FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Established in 2021, the Law & Social Policy Legacy Award recognizes organizations defending and advocating for low-wage workers’ rights and increases knowledge of this work in the philanthropic community. The Public Welfare Foundation spent more than a decade supporting public policy and system reforms to improve the lives of low-wage working people in the United States. This prize will commemorate and build on Public Welfare Foundation’s support to the field and honor the critical role law and social policy organizations play in building an economy that works for all while increasing knowledge of this work in the philanthropic community.

Economic Opportunity Funders (EOF) is a network of national, regional and local funders working to advance economic equity and opportunity in the United States. A $10,000 award will be given by EOF with support from Public Welfare Foundation annually until 2030 as a part of their legacy investment into the Workers’ Rights field. There are no restrictions or limitations on the use of the $10,000 award. Awardees will be recognized at EOF’s Annual Budget and Tax Briefing for grantmakers in March, in front of dozens of funders. EOF will create a short video about the winner’s work to share during the recognition event and with members and partners.

• Any 501(c)(3) organization (or fiscally sponsored project) working in the field of law and social policy to advance low-wage workers’ rights in the United States is eligible. For the purposes of this award, social policy is defined as public sector (and not private sector) policy.
• Organizations must be based in the United States.
• Size and budget do not matter—we are looking for organizations whose work is impactful, regardless of the resources available to them.
• This is not a lifetime achievement award. There is no specific time span required; the work may be just starting or have occurred over years.
• Individuals are NOT eligible.
• Previous Law & Social Policy Legacy Award nominees are eligible to be nominated again in subsequent years. Previous winners cannot be nominated again.

All nominations must be submitted via our online application form. See the nomination questions below. Download a pdf of the 2026 instructions and form.

1. Please share the nominee’s mission statement and geographic focus.
2. How does the nominee effectively combine law AND policy to protect and promote the rights of low-wage workers across the United States? What policy strategies do they employ (e.g., advocate for new laws or amendments, help draft legislation, work with government agencies to enact or enforce regulations, engage in public commentary, etc)? What legal strategies do they engage in (e.g., direct legal services, impact litigation, administrative rulemaking, etc.)?
3. Please share examples of how the nominee’s work has made a significant difference in both the individual lives of low-wage workers AND in driving structural and systemic change (e.g., changing state or federal laws, reforming administrative rules or regulations, supporting impact litigation, class-action lawsuits, etc.).
4. How does the nominee engage with and center the voices of low-wage workers in their work?
5. How does the nominee’s work stand out among their peers?
6. Are there specific challenges or opportunities that the recognition from this award will help the nominee capitalize on?
7. Please upload or share links to two examples of the nominee’s work and impact (e.g., annual report, infographic, video, news article, etc.).

Anyone can make a nomination.

Nominators may make one nomination per year.

Self-nominations are allowed (limited to one self-nomination per organization).

There is no nomination fee.

DISCLAIMER: Award recipients are not selected based on the volume of nominations received. A single nomination will place the organization in consideration for the award.

No, references are not required.

A selection committee will evaluate nominations and select the final winner. The 2026 Selection Committee includes:

• Cassie Davis, Policy Analyst, W.K. Kellogg Foundation
• Meg Fosque, Rockefeller Foundation
• Renée Schomp, Deputy Director, Justice Catalyst
• 2025 Award Winner: Jeremy Al-Haj, Missouri Workers Center
• EOF Co-Directors Ami Nagle and Cema Siegel

Nominations will be evaluated on the following criteria:

• The nominee engages in both law and policy to defend and advocate for low-wage workers’ rights.
• The nominee meaningfully impacts the lives of individual low-wage workers and advances structural and systemic change.
• The nominee employs a strong worker-engagement model and centers the voices of low-wage workers in their work.
• The nominee’s work stands out among their peers.

Preference will be given to nominations where recognition from the award will help the nominee capitalize on a specific challenge or opportunity. For example, 1) for a less well-known and under-resourced organization, recognition from this award will help increase visibility to new partners and funders; or 2) for a well-known and well-resourced organization, the recognition from this award will help amplify a new body of work focused on workers’ rights or a leadership transition.

EOF will notify the winner via email by December 1, 2025.

The winner will receive $10,000 and be recognized at the EOF Annual Budget and Tax Briefing in March 2026. EOF will cover all related travel expenses for one staff person to participate in the recognition event at the Briefing. EOF will also create a short video about the winner’s work to share during the recognition ceremony and with our network and partners.

• Nominations open: September 3, 2025
• Nomination submission deadline: 11:59 PM ET on October 13, 2025
• Award winner notified: December 1, 2025
• Award winner recognized: EOF Annual Budget and Tax Briefing in March 2026.