In 2022, Congress passed the Worker Ownership and Readiness and Knowledge Act, which authorized $50 million over five years to create the Employee Ownership Initiative within the Department of Labor to promote employee ownership, by supporting new and existing state employee ownership programs.
Congress appropriated $2 Million in FY2026 for the Employee Ownership grant program for state programs. The USFWC expects for any state agency to be able to apply for funding, and that the grant opportunity will open in fall of 2026. We encourage cooperators and allies to reach out to their state legislators and encourage them to apply.
Need help?
- Use this one-pager to aid your initial outreach, and email us at policy@usworker.coop with any questions.
- Visit the Department of Labor’s Employee Ownership Initiative website to learn more about the division and its work.
- Join a Policy and Advocacy Council meeting to connect with other cooperators working toward securing WORK Act funding.
