The Economic Opportunities Program advances strategies, policies, and ideas to help low- and moderate-income people thrive in a changing economy.

We recognize that race, gender, and place intersect with and intensify the challenge of economic inequality and we address these dynamics by advancing an inclusive vision of economic justice. For over 25 years, EOP has focused on expanding individuals’ opportunities to connect to quality work, start businesses, and build economic stability that provides the freedom to pursue opportunity.

We collaborate with national and local leaders across the United States – nonprofit leaders, policymakers, labor leaders, business leaders, educators, academics, and more – and we actively seek input and ideas from individuals and communities affected by proposed approaches to address economic opportunity challenges. Through our leadership and fellowship programs; applied research and evaluation; data and analysis; and dialogue with diverse stakeholders, we work at both local and national levels to build understanding and galvanize action to address the challenge of economic opportunity in America.

Join our mailing list and follow us on social media for regular updates on our work.

Advancing CDFI Impact Through a Focus on Job Quality
Blog Posts
Empowering the Workforce: Roy Bahat on the Future of Work
Blog Posts

Empowering the Workforce: Roy Bahat on the Future of Work

In this conversation with Workonomics’ Nilesh Kavthekar, Roy Bahat — head of Bloomberg Beta, chair of the Aspen Business Roundtable on Organized Labor, and a pioneering figure in venture capital focused on the future of work — shares his perspectives on the evolving landscape of labor, technology, and innovation.

  • Roy Bahat
  • Nilesh Kavthekar
Economic Opportunities Program Monthly Digest — September 2024
Blog Posts

Economic Opportunities Program Monthly Digest — September 2024

We are pleased to present a selection of our work from the past month, including videos, commentary, events, and more.

Announcing the 2024 Class of Education and Career Mobility Fellows
Blog Posts

Announcing the 2024 Class of Education and Career Mobility Fellows

In partnership with Guild, UpSkill America is proud to support the Education and Career Mobility Fellowship. We would like to announce the 2024/25 fellows and the second cohort.

Resource Roundup: Labor Day
Blog Posts

Resource Roundup: Labor Day

The Fellowship Effect: Lessons in Success from the Education and Career Mobility Fellowship
Blog Posts

The Fellowship Effect: Lessons in Success from the Education and Career Mobility Fellowship

But can I brag a minute about these Fellows? Because we may have provided the packaging, but THEY are the gift.

Job Quality Newsletter – Human Rights at Work
Blog Posts

Job Quality Newsletter – Human Rights at Work

This issue of our monthly Job Quality Newsletter delves into the vital intersection of human rights and economic systems, and how we can transform the workplace

Economic Opportunities Program Monthly Digest — August 2024
Blog Posts

Economic Opportunities Program Monthly Digest — August 2024

We are pleased to present a selection of our work from the past month, including videos, commentary, events, and more.

Announcing the New Job Quality Center of Excellence
Blog Posts

Announcing the New Job Quality Center of Excellence

The Center is a one-stop shop for reports, videos, case studies, and more — for anyone interested in making work better.

Artificial Intelligence, Human Intellectual Autonomy and the Future of Work
Blog Posts

Artificial Intelligence, Human Intellectual Autonomy and the Future of Work

As we grapple with the shifting boundaries of our intellectual autonomy, we must, in parallel, design and build a system that allows people to invest in, adapt, and grow their human capital to stay competitive in the rapidly evolving world of work.

About the Economic Opportunities Program

The Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program advances strategies, policies, and ideas to help low- and moderate-income people thrive in a changing economy.

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More from the Economic Opportunities Program

Foundational Skills: National Survey Findings
Publications

Foundational Skills: National Survey Findings

This publication examines how fragmented skills, credentialing, and workforce data systems limit the potential of skills-based hiring and advancement, and outlines a shared vision for building the interoperable infrastructure needed to create a connected skills ecosystem that benefits workers, employers, educators, and governments.

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Podcasts Videos

What Employee Ownership Means to Workers

This conversation is part of our Opportunity in America series, where we take a look at the economy, what’s working, what’s broken, and really how we fix it to make sure that everyone can succeed in today’s economy.

Resource Roundup: Wages and Affordability
Blog Posts
Room for Growth: A Survey of Upskilling Approaches — 2026 Analysis
Publications

Room for Growth: A Survey of Upskilling Approaches — 2026 Analysis

This publication examines how fragmented skills, credentialing, and workforce data systems limit the potential of skills-based hiring and advancement, and outlines a shared vision for building the interoperable infrastructure needed to create a connected skills ecosystem that benefits workers, employers, educators, and governments.

Building Economic Security: A Book Talk with Arindrajit Dube and Carrie Joy Grimes
Podcasts Videos

Building Economic Security: A Book Talk with Arindrajit Dube and Carrie Joy Grimes

Economic security shouldn’t be a lottery. Yet for millions of working families, stagnant wages and precarious jobs collide with the daily grind of managing money on shaky ground — leaving stability feeling less like a plan and more like a gamble. Fixing that takes more than one lever. It takes structural reform and the tools people need to take control of their financial lives, working together.

What Employee Ownership Means to Workers
Publications

What Employee Ownership Means to Workers

Insights from Focus Groups with Employee Owners