Ownership Opportunity Map

The American Dream promises opportunity, prosperity and security for all, but persistent wealth inequality has placed that vision out of reach for too many working families.

Across the U.S., Black workers make up a small share of the small business workforce yet are disproportionately represented among low- to moderate-income earners. Too often, their work builds value they don’t get to share in, while pathways to ownership and asset-building remain limited or inaccessible.

We designed the Ownership Opportunity Map to help change that.

This interactive tool highlights where opportunity is being left on the table and where it can be expanded. By visualizing income disparities by race across counties, industries and regions, the map reveals where workers are being shut out of wealth-building opportunities and where employee ownership (EO) could help fulfill the promise of the American Dream more broadly.

Employee ownership is a powerful, proven way to extend that promise across backgrounds and communities. By giving workers an ownership stake in the businesses they help build, EO creates pathways to economic mobility, strengthens local economies and helps families build generational wealth. For business owners, it offers a way to preserve their legacy while investing in the people who made their success possible.

For Black workers, the impact can be especially meaningful. Transitions to employee ownership can help create new Black-owned businesses, enabling Black employees to benefit directly from their labor—sometimes increasing household income dramatically over time. In regions where income inequality is stark, these ownership transitions have the potential not just to narrow gaps, but to lift entire communities.

The Ownership Opportunity Map helps policymakers, service providers, advocates and business leaders:

• Identify where ownership can unlock economic opportunity
• Target capital, technical assistance and policy support more effectively
• Design ownership transitions that expand access rather than reinforce exclusion

Explore the map, expand opportunity, and help us build ownership that works for all.