax policy affects communities differently
  • Engage in conversations about legislative and ballot efforts
  • Share reliable information and resources with their networks

At its core, the program is about expanding our understanding of what it means to be a community member.

We all benefit from public investments, whether or not we directly use every service we help fund. Strong schools, safe roads, health care, housing and other public services help build healthier communities for everyone.

The six-session program combines tax education, history, policy and communication skills.

You’ll learn about:

  • What it means to be a Tax Ambassador
  • The basics of federal, state and local taxes
  • Who pays taxes in Colorado and why it matters
  • How Colorado’s budget works
  • The connection between tax policy, racial justice and economic inequality
  • TABOR and its effect on Colorado’s tax and budget choices
  • Legislative and ballot efforts to create a fairer tax system
  • How to talk about tax policy and connect it to everyday concerns

You’ll leave the program with a stronger understanding of Colorado’s tax and budget systems, practical communication tools and a statewide network of fellow ambassadors.

There is a $100 registration fee for the program. If this cost would make it difficult for you to participate, please email rotella@coloradofical.org. Fee assistance may be available.

You do not need to be a policy expert. You just need to care about your community and want to learn more.

Fall 2026 Tax Ambassador Cohort Dates
Module Thursday Evening Saturday Morning
Module 1 Sept. 10, 2026 5:30-7:30 p.m. Sept. 12, 2026 9:30-11:30 a.m.
Module 2 Sept. 17, 2026 5:30-7:30 p.m. Sept. 19, 2026 9:30-11:30 a.m.
Module 3 Sept. 24, 2026 5:30-7:30 p.m. Sept. 26, 2026 9:30-11:30 a.m.
Module 4 Oct. 1, 2026 5:30-7:30 p.m. Oct. 3, 2026 9:30-11:30 a.m.
Module 5 Oct. 8, 2026 5:30-7:30 p.m. Oct. 10, 2026 9:30-11:30 a.m.
Module 6 Oct. 15, 2026 5:30-7:30 p.m. Oct. 17, 2026 9:30-11:30 a.m.
Spring 2027 Tax Ambassador Cohort Dates
Module Thursday Evening Saturday Morning
Module 1 Coming Soon Coming Soon
Module 2 Coming Soon Coming Soon
Module 3 Coming Soon Coming Soon
Module 4 Coming Soon Coming Soon
Module 5 Coming Soon Coming Soon
Module 6 Coming Soon Coming Soon

Bring the Tax Ambassador Program to Your Group

The Tax Ambassador Program is a great way for an entire team, class or organization to learn together. Groups often take the program together so they can build a shared understanding of Colorado’s tax and budget systems and use what they learn in their own work.

CFI can adapt the program to fit your group’s needs, goals and schedule. We can offer the full six-week program, a shorter series or a one-time workshop for organizations, classes, foundations, companies, coalitions and community groups.

This can be a meaningful investment in your team’s knowledge, communication skills and ability to connect tax policy to the issues your community cares about.

Interested in bringing the Tax Ambassador Program to your group? Contact Esther Turcios at turcios@coloradofiscal.org to learn more. 

Help Expand Access to Tax Education

The Tax Ambassador Program is designed for people from a wide range of communities and backgrounds. Donations help CFI keep the program affordable and help cover the cost of attendance for participants who might not otherwise be able to take part.

Your support can help provide:

  • Scholarships or waived registration fees
  • Participant materials and resources
  • Technology and accessibility support
  • Training for community-based organizations
  • Travel assistance for in-person programming
  • Spanish-language programming through Embajadores Fiscales

Interested in helping more Coloradans become Tax Ambassadors? Contact Maggie St. Clair at stclair@coloradofiscal.org to learn how you can support the program.

What past participants are saying

“CFI’s Tax Ambassador Program helped me understand the history of taxation for racial suppression, cultural control and economic subjugation, and how tax can be used to direct the power of markets for the public good, create economic opportunity and ensure equitable distribution of power in our democracy.”

Matt Scherr
Chair, Board of Eagle County Commissioners

“The Tax Ambassador Program is an absolute must for anyone involved in Colorado politics. This course is essential for grasping the intricacies of our state’s budget and funding mechanisms, the very foundation upon which all public policy decisions are built.”

Elizabeth Battiste
Public Policy Director, UFCW Local 7

“The tax ambassador program was a critical opportunity to be more effective in my organization’s state policy platform. I am so grateful to the CFI team for making a very complicated subject accessible and relevant for anyone who lives in Colorado.”

Greta Allen
Policy Director, Colorado Blueprint to End Hunger

“I’d recommend this class to anyone who wants to be a part of effecting change in Colorado. We can’t make collective progress if we don’t understand our tax system and the challenges posed by TABOR.”

Onnastasia Cole
Tax Ambassador Program participant

“The content is in-depth, fun and an incredibly great deal for its price. Easily the best webinar series, online course I’ve ever taken through work.”

Evan Barrie-Kivel
Tax Ambassador Program participant

Tax Ambassadors in Action

Tax Ambassador Graduation Ceremony
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