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.

2018-19 Job Quality Fellows in Aspen, Colorado
Blog Posts

Announcing the Job Quality Fellowship Class of 2018-19

The new 2018-19 Fellows come from innovative nonprofits, businesses, and governments around the country that are working to create quality jobs with diverse sets of approaches and solutions.

Doctor typing information on Laptop in Hospital office focus on Stethoscope
Blog Posts

How Partners Healthcare and Southern New Hampshire University are Providing College Certification Programs to Upskill Employees

Learn how organizations can invest in employee education and development to help them grow personally, and to help meet market demand.

Small graduation cap on a computer keyboard
Blog Posts

From Tuition Reimbursement to Tuition Disbursement: Key Components and Considerations

Changing the way your business runs its tuition assistance program can make it easier for employees to learn new skills.

Student in graduation cap and gown, holding a diploma
Blog Posts

Why Discover Is Giving Its Employees a Free College Degree

Discover’s new college tuition program opens the door for any eligible employee to earn a fully-paid college degree.

Reflecting on Labor Day
Blog Posts

Reflecting on Labor Day

Can we design a world of work in which working people have the chance to earn a decent living and live a decent life?

Playbook Update #3 – Upskilling from A to Z
Blog Posts

Playbook Update #3 – Upskilling from A to Z

2018 has been a great year for upskilling. Dozens of companies have launched or expanded their upskilling programs.

An Interview with Job Quality Fellow Christine Curella
Blog Posts Longform

An Interview with Job Quality Fellow Christine Curella

“In time, we hope businesses will measure their workforce performance with the same rigor and frequency as they would measure their financial performance.”

An Interview with Job Quality Fellow Sean Daniel Murphy
Blog Posts Longform

An Interview with Job Quality Fellow Sean Daniel Murphy

“By partnering with investors who share our values, we can steward additional capital toward the creation of good jobs.”

An Interview with Job Quality Fellow Amanda Cage
Blog Posts Longform

An Interview with Job Quality Fellow Amanda Cage

“It’s not inevitable that we have an economy in which only those at the top have quality jobs – it is possible to create an economy that works for all of us.”

Smiling McDonald's employee
Blog Posts

McDonald’s Sets Global Goal to Reduce Barriers to Employment for Two Million Youth

Youth Opportunity will offer pre-employment job readiness training, employment opportunities, and workplace development programs.

Walt Disney statue and Mickey Mouse statue at Disneyland in Orlando
Blog Posts

Disney Invests in Employees’ Futures with Unprecedented Education Program

Disney Aspire offers hourly employees a wide array of disciplines and diplomas—with tuition paid upfront.

Saida Amozgar, HR and Risk Supervisor for the City of Perris, California
Blog Posts

Perris, California, Offers College Degrees to City Employees

What does upskilling look like at the local level? Study.com’s Civic Scholars program offers city employees a free education.

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