REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

WorkRise will invest $3M across research studies & pilot projects designed to unlock important evidence for informing policies & practices that support increased workplace equity, improved job quality, & stronger economic mobility for US workers, especially those working in low-wage jobs & from historically marginalized communities. 

Learn more

WorkRise is Growing

We have a number of opportunities to join our team! Applications will be accepted on a rolling bases via the Urban Careers website.

Positions include:

Grantmaking and Partnerships

Led by a cross-sector Leadership Board that is ideologically diverse and representative of often-siloed groups, WorkRise invests in research on policies, programs, and practices that have the potential to accelerate economic security and mobility for low-wage workers. We fund analyses and the creation of data that shed light on labor market barriers, trends, and opportunities. And we engage in strategic partnerships that help advance evidence-based solutions in support of our mission. Learn more about our most recent request for proposals and how you can collaborate with WorkRise.

Virtual Event
Female engineer showing the production plan to a worker on her digital tablet. Supervisor and female worker looking at digital tablet and discussing work in factory shop floor.
Worker voice, representation, and power Tuesday, October 18, 2022

Charting a Resilient Future for US Workers: Solutions to Navigate an Uncertain Economy

View event recordings below.

Amid seismic economic shifts, workers and families have experienced highs and lows. The COVID-19 pandemic dealt a once-in-a-lifetime economic shock, followed by a robust government…

Tuesday, October 18, 2022
Working Knowledge

The Latest

Federal policy June 28, 2022
Blog Article

Roe v. Wade’s Reversal Poses a Disproportionate Threat to Black Women’s Economic Mobility

The June 24 US Supreme Court ruling, which struck down the constitutional right to an abortion, will undermine Black women’s educational attainment, occupational outcomes, and lifetime earnings.

Elisabeth Jacobs, Andrew Boardman, Archana Pyati

June 28, 2022
Demographic disparities June 22, 2022
Blog Article

Beyond Pay Gaps, Women Face Disparities in Dignity at Work

Exploring the gender gap in dignity at work. In addition to inequities in pay, women experience less respect and recognition on the job according to a new study.

Andrew Boardman

June 22, 2022
Employer practices June 17, 2022
Blog Article

Employer Practices and Economic Mobility: Future Directions for Research

There are several promising avenues for research on employer practices and how they can influence economic mobility for low-wage workers.

Archana Pyati

June 17, 2022
Employer practices June 17, 2022
Blog Article

Employer Practices and Economic Mobility: What Does the Evidence Say?

A new report summarizes research on employer practices that can support economic mobility for low-wage workers, and the mechanisms by which these practices exert their influence.

Archana Pyati

June 17, 2022

Research

State and local policy March 15, 2023

How Past Criminal Convictions Bar Floridians from Occupational Licensing Opportunities

In this report, the Florida Policy Institute and the DeVoe L. Moore Center at Florida State University highlight research exploring the relationship between occupational licensing and recidivism and the consequences of overregulation on workforce development. The authors also survey the landscape of Florida’s occupational licensing laws and policy reform efforts and present policy proposals to reduce professional licensing barriers for people with criminal records.

Tachana Joseph-Marc, Samuel R. Staley

March 15, 2023
Worker voice, representation, and power March 13, 2023

Nailing New Labor Models: Exploring Sectoral Bargaining and High-Road Training Partnerships in the Nail Salon Sector

This report from the California Healthy Nail Salon Collaborative and the UCLA Labor Center explores how partnerships and sectoral boards can build a sustainable and equitable nail salon industry, focusing on two approaches from other sectors. High-road training partnerships and sectoral bargaining approaches can be adapted for nail salons but require distinct interventions and capacities for member participation.

UCLA Labor Center, California Healthy Nail Salon Collaborative, California State University, Long Beach

March 13, 2023
Employer practices December 10, 2022

The National Study of Workplace Equity

The National Study of Workplace Equity surveyed just over 1,000 workplaces to find that equity is inconsistently implemented across employment systems. Researchers from the Boston College School of Social Work and Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM) find that equity is strongest in recruitment and hiring, compensation and benefits, and orientation and onboarding.

Samuel L. Bradley, Jr., Marcie Pitt-Catsouphes, Kathleen Christensen

December 10, 2022
Employer practices December 10, 2022

Executive Summary: The National Study of Workplace Equity

In a new study, researchers from Work Equity, an initiative at the Boston College School of Social Work, and SHRM find that much progress needs to be made on equity across the employment lifecycle. Based on a survey of just over 1,000 workplaces, researchers find that equity is implemented inconsistently across 10 discrete employment systems.

Samuel L. Bradley, Jr., Marcie Pitt-Catsouphes, Kathleen Christensen

December 10, 2022
Federal policy September 29, 2022

The EITC and Racial Income Inequality

A new analysis from WorkRise grantees finds that the earned income tax credit reduces racial income inequality among lower- and middle-income households but may widen it for households in deep poverty.

Bradley Hardy, Charles Hokayem, James Ziliak

September 29, 2022