Welcome to Economic Opportunity Funders (EOF)

2024 Call for Nominations for Now Open!

Know an organization that works tirelessly to defend and advocate for low-wage workers’ rights? Nominate them to receive $10,000.

This award is open to any organization working in the field of law and social policy to advance low-wage workers’ rights in the United States. Nominated organizations may be of any size or budget and work may have just started or occurred over years.

Anyone can make a nomination, and self-nominations are allowed. All nominations must be submitted using EOF’s online application.

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Welcome to EOF

Advancing effective government and equitable policies for shared prosperity.
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What We Do

CONVENE

EOF brings funders together through in-person meetings and webinars to deepen their understanding of the cross cutting issues of poverty and economic opportunity, support for low-wage workers, and adequate public resources.

CONNECT

EOF staff make connections among funders pursuing similar objectives or working in similar regions through outreach and mapping efforts.

CATALYZE

EOF supports the coordination and alignment of investments through funder networks and pooled funds.

COLLABORATE

EOF regularly partners with other funder affinity groups on programming to highlight the intersectionality of our work, improve our reach, impact, and effectiveness and to reduce duplication of efforts.

Our Mission

Established in 1992, Economic Opportunity Funders (formerly known as GIST), is a network of national, regional and local level funders working to advance economic equity and opportunity in the United States. We believe in building an economy that works for all, regardless of race, ethnicity, immigration status, education, income, religion, gender identity, disability or age. We support a strong public sector and policies that create a healthy, fair and just economy where opportunity and prosperity are broadly shared.

EOF focuses its work in three key and intersecting areas: poverty and opportunity, protecting and supporting workers, and tax and budget policies. We provide a platform for funders to share information, exchange ideas and best practice, and collaborate around identified areas of interest.

Focus Areas

Poverty and Opportunity

This country is built on the idea of opportunity for all, regardless of where you come from or what you look like. However, our economy is out of balance, with persistent income inequality across race and gender and more than 40 million people living in poverty and many more unable to afford the basics or care for their families. Too often systems and structures create barriers instead of opportunities and prevent people from fulfilling their potential, sharing in economic gains or fully contributing to our economy. We need to protect and improve programs and policies that ensure all people have access to food, housing, education, employment, health care and other basic needs so they can move out of poverty and have a chance at a better future.

Protecting and supporting workers

Work is a shared American value, central to individual well-being, sense of purpose, and ability to provide for loved ones. Millions of Americans, especially women and people of color, are working in jobs with low pay, unpredictable schedules, few if any benefits, and limited opportunities for advancement or growth. Strong supports are needed in this rapidly changing economy to help create jobs, boost wages, modernize benefits, and ensure safe, healthy, and fair conditions at work.

Tax and Budget Policies

Government services, structures and systems are an essential foundation for a healthy economy where opportunity and prosperity are broadly and equitably shared. Budgets are moral documents that reflect our values and priorities through decisions on how to tax residents and businesses and spend these collective resources. Supporting adequate public resources to meet the needs of struggling families, workers and communities is essential to ensure we build an economy that works for everyone.
Marcela Montes, W.K. Kellogg Foundation

Marcela Montes headshot“Whenever I participate, I always come away with new insights on how to approach my work. Everything EOF does is well thought out and intentional about helping philanthropic professionals think about issues in new, different, and practical ways, through the lens of experience and other experts. It always feels productive.”

 

Josh Protas, MAZON: A Jewish Response To Hunger

Josh Protas headshot

“There’s so much learning that happens by engaging in EOF. Hearing about exciting innovations in states and communities, opportunities to leverage impact, how it might relate to our work, and having surprising conversations with people sparks unexpected ideas. They are meetings I always look forward to.” 

Asma Day, Blue Shield Of California Foundation

Headshot of Asma Day, Blue Shield of California Foundation

“EOF gives an opportunity to see where you might be re-inventing the wheel. A place for exploring how people are working in different and aligned ways that you didn’t know about. It gives access to learning and sharing, to community, and empathy for the challenges we all face.”

Ianna Kachoris, The Chicago Community Trust

Ianna Kachoris headshot

“EOF connects us to each other and to the broader national conversation. It helps us understand what’s happening in federal policy. It’s a source of learning, awareness-building, and opportunities to collaborate. Being part of networks like these helps us add our voice and connect to broader efforts and bring the lessons and experiences in Chicago into those conversations.”

Tamara Draut, Wellspring Philanthropic Fund

Tammy Draut Headshot

 

“The EOF network has been invaluable to me as someone new to philanthropy. EOF is a great place to learn from other funders and get a sense of the philanthropic landscape. It’s been a source of inspiration and connection for me.”

Michael Cassidy, The Annie E. Casey Foundation

 

“EOF is a tool for addressing challenges across philanthropy. It’s a force multiplier. It provides a space for collaborating and aligning with other funders. It leverages impact.”

Monica Hobbs Vinluan, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

MHV-RWJF headshot“We’re a health funder. At EOF, we benefit from the exposure to, and understanding of, economic issues, and ways of moving forward on an economic front. Being a member helps us push forward on our thinking and understanding and helps us to figure out how we can be additive to this work. The thought partnership makes us all better. It helps us advance our shared strategies in really positive ways.”

Ria Pugeda, if

“EOF helps us stay abreast of economic issues, so it’s the value of all the information shared—from state, local and federal policies, to finding out what peers working at different levels are doing, to the national trends and ideas we can adapt for our region. It’s all integral to the daily lives of communities of color and to the vision and mission of the foundation.”

Nomzana Augustin, WES Mariam Assefa Fund

 

“Being part of a broad network like EOF allows our team to learn as funders and collaborate with other partners. It gives us opportunities to be thought partners in advancing this important work to create an economy that works for all.”

 

Tracy Williams, Omidyar Network

 

“I am grateful to have the EOF community. It’s where I get a sense of what other funders are doing and who operates in my world.”

How We Work

Meetings

EOF holds two in-person meetings a year, including an Annual Budget and Tax Briefing. Meetings include a mix of presentations and discussions with leading national thinkers, practitioners, and advocates as well as funder updates and strategy sessions.
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Webinars

Virtual meetings are scheduled as needed to raise awareness of emerging issues and enhance connection and information sharing among members between in-person events.
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Mapping

Since 2011, EOF has been engaged in geographic mapping efforts to help illustrate to funders where investments are being made in policy, advocacy and communications work in the states, and to help foster cross-funder dialog and collaboration.
EOF Mapping Project

Pooled Funds

EOF provides a table around which multiple funders can align support for key ideas and grantees. Sometimes these funds are pooled with EOF while other funders work collaboratively but deploy their own funds directly. EOF currently administers a pooled fund focused on increasing public support for state EITCs.
EITC Pooled Fund

Funder Networks

Private listservs and working groups offer members the opportunity for information sharing and learning as well as the coordination and alignment of investments among identified areas of interest.
View Funder Networks

Partnerships

EOF activities and events engage new funders as well as other funder affinity groups in poverty alleviation, economic opportunity, worker supports, and tax and budget issues and lift up the intersectionality across our work.
Our Partners

Outreach

EOF staff keep informed of areas of interest and giving among members and make connections among funders pursuing similar objectives or working in similar regions.

Join EOF and Get Connected!

Participate in funder briefings and webinars.
Share information, ideas, strategies and best practices.
Collaborate with other funders on aligned areas of interest.
Leverage philanthropic investments and advance effective grantmaking practices.
Not a Member? Join now, it’s free!