Employee Ownership Policy Graduate Student Researcher

Project Equity empowers employees to become owners of the businesses where they work. We do this by raising awareness of employee ownership (EO) as a business succession strategy, conducting business outreach and education, and providing direct support for both business owners and employees in their transition to EO. Since our inception in 2014, we have successfully educated over 10,000 business stakeholders on employee ownership as a succession strategy, counseled more than 800 businesses, and provided transition and post-transition technical assistance to more than 100 companies representing over 2,000 workers. Over the ten years since our launch, Project Equity has become a national leader in the movement to harness EO to address income and wealth inequality, honor business owners’ legacies, and sustain vibrant local communities.

An emerging area of focus in our work is advocacy and policy in support of employee ownership. Through our public policy work, we partner with local government stakeholders across the country to embed EO in business support systems and elevate EO as an economic development strategy. Coming on the heels of our success in helping pass California’s Employee Ownership Act in 2022, the recent federal passage of the WORK Act, and state legislation advancing in several other states, there is immense momentum and opportunity for EO policy. As we deepen our partnerships in multiple regions nationally, we are working to expand our policy work at the local, state, and federal levels to reduce barriers and create incentives for EO.

We are currently seeking a Graduate Student Researcher to join us this summer and contribute to our work in advocating for public policies to broaden access to employee ownership. The Employee Ownership Policy Graduate Student Researcher will play a key role in conducting policy research for a collaborative research project Project Equity is leading in partnership with Morehouse College and the University of California, Riverside. This remote summer research position is designed for graduate students pursuing degrees in public policy, public administration, city/urban planning, or related fields. The role is unpaid and flexible in terms of start and end dates, and we are happy to assist students in pursuing external funding opportunities.

To apply, please email a resume and cover letter to tyler@project-equity.org by March 20, 2024. In your cover letter (approximately one page in length), please explain what you hope to get out of this volunteer experience, what motivates you to work with Project Equity, and how your education, experience, and skills align with the goals of this volunteer experience.