Our Focus |

Economic Justice

Economic justice means that everyone has opportunities to participate and thrive in the economy, including those who are marginalized by our current economic systems. The principles of economic justice create a stronger economy because prosperity and equity go hand in hand.

We’re looking for innovative approaches that remove barriers to economic justice and level the playing field so people can compete on an equal footing. We want workers, consumers, small businesses, and communities to have more agency when it comes to the economic factors impacting their lives.

Please note that successful applications from entrepreneur support organizations will demonstrate clear strategies for expanding access to competitively priced private and public capital for historically marginalized groups in their specific geographic focus area(s). We do not anticipate supporting work from individual consultants or business consulting firms working on access to capital. Please review the information below to learn more.

Community composter Domingo Morales engages with the audience at our 8th Annual Cultivating Community Composting Forum, with ILSR’s Clarissa Libertelli (right) looking on. Photo credit: Steven Springer

Fosters Economic Security

Economic security is a necessary baseline for people to survive and thrive, especially amidst conditions of rising inequality. We support efforts that systemically mitigate economic precarity and secure a path to a more stable future for poor and low-income people.  Within this focus area, we are focused specifically on increasing worker power and addressing the lack of affordable housing in the United States. We do not anticipate funding economic security work that falls outside of these two areas in 2026.

For 2026 we will prioritize work happening in or focused on the U.S. South that:

Increases workers’ power and their ability to negotiate for fair pay and good benefits 
Addresses the high cost of housing for renters and/or homeowners
Expands the uptake of employee ownership and other forms of alternative ownership structures

Increases Access to Capital

Generations of discriminatory lending and investment practices have prevented BIPOC and women from accessing the capital required to bring their innovative ideas to the marketplace and profit from them. We support efforts to provide access to capital for historically excluded entrepreneurs and to cultivate ecosystems in which they can prosper.

For 2026 we will prioritize work happening in or focused on the U.S. South that:

  Increases capital controlled and allocated by women and people of color 
  Expands Black, Indigenous, and other people of color’s ability to secure competitively priced private and public capital, including loans, lines of credit, and investment dollars  
  Shift perceptions of risk and bankability and advances fair underwriting standards

Combats Monopoly Power

Monopoly power drives many corrosive problems in our political, economic, and social systems. We support efforts to decrease corporate power and create a level playing field for workers, marginalized communities, and small businesses. Our approach to addressing monopoly power is primarily focused on revitalizing antitrust enforcement and undermining the consumer welfare standard.   

For 2026 we will prioritize work happening in or focused on the U.S. South that:

Increases competition in key industries (i.e., energy, agriculture, healthcare, and retail ) and dismantles consolidated corporate power 
Ensures enforcement of regulations that keep corporate power in check  
Expands state and local action designed to address monopoly power.

“We’re eager to hear from partners tackling economic justice issues using a systemic approach.”

– Laura Campos, Senior Director of Economic Justice

Our focus areas

Fosters Economic Security

For 2026 we will prioritize work happening in or focused on the U.S. South that:

Increases Access to Capital

For 2026 we will prioritize work happening in or focused on the U.S. South that:

Combats Monopoly Power

For 2026 we will prioritize work happening in or focused on the U.S. South that:

Racial Justice

Environmental Justice

Economic Justice

Our focus areas

Fosters Economic Security

For 2026 we will prioritize work happening in or focused on the U.S. South that:

Increases Access to Capital

For 2026 we will prioritize work happening in or focused on the U.S. South that:

Combats Monopoly Power

For 2026 we will prioritize work happening in or focused on the U.S. South that:

From our grants, to our investments, to our voice, we are using all of our resources to advance REEJ.

Racial Justice

Environmental Justice