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.

Photo of Grace Heffernan and Maureen Conway
Blog Posts

It’s Not a Labor Shortage; It’s a Good Jobs Shortage

Let’s demand better job quality for the workers who sacrificed so much to ensure that the rest of us made it safely through the pandemic.

Photo of the skyline in Phoenix, Arizona
Blog Posts

The Center for the Future of Arizona Introduces the Inaugural Greater Phoenix Workforce Leadership Academy Fellows

The Academy will improve local economic mobility and create innovative solutions to the challenges faced by workers and businesses.

Economic Opportunities Program Newsletter, April 2021
Blog Posts

Economic Opportunities Program Newsletter, April 2021

The COVID-19 crisis brings new urgency to our work to improve jobs, expand business ownership, and advance economic opportunity.

Job Quality and Employee Ownership: An Interview with Job Quality Fellow Rick Plympton (CEO, Optimax)
Blog Posts

Job Quality and Employee Ownership: An Interview with Job Quality Fellow Rick Plympton (CEO, Optimax)

Optimax works in precision optics. But they didn’t need a microscope to see why employee ownership was a smart decision.

Economic Opportunities Program Newsletter, March 2021
Blog Posts

Economic Opportunities Program Newsletter, March 2021

The COVID-19 crisis brings new urgency to our work to improve jobs, expand business ownership, and advance economic opportunity.

Photo of cardboard boxes moving down a conveyor belt. Each box is stamped with the words "Made in America." There are several American flags hanging in the background.
Blog Posts

Trillion Dollar Opportunities: Quality Jobs Should Be A Priority in Federal Procurement

Public procurement should do more to reward good companies, promote job quality, and offer accessible and inclusive opportunities for all.

Reemploying Workers Impacted by COVID-19: Lessons from the Maricopa County Community College District
Blog Posts

Reemploying Workers Impacted by COVID-19: Lessons from the Maricopa County Community College District

How can local systems help reemploy hospitality workers displaced during COVID-19? By building short, accessible pathways between current and future roles.

Making Work-Based Learning Happen
Blog Posts

Making Work-Based Learning Happen

A new report explores how workforce development organizations build quality work-based learning opportunities for youth and young adults.

Economic Opportunities Program Newsletter, February 2021
Blog Posts

Economic Opportunities Program Newsletter, February 2021

The COVID-19 crisis brings new urgency to our work to improve jobs, expand business ownership, and advance economic opportunity.

Job Quality in Practice Survey
Blog Posts

Job Quality in Practice Survey

What strategies do you use to advance job quality and what resources are useful in your work? Help us answer these questions and more.

A New Chapter for the Future of Work
Blog Posts

A New Chapter for the Future of Work

As part of the Economic Opportunities Program, the Future of Work Initiative is eager to continue and expand its work to help chart a different course and build a more inclusive economy.

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