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.

Building Wealth in the US
Blog Posts

Building Wealth in the US

Good Jobs = More Freedom
Blog Posts

Good Jobs = More Freedom

Announcing the Education and Career Mobility Fellowship
Blog Posts

Announcing the Education and Career Mobility Fellowship

The Fellowship is a professional development and peer learning opportunity designed specifically for corporate education and career mobility program professionals.

The Labor-Savvy Leader
Blog Posts

The Labor-Savvy Leader

In the first piece of its kind in the pages of Harvard Business Review in over 30 years, Roundtable principals draw from learnings from the first year of the Roundtable to argue that the time has come for management to learn how to work with, rather than against, organized labor.

Supercharging the Employee Ownership Movement: Questions for Chris Fredericks
Blog Posts

Supercharging the Employee Ownership Movement: Questions for Chris Fredericks

Founder and CEO Chris Fredericks of Empowered Ventures talks about the future of a business structure that can strengthen businesses, create better jobs, and improve equity.

Building a Better Workforce System, One Fellow at a Time
Blog Posts

Building a Better Workforce System, One Fellow at a Time

Meet the nearly 200 Fellows, from eight regions across the country, who are building a healthier workforce ecosystem.

Reimagining Power in the Workplace with Roy Bahat and Liba Rubenstein
Blog Posts

Reimagining Power in the Workplace with Roy Bahat and Liba Rubenstein

In the face of massive transformation in the way we work and our relationship to work, how can expanding power in the workplace drive better decision-making…

Darrick Hamilton speaks at the Aspen Institute
Blog Posts

Economics Reimagined: A Discussion on Building a Human Rights Economy

New economic models have emerged from times of crisis, how we can imagine a better, more inclusive economy built around human rights.

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