Economic Justice

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.

Please note that successful applications from entrepreneur support organizations will demonstrate clear strategies for expanding access to competitively priced capital for historically marginalized groups in their specific geographic focus area(s). We do not anticipate supporting work from consultants working on access to capital.

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.