The Opportunity

In the wake of the Great Recession, two profound economic challenges began taking shape. First, the well-being gap between prosperous and distressed communities nationwide rapidly grew wider. And second, America’s entrepreneurial vitality–long showing signs of weakness–suffered a steep decline. American dynamism was in retreat, and policymakers were in urgent need of ideas to achieve a more broadly-shared prosperity.

The Project

The Economic Innovation Group (EIG) is a bipartisan public policy organization dedicated to forging a more dynamic and inclusive American economy. Launched in 2015, EIG quickly rose from startup think tank to one of the most influential voices in the economic policy debate, bringing geographic inequality and declining economic dynamism to the forefront of the national conversation. The organization produces nationally-recognized research, convenes leading experts from the public and private sectors, and works with policymakers to develop ideas that empower workers, entrepreneurs, and communities. EIG research and commentary are regularly cited in prominent national outlets such as the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Axios, the Associated Press, and many others.

The Parker Foundation supports the charitable portion of EIG’s work. EIG has a proven track record of championing ideas that reinvigorate American dynamism and enable workers and communities to unlock their full potential. EIG spearheaded the Opportunity Zones initiative to encourage long-term, private investment in low-income communities nationwide. Opportunity Zones became law as part of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 and have gone on to become one of the most successful economic development initiatives in U.S. history. Since then, EIG has played a leading role in developing innovative legislation to tackle a number of America’s most pressing challenges, from boosting wealth and retirement security for low-income workers, to eliminating anti-competitive barriers to worker mobility and entrepreneurship, to reimagining the skilled immigration system so that it delivers deeper and more broadly-felt benefits throughout the economy.