Through conferences, publications, and customized donor services, the Economic Opportunity initiative focuses on three broad sets of philanthropic strategies that advance:
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Entrepreneurship and Economic Growth
- Business formation among low-income populations;
- Entrepreneurship education and mentoring;
- Legal, financial, and peer-learning services for entrepreneurs; and
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Removal of regulatory and cultural barriers to business creation and growth.
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• Economic Independence through work and asset ownership, including:
- Job training, placement and advancement, with a special emphasis on private-sector work (including a focus on employment programs for ex-offenders, legal immigrants, welfare recipients, and people with disabilities);
- Programs to increase sustainable home ownership and protect against foreclosure;
- Programs to encourage savings for retirement, ownership, and emergencies; and
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Financial literacy and management, including programs to foster credit-worthiness.
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Personal Responsibility and Life Skills that help people to help themselves
- Character-building institutions such as Scouting and youth sports;
- Mentoring and other programs that emphasize skills and responsibility;
- Programs that reduce alcohol and drug abuse; and
- Programs that support and strengthen families.
For more information about the content of this program, please contact Jo Kwong, director of economic opportunity programs at jkwong@philanthropyroundtable.org.