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.

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FIELD Forum Issue 4 – Follow-Up Services: Post-Loan and Post Training
Publications

FIELD Forum Issue 4 – Follow-Up Services: Post-Loan and Post Training

Explains the challenge behind providing follow-up services and describes the five grantees participating in a two-year demonstration led by FIELD.

SEDLP Research Brief No. 1: Key Findings from the Baseline Survey of Participants
Publications

SEDLP Research Brief No. 1: Key Findings from the Baseline Survey of Participants

In an effort to document and learn about the effect that sectoral employment development programs have on the income and employment opportunities of poor Americans, SEDLP’s Participant Study gathers extensive pre- and post-training information from a 732 person sample.

Asian Neighborhood Design: A Case Study of a Sectoral Employment Development Approach
Publications

Asian Neighborhood Design: A Case Study of a Sectoral Employment Development Approach

This case study examines Asian Neighborhood Design (AND), a community development corporation with a strong focus on the building sector.

FIELD Forum Issue 3 – Designing Microenterprise Programs for Welfare Recipients
Publications

FIELD Forum Issue 3 – Designing Microenterprise Programs for Welfare Recipients

This issue profiles the projects participating in the Welfare to Work grant cluster and describes some of the challenges posed by welfare reform laws.

Garment Industry Development Corporation: A Case Study of a Sectoral Employment Development Approach
Publications

Garment Industry Development Corporation: A Case Study of a Sectoral Employment Development Approach

The first SEDLP case study examines the Garment Industry Development Corporation (GIDC), a specialized nonprofit that focuses on issues of job quality and business competitiveness within the garment industry.

FIELD Forum Issue 2 – Business Financing Products for the Poor 
Publications

FIELD Forum Issue 2 – Business Financing Products for the Poor 

Examines this critical issue and describes the five organizations participating in a multi-site, two-year demonstration project.

FIELD Forum Issue 1 – Assessing the Effectiveness of Training and Technical Assistance
Publications

FIELD Forum Issue 1 – Assessing the Effectiveness of Training and Technical Assistance

Offers background on this important issue and describes the five grantees participating in a multi-site, two-year demonstration project.

Microenterprise and the Poor: Findings from the Self-Employment Learning Project Five Year Survey of Microentrepreneurs
Publications

Microenterprise and the Poor: Findings from the Self-Employment Learning Project Five Year Survey of Microentrepreneurs

The Self-Employment Learning Project tracked the progress of individuals running microbusinesses from 1991 to 1997. This report documents their efforts to get out of poverty and the progress of their businesses.

Performance Counts Vol. 1 Issue 1 Fall 1997
Publications

Performance Counts Vol. 1 Issue 1 Fall 1997

An occasional newsletter published by FIELD’s MicroTest project. Contains information about performance measures being tested, data collection tools and definitions.

The Practice of Microenterprise in the U.S.: Strategies, Costs, and Effectiveness 
Publications

The Practice of Microenterprise in the U.S.: Strategies, Costs, and Effectiveness 

Documents the experiences of seven senior microenterprise programs in delivering credit, training, and technical assistance to low- and moderate-income clients in the US. Using case materials gathered between 1992-1994, analyzes strategies, costs, and effectiveness.

Enabling Entrepreneurship: Microenterprise Development in the US
Publications

Enabling Entrepreneurship: Microenterprise Development in the US

In-depth information on the first year of the longitudinal SELP study. Includes demographics, types, size, and performance of microbusineses.

Jobs and the Urban Poor: Privately Initiated Sectoral Strategies
Publications

Jobs and the Urban Poor: Privately Initiated Sectoral Strategies

This report is an initial attempt to define sectoral workforce development strategies and to assess their potential to alleviate urban poverty by providing good jobs for low-income individuals.

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