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.

Carreras en Salud (Careers in Health) (Chicago, Ill.)
Publications

Carreras en Salud (Careers in Health) (Chicago, Ill.)

This document is a profile of a sector initiative and provides detailed description of the initiative that may include information about program design, funding, worker outcomes, partners and much more.

Capital IDEA/ACC Partnership (Austin and Round Rock, Tex.)
Publications

Capital IDEA/ACC Partnership (Austin and Round Rock, Tex.)

This document is a profile of a sector initiative and provides detailed description of the initiative that may include information about program design, funding, worker outcomes, partners and much more.

Capital IDEA – Teacher Pipeline Project (Austin, Tex.)
Publications

Capital IDEA – Teacher Pipeline Project (Austin, Tex.)

This document is a profile of a sector initiative and provides detailed description of the initiative that may include information about program design, funding, worker outcomes, partners and much more.

Capital IDEA – Program Overview (Austin, Tex.)
Publications

Capital IDEA – Program Overview (Austin, Tex.)

This document is a profile of a sector initiative and provides detailed description of the initiative that may include information about program design, funding, worker outcomes, partners and much more.

Capital IDEA – Health Care Occupations (Austin, Tex.)
Publications

Capital IDEA – Health Care Occupations (Austin, Tex.)

This document is a profile of a sector initiative and provides detailed description of the initiative that may include information about program design, funding, worker outcomes, partners and much more.

Capital IDEA – Electric Utility Sector Work (Austin, Tex.)
Publications

Capital IDEA – Electric Utility Sector Work (Austin, Tex.)

This document is a profile of a sector initiative and provides detailed description of the initiative that may include information about program design, funding, worker outcomes, partners and much more.

Automobile Career Pathways Project (Seattle, Wash.)
Publications

Automobile Career Pathways Project (Seattle, Wash.)

This document is a profile of a sector initiative and provides detailed description of the initiative that may include information about program design, funding, worker outcomes, partners and much more.

Courses to Employment:  Partnering to Create Paths to Education and Careers
Publications

Courses to Employment: Partnering to Create Paths to Education and Careers

How six community college-nonprofit partnerships work together to help low-income adults succeed in the classroom and the labor market.

The State of Business Development Services 
Publications

The State of Business Development Services 

Documents the scale and scope of business development services work by U.S. MDOs as of 2010.

A Solid Foundation: Key Capacities of Construction Pre-Apprenticeship Programs
Publications

A Solid Foundation: Key Capacities of Construction Pre-Apprenticeship Programs

This publication shares research from site visits conducted to construction pre-apprenticeship programs in Baltimore, Hartford, Milwaukee, and Portland, Oregon.

US Microenterprise Census Highlights, Fiscal Year 2010
Publications

US Microenterprise Census Highlights, Fiscal Year 2010

Released in 2012, the US Microenterprise Census Highlights of 2010 include data from 366 microenterprise organizations across the country.

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.

Join Our Mailing List

To receive occasional emails about our work — including new publications, commentary, events, fellowships, and more — join our mailing list.

Connect on Social Media

For news and updates every day, connect with us on the social media platform of your choice.

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.

Placeholder
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