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The Workers Lab is a nonprofit investor that gives new ideas for and with workers a chance to succeed.

We Believe In:

Proximity to Workers 
Investments in innovation for workers should meet workers where they are, and acknowledge who they are. That’s why our team is a majority first-generation, queer, people of color, and why our investments are made largely in leaders of color. 
Innovation for Workers 
Innovation should be used to introduce or transform ideas that make all workers safe, healthy, and secure.
Innovation by Workers 
Any and all innovation for workers should be driven by workers. Period. 
Inclusion of Workers
Labor laws, rights, and protections should include and extend to all workers everywhere.
Power for Workers
Workers should be the primary drivers of economics, politics, and culture in our society.

Innovation Fund

We invest in a national network of leaders (i.e., innovators) to test their new ideas, learn from them, and share those learnings with the field.

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Design Sprints

Through our Design Sprints methodology we move quickly to leverage our understanding of worker challenges, convene our extensive network, and then collaborate to create a solution we can integrate and test with workers.

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We Want to Learn About Your Ideas!

Do you have a new idea that can address challenges being faced by workers? We are looking for new ideas from people like you. We especially welcome innovators of color, women, and LGBTQ+ innovators to apply for the Innovation Fund or pitch your idea for our next investment. Submit your ideas here.

THE LATEST NEWS

Report release: Analysis of existing research about gig work and workers

How inconsistencies in questions, terms, and definitions are preventing a comprehensive understanding of what gig work is, who gig workers are, and what they need. 

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2022/2023 Innovation Fund Applications Are Now Being Accepted!

The Workers Lab is now accepting applications for the 2022/2023 Innovation Fund cycle! We’re seeking innovators with early-stage ideas centered around making the ways our country serves workers more...

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We’re Working With Cities To Explore How Flexible Work Can Be Quality Work

Earlier this year, we launched a major effort to continue exploring how flexible work can be quality work. The effort builds from a pilot project we supported alongside the City of Long Beach,...

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OUR SUPPORTERS

Our donors understand the power of promising new ideas, and they value our focus on innovation, our willingness to take risks, and our ability to forge partnerships across sectors. Together, we are transforming the landscape for workers.

Learn more and join our supporter network today!

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OUR VALUE PROPOSITION

The Workers Lab serves as a vehicle for the entire field of worker advocates to collaborate, explore, and experiment with new ideas for workers.

From our unique position as a convener of unlikely allies, and as an organization led by majority first-generation, queer, people of color, we have a critical perspective and insights on the future of work and what workers need.

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Investing in new ideas that make and keep all workers safe, healthy, secure, and free.