Strengthen economic security and mobility

Health and well-being for Californians are inextricably connected to their economic security. When families are economically secure, they can meet their basic needs—live in safe and stable housing, keep food on the table, pay the bills, care for one another when needed, and save for the future—which leads to healthier individuals, families, and communities, and can prevent violence in the home.

Women, immigrants, communities of color, and people with low incomes face disproportionate barriers to achieving economic stability and mobility, and we’re committed to addressing the root causes of these inequities and removing those barriers. We invest in approaches that put more time and money in the hands of Californians with low incomes; that increase care workers’ wages, benefits, and job quality, while keeping care affordable and accessible for families; and that spur innovations to provide greater economic security for survivors of domestic violence.

Equipping Californians to lead healthy and dignified lives

Our work to strengthen economic security and mobility for Californians means working with grantee partners across the state who are supporting Californians in accessing the resources they need to lead healthy and dignified lives.

“We see income and wealth, particularly when viewed through the lens of racial and gender equity, as powerful long-term contributors to health and well-being. Strengthening economic security and mobility for Californians means creating equitable opportunity to improve financial well-being, to set up the next generations for success, to plan for the future, and to tend to their health and the health of their families.”

—Rachel Wick, Senior Program Officer

Creating impact through systems change

A woman gestures at drawings of houses on a chalkboard, interacting with young students

We support grantees who are working to catalyze policy changes that will have a positive impact on communities of color with low incomes in California. Specifically, we’re promoting:

  • Increasing wage replacement to drive equity in access to paid family leave
  • Increasing eligibility for tax credits to new populations
  • Exploring long-term policy solutions for guaranteed income
  • Making CalWORKs and community college systems work for student parents
  • Protecting the health and safety of domestic workers
  • Increasing public investment in entrepreneurship and small business development for care workers
  • Increasing public investment in innovative approaches to support domestic violence survivors, such as Domestic Violence Housing First programs to prevent homelessness

Grantees

Grantee Year Grant Amount Region
The Regents of the University of California San Francisco 2022 $517,501 Statewide
California Partnership to End Domestic Violence 2022 $500,000 Statewide
SMALL BUSINESS MAJORITY FOUNDATION INC 2022 $450,000 Statewide
The Regents of the University of California San Francisco 2022 $289,010 Statewide
Social Finance, Inc. 2022 $200,000 Statewide
City and County of San Francisco 2022 $200,000 San Francisco Bay Area
Mujeres Unidas y Activas 2022 $1,600,000 Statewide
Tides Foundation 2022 $500,000 Statewide
Downtown Women's Center 2022 $500,000 Los Angeles
The Regents of the University of California Los Angeles 2022 $354,768 Statewide
Equal Rights Advocates 2022 $200,000 Statewide
Pilipino Workers Center of Southern California 2022 $200,000 Statewide
Family Values At Work A Multi-State Consortium Inc. 2022 $500,000 Statewide
Economic Security Project Inc 2022 $200,000 Statewide
Public Health Institute 2022 $200,000 Statewide
FreeFrom 2021 $600,000 National
Western Center on Law and Poverty 2021 $275,000 Statewide
San Diego State University Research Foundation 2021 $240,851 South
International Rescue Committee Inc 2021 $232,236 South
Golden State Opportunity 2021 $150,000 Statewide

Related publications and insights

The faces behind the work

Senior Program Officer

Director of Policy

Courtnee Hamity

Senior Evaluation and Data Strategy Officer

Senior Communications Associate

Asma Day

Program Manager

Policy Program Officer

Senior Program Coordinator

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