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.

An Interview with Job Quality Fellow Jess Kutch
Blog Posts Longform

An Interview with Job Quality Fellow Jess Kutch

“When all working people have agency over their jobs and work lives, we can together create a more equitable, sustainable, and healthy economy.”

An Interview with Job Quality Fellow Emylene Aspilla
Blog Posts Longform

An Interview with Job Quality Fellow Emylene Aspilla

“Together, I hope we can contribute to a roadmap for an economy that works better for communities across the country.”

Three Signs that the UpSkilling Movement is Gaining Momentum
Blog Posts

Three Signs that the UpSkilling Movement is Gaining Momentum

Just six weeks into 2018, we’ve already seen several indications that the upskilling movement is gaining momentum.

Making Apprenticeships Work: Five Policy Recommendations
Blog Posts

Making Apprenticeships Work: Five Policy Recommendations

How can work-based programs prepare today’s workforce to meet tomorrow’s challenges? This paper offers some answers, including insights from UpSkill America Director Jaime Fall.

Is America Missing 5.8 Million Workers?
Blog Posts

Is America Missing 5.8 Million Workers?

There can’t be a labor shortage when 5.8 million workers are missing in action.

Exploring strategies and expanding opportunities in 2018
Blog Posts

Exploring strategies and expanding opportunities in 2018

Learn about our 2018 priorities and work as we continue to advance the potential of business ownership to address our nation’s pressing challenges of economic inequality and financial security.

Disney Launches New $50 Million Higher Education Program for Employees
Blog Posts

Disney Launches New $50 Million Higher Education Program for Employees

Nearly 88,000 employees will be eligible and can utilize the program to make an impactful investment in their future.

Brinker & Pearson Partner to Offer No Cost Education to Chili’s & Maggiano’s Employees
Blog Posts

Brinker & Pearson Partner to Offer No Cost Education to Chili’s & Maggiano’s Employees

Best You EDU, a partnership between Brinker International and Pearson, is designed to meet employees where they are on their educational journey.

Towards a Reskilling Revolution: A Future of Jobs for All
Blog Posts

Towards a Reskilling Revolution: A Future of Jobs for All

Upskilling, reskilling, and retraining will be critical for companies and policymakers alike. This report by the World Economic Forum explains why.

WSI Looks Ahead to 2018
Blog Posts

WSI Looks Ahead to 2018

Learn about the Workforce Strategies Initiative’s priorities and planned work for 2018.

An Interview with Job Quality Fellow Laphonza Butler
Blog Posts Longform

An Interview with Job Quality Fellow Laphonza Butler

“We’re at a moment when it’s critical to develop a common vision of job quality for our country. This vision is essential to support the jobs of today and the jobs of tomorrow.”

An Interview with Job Quality Fellow Betsy Biemann
Blog Posts Longform

An Interview with Job Quality Fellow Betsy Biemann

“If you work hard and full-time, you shouldn’t be poor. While that’s been an American value for a long time, it hasn’t been an American reality for everyone.”

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