Investing in Job Quality in the South

Improving job quality takes many forms and tactics — as does the funding that supports it. Some businesses need access to capital or technical assistance to build better jobs. Workers and advocates need resources to organize, push for higher standards, and shape the policies that govern work. And the field itself needs investment to grow the knowledge, networks, and infrastructure that make progress possible. This event — hosted by the Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program on May 7, 2026 — explores how philanthropic and financial capital can play a meaningful role in supporting efforts to improve job quality. Job Quality Fellows from across the South will share examples from their own communities, including where they see opportunities and challenges in investing in job quality and what they’re learning. The conversation surfaces lessons about how funders and investors can show up as partners in the long-term work of building a South where good jobs are the norm, not the exception.Our speakers include Thelma Adams Johnson (Albany Community Together), Sherra Bennett (Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation), Jennifer Epps (The LIFT Fund), Sarah Reed (Metafund Corporation), and moderator Maureen Conway (Aspen Institute).For highlights from this discussion, subscribe to our YouTube channel. Or subscribe to our podcast to listen on the go.For more information about this event, including a transcript, speaker bios, and additional resources, visit our website. For highlights from this discussion, subscribe to our YouTube channel.Or subscribe to our podcast to listen on the go.This event is part of our Job Quality in Practice series. It is also the fourth in our four-part miniseries, Fixing Work in the South, which brings together Job Quality Fellows who are on the frontlines of expanding access to good jobs in communities across the American South.