Economic Security Project

What Economic Security Project does

Economic Security Project (ESP) is a 501(c)(3) public charity founded in 2016 by Facebook co-founder Chris Hughes and Natalie Foster, alongside more than 100 entrepreneurs, activists, researchers, and philanthropists. The organization convenes academics, organizers, practitioners, donors, and culture makers to advance four policy work areas: guaranteed income, cash tax credits, affordability, and shaping markets (antimonopoly). Its portfolio comprises eight active campaigns (Federal CTC and EITC, State CTC and EITC, Combating the Price Crisis, Tax Fight 2026, Free and Simplified Tax Filing, Universal Public Childcare, Public Options, and Cash as Care), two state affiliates (Economic Security California and Economic Security Illinois), and the annual Guaranteed Income Now conference. ESP has invested over $25 million cumulatively into research, pilots, coalitions, and narrative work since inception.

The organization does not develop technology products. Its outputs are policy research, coalition organizing, campaign execution, and field convening, with measurable wins including the expanded Child Tax Credit in the American Rescue Plan (2021), IRS Direct File scaled to 25 states reaching an estimated 32 million taxpayers (2024-2025), 18 states passing cash-boosting tax credits in 2023, 22 states plus DC enacting new or expanded tax credits, California AB 325 against algorithmic price collusion, and support for 100+ guaranteed income pilots reaching 75,000+ participants across 35 states. ESP operates as a virtual office with staff distributed nationally and a mailing headquarters at 228 Park Avenue South, New York. It raises funds through foundation grants and individual donations.

ESP's business model is philanthropic, not commercial: it accepts charitable contributions (federal ID 85-3888872) and deploys them into grants, research, and direct advocacy. It is governed by a Board chaired by Chris Hughes, with co-founder Natalie Foster also serving on the board, alongside board members from Springboard to Opportunities, Community Change, and the Roosevelt Institute. Day-to-day operations are led by Executive Director Taylor Jo Isenberg.

Name

Economic Security Project

Legal name

Economic Security Project

Website

https://economicsecurityproject.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Economic Security Project is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2016 that convenes academics, organizers, and practitioners to advocate for guaranteed income, expanded tax credits, affordability, and antimonopoly policy through campaigns, state affiliates, and field-building, with measurable wins across 35 states.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Policy Advocacy

NAICS

Social Advocacy Organizations (8133)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Social Justice & Human Rights Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAN)

akta.pro secondary industries

Economic Research, Statistics & Policy Advisory (BPADAMAJ), Trade, Industry & Economic Development Administration (BPAIAAAL)

Keywords

• Economic policy advocacy
• Guaranteed income programs
• Tax credit expansion
• Antimonopoly policy research
• Nonprofit policy organizing

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Others, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Foundation Grants and Philanthropic Funding: ESP receives support from foundations and philanthropists to fund research, campaigns, and field-building initiatives. The organization was founded by over 100 entrepreneurs, activists, researchers, and philanthropists.
2. Individual Donations: 100% of donations go to advancing strategies for an economy that works for everyone. ESP is a 501(c)(3) public charity with federal ID 85-3888872.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Economic Security Project is a nonprofit policy advocacy organization that catalyzes ideas to build economic power for all Americans. It runs issue campaigns, develops research products, and convenes academics, organizers, practitioners, donors, and culture makers to advance policies around four work areas: guaranteed income, cash tax credits, affordability, and antimonopoly/shaping markets. The organization also operates state affiliates in California and Illinois and convenes the annual Guaranteed Income Now conference.

Product overview

The Economic Security Project is a policy advocacy organization, not a software product company. Its offerings consist of a portfolio of issue campaigns, research initiatives, and state-level affiliates organized around four core work areas: Guaranteed Income advocacy (promoting unconditional cash payments), Cash Tax Credits advocacy (expanding EITC and CTC), Affordability (addressing broken markets and incomes), and Shaping Markets/Antimonopoly (countering corporate consolidation). These are executed through national campaigns (Federal CTC/EITC, State CTC/EITC, Tax Fight 2026, Combating the Price Crisis, Free Tax Filing, Universal Childcare, Public Options, Cash as Care) and two state affiliates (Economic Security California and Economic Security Illinois). The organization also convenes the annual Guaranteed Income Now conference and publishes research products including the Affordability Framework, Direct File reports, and policy briefs. There are no software products, applications, or technology platforms offered.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Guaranteed Income Now Conference Annual convening of guaranteed income advocates, practitioners, policymakers, and researchers to coordinate activities and share learning across the field.
• Economic Security California California-focused state affiliate working on guaranteed income pilots, state tax credits (CalEITC, Young Child Tax Credit), and antimonopoly policy in California.
• Economic Security Illinois Illinois-focused state affiliate advocating for cash programs, tax credits, and market-shaping initiatives including public options such as grocery stores.
• Guaranteed Income Advocacy Program Ongoing policy advocacy and coalition-building service to promote guaranteed income policies, including research on pilot programs such as the Stockton Economic Empowerment Demonstration (SEED) and Magnolia Mother's Trust.
• Cash Tax Credits Advocacy Program Campaign service to expand and modernize the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and Child Tax Credit (CTC), including advocacy for monthly payments and broader eligibility.
• Affordability Initiative Research and advocacy service addressing the dual drivers of unaffordability through broken markets and broken incomes, including the Affordability Framework diagnostic tool.
• Shaping Markets / Antimonopoly Program Advocacy service to counter corporate consolidation and monopoly power through research, coalition-building, and policy interventions, including the Public Options for America Fund.
• Free and Simplified Tax Filing Campaign Campaign service advocating for IRS Direct File, a free public tax filing option, and opposing commercial tax preparation companies.

Quantifiable outcome

• Child poverty decreased significantly in 2021 due in part to CTC expansion
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Mayors for a Guaranteed IncomecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMayors for a Guaranteed Income joined the New Jersey Cash Alliance, a coalition of more than a dozen organizations advocating for cash-based policies to support families in New Jersey. Coalition members argue that cash assistance programs have proven effective at reducing poverty and economic inequality.
• United Way of Greater NewarkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of the New Jersey Cash Alliance coalition advocating for cash-based policies to support families in New Jersey, building on existing guaranteed income pilots and the state Child Tax Credit.
• New Jersey Citizen ActioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition partner in New Jersey Cash Alliance advocating for cash-based policies to support families in New Jersey, building on existing guaranteed income pilots.
• Code for AmericacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition partner in Free and Fair Filing coalition. Code for America works shoulder to shoulder with community organizations and government to build digital tools and services, change policies, and improve programs.
• Center for the Study of Social PolicycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition partner working to achieve a racially, economically, and socially just society in which all children, youth, and families thrive.
• Groundwork CollaborativecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition partner fighting to change economic policy and narratives to build public power, break up concentrations of private power, and deliver opportunity and prosperity for all.
• NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social JusticecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFaith-based political advocacy coalition partner that prioritizes racial equity and thriving lives for all people and communities.
• Public CitizencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit consumer advocacy coalition partner championing the public interest in the halls of power.
• RESULTScoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition partner - a movement of passionate, committed everyday people using their voices to influence political decisions that will bring an end to poverty.
• Community ChangecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost sponsor for Guaranteed Income Now conference. National organization that builds the power of low-income people, especially people of color, to fight for a society where everyone can thrive.
• UpTogethercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost sponsor and systems change organization working to disrupt the status quo approach to ending poverty. Co-host of Guaranteed Income Now conference.
• TechEquitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCalifornia-based partner working on AI and Affordability initiatives, helping develop the California Antimonopoly Table.
• Illinois Climate BankcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for Illinois grocery initiative and community development projects in Economic Security Illinois work.
• Springboard to OpportunitiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity-based organization implementing the Magnolia Mother's Trust program providing $1,000/month to Black mothers in Jackson, MS.
• City of StocktoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for Stockton Economic Empowerment Demonstration (SEED) - America's first mayor-led guaranteed income pilot providing $500/month to 125 families.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Open Society Foundations: Large global grantmaking foundation that funds economic justice, tax fairness, and antimonopoly work. Functions as both a peer (in setting economic security narrative) and a likely funder of ESP-aligned grantees.
• Center for Economic and Policy Research: Established left-leaning economic policy think tank producing research on inequality, labor, and social policy. Operates in a broader macro-economic mandate than ESP but with substantial overlap on tax credit, wage, and antimonopoly analysis.
• New America Foundation: Large nonpartisan policy institute with programs covering economic policy, labor, and family supports. A broader incumbent in the economic policy think tank space, with overlapping work on child tax credits, family economic security, and AI-and-work policy.

Direct peers

• Mayors for a Guaranteed Income: Coalition of mayors running guaranteed income pilots, co-founded alongside ESP and a core ESP coalition partner. Operates the same policy niche (mayor-led cash assistance) and shares staff networks and funders with ESP.
• Public Citizen: National consumer advocacy nonprofit and ESP coalition partner on free and fair tax filing. Comparable as a multi-issue advocacy shop using research, litigation, and coalition campaigns to influence federal economic and regulatory policy.
• Groundwork Collaborative: ESP coalition partner focused on changing economic policy and narratives around corporate power, tax fairness, and worker power. Operates a near-identical advocacy and narrative-shifting model to ESP's Shaping Markets and Affordability work.
• Code for America: Nonprofit that builds digital tools for government benefit programs; ESP coalition partner on the Free and Simplified Tax Filing campaign. Comparable in deploying a mix of research, advocacy, and product-style interventions to improve public benefits delivery.
• Community Change: National organizing group for low-income people and people of color, whose Co-President (Dorian Warren) serves on ESP's board. Co-hosts ESP's Guaranteed Income Now conference and shares ESP's cash assistance and tax credit policy agenda.
• Roosevelt Institute: Progressive economic policy think tank whose President & CEO (Felicia Wong) sits on ESP's board as Treasurer. Roosevelt conducts research and advocacy on economic inequality, labor, and antitrust — directly overlapping with ESP's Shaping Markets and Cash Tax Credits work.
• Springboard to Opportunities: Mississippi-based nonprofit running the Magnolia Mother's Trust guaranteed income program, an ESP partner; its CEO (Aisha Nyandoro) sits on ESP's board. Operates at the implementation end of ESP's guaranteed income advocacy, providing the on-the-ground pilots ESP elevates.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/EconomicSecProj
• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/EconomicSecurityProject
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/economicsecurityproject
• Instagraminstagram.com/economicsecproj

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Economic Security Project