America Gets a Raise-One State at a Time
The Discount Foundation commissioned this report, researched and written by Tom Gallagher, to learn about the impact of state minimum wage campaigns on low wage workers. The foundation also wanted to understand the essential elements in these campaigns that accounted for their success, including the role of community organizing groups, unions, the faith community and other stakeholders. The report provides an in-depth analysis of campaigns in six states, as well as some broader analysis of the minimum wage movement, particularly focusing on 2006.
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Pursuing Democracy's Promise
A collaboration between Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees and Funders’ Committee for Civic Participation, this publication seeks to help foundations across a range of funding interests understand the contributions immigrants and their children can make to their communities, when given opportunities through strong organizations. Using concrete examples, it also demonstrates the value of immigrant civic engagement in advancing broader community goals, from improving educational, health, and employment outcomes to redistributing political power and building a more vibrant democracy.
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How Unions Help All Workers
The Economic Policy Institute has released a new study called "How Unions Help All Workers." This report examines the effect of unions on wages, fringe benefits, total compensation, pay inequality and workplace protections. The report can be viewed at: www.unionvoice.org/ct/qpqdqGn1Xpzh/

Making Work Pay: The Discount Foundation Retrospective Report 1997-2002
This report provides information for foundations and the broader community of non-profits concerned with combating poverty, and explains why and how Discount Foundation chose this focus for its grantmaking.
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Newcomers in the American Workplace: Improving Employment Outcomes for Low-Wage Immigrants and Refugees
This report responds to the dramatic growth in the immigrant population over the past decade and calls attention to the crucial role that immigrants play in the U.S. economy. It highlights the multiple challenges immigrants confront in the labor force, from lack of legal status to language and cultural barriers. Targeting the foundation audience, the report offers examples of innovative approaches for addressing these challenges and recommends a range of grantmaking strategies, from supporting research, organizing, and advocacy aimed at improving employment outcomes for today’s low-wage immigrant workers to supporting efforts that strengthen the ability of public education systems to prepare second-generation immigrants for successful workforce participation.
http://www.gcir.org/new/workplace_executive_summary.htm

Organized Labor and Low-Income Communities: An Opportunity for Funders
A report for grantmaking staff and trustees that addresses basic legal questions regarding foundation support for labor union and labor union-related activites.
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Joining forces: Community Organizations and Labor Unions Form New Collaborations
This report, commissioned by the Hyams Foundation, documents and analyzes the experiences, challenges and impact of the Foundation's community organizing grantees in developing partnerships with organized labor.
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Unlikely Partners: Philanthropic Foundations and the Labor Movement
Richard Magat, a former foundation president and long-term employee of the Ford Foundation, documents the history of the relationship between labor and philanthropy. 1998. Cornell University Press, (800) 666-2211, email orderbook@cupserv.org.

Working Group on Labor and Community
The Working Group on Labor and Community is a national network of funders committed to fostering greater collaboration among community groups, foundations, and labor unions to address issues facing the working poor. This brochure illustrates the goals and activities of the Working Group, and highlights some of the recent labor-related grants made by foundations.
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* PDF document - requires Adobe Acrobat Reader - download free from Adobe.