Economic Opportunity
At the center of the American ethos — the “American Dream” — is the ideal that all Americans should have the opportunity to succeed and prosper. In the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964, lawmakers wrote that it is “the policy of the United States to eliminate the paradox of poverty in the midst of plenty in this Nation by opening to everyone the opportunity for education and training, the opportunity to work, and the opportunity to live in decency and dignity.” Economic opportunity encompasses everything from quality jobs and job preparation to health care and infrastructure — in other words, the factors that give every individual the chance to achieve their potential. This section of the Spotlight website gathers the latest research, news, and opinion on economic opportunity.
Related News
When The Employed Are Pushed Into Homelessness
“In Atlanta, journalist Brian Goldstone introduces us to the intersection of Memorial Drive and Candler Road – the threshold of two neighborhoods. On one side: a liberal arts college and cafés. “And you cross over, and it’s dialysis centers, it’s liquor stores, it’s payday lenders,” he said. “Other areas of Atlanta are booming, but this area sort of stayed stuck in this period of decline. … The poor are out here on these peripheral areas.”
Poverty Spikes in The Land of The Tech Billionaires
“SAN FRANCISCO — It takes Tazo Stuart-Riascos 28,000 steps per day to make ends meet in one of America’s most unaffordable places.
Ohio Bill Would Make 'Success Sequence' Required Learning
“COLUMBUS, Ohio — State senators advanced a bill that would require students in grades 6-12 to learn a three-pronged theory that states that people who complete at least a high school education, work full time and marry before having children are less likely to live in poverty in adulthood.
Coalition Announces New $1B Initiative to Empower Low-Income Americans
“NEW YORK (July 17, 2025) – Today, a coalition of foundations and philanthropists—Ballmer Group, Gates Foundation, Stand Together, Valhalla Foundation and John Overdeck—announced NextLadder Ventures, a $1 billion initiative grounded in the belief that every American has the potential to achieve economic prosperity and focused on fostering technology and tools to expand economic opportunity for low-income Americans. Over the next 15 years, NextLadder Ventures will invest in entrepreneurs developing personalized solutions that help individuals and families navigate critical moments—like job loss, housing instability, or health crises. These approaches will be designed with and for the people who need them most. The […]
Vance Tries to Sell Trump Budget Bill But Ignores The Costs
"Vice President JD Vance traveled to a crucial swing state on Wednesday to sell the Trump administration’s signature domestic policy legislation as a victory for working American families, despite concerns even among some Republicans over its cuts to the safety net in service of benefiting the rich. In what amounted to an attempted brand relaunch of legislation that Democrats have framed as an attack on the middle class, Mr. Vance traveled to a machine shop in eastern Pennsylvania to spotlight provisions in the package that would cut taxes, preserve overtime pay and create $1,000 savings accounts for newborns. Left unmentioned by Mr. Vance were the cuts to Medicaid and the nutritional assistance programs that many of Mr. Trump’s own supporters rely on. “I think this will be transformational for the American people,” Mr. Vance said in front of signs that read “No tax on tips” and “America is back.” The vice president appealed to those in attendance to help the administration sell the package ahead of next year’s midterm elections, arguing that it would benefit Americans like those working in the manufacturing facility serving as his backdrop."
Missouri Rolls Back Voter-Approved Minimum Wage Hike, Paid Leave
"When Missouri voters were asked last year whether they wanted to increase the minimum wage and require employers to provide paid sick leave, 58 percent of them said yes.
The Effect of Budget Cuts on Vulnerable Seniors
"Proposed federal budget cuts to health and social programs would affect about 8 million seniors living in poverty. Many rely on state and federal support that the Trump Administration wants to cut."
The Myth of The Poverty Trap
“We used to be trapped. And by “we,” I really do mean all of us. A few hundred years ago, the majority of the world lived in extreme poverty, and even in recent decades, people lucky enough to clear the $2.15-per-day threshold were living lives that others in the developed world would find unrecognizable.
Republicans Resist Shift of Safety Net Costs to States
“Congressional Republicans agree that the federal government has a spending problem. Now top GOP leaders want to make it someone else’s problem — by shifting some safety-net programs onto state budgets.
