The James Irvine Foundation has announced a seven-year, $186.5 million commitment to expand its Fair Work initiative in support of workers’ rights in California.

The grantmaking program—launched in 2018 to advance fairness, dignity, and respect for California workers and “raise the floor” for those in low-wage industries—will continue the foundation’s focus on empowering workers to be informed and civically engaged on workplace issues and benefit from stronger enforcement of labor rights; supporting nonprofits working to improve conditions for low-wage workers; and increasing efforts to effect systemwide change to remove the underlying conditions that adversely impact workers earning low wages.

As part of the initiative, the foundation also announced an 18-month, $3.4 million capacity-building grant to PowerSwitch Action to help strengthen its member organizations and improve conditions for workers across California. Since 2018, the foundation has invested approximately $108 million in more than 50 organizations and partnerships to advance the interests of workers and communities statewide.

“The continued investment in the Fair Work initiative is a direct result of the tremendous strides worker rights organizations have made on behalf of workers in low-wage jobs to uphold rights, protections, and ensure that workers are treated with the dignity and respect they deserve,” said Irvine Foundation president Don Howard. “But the challenges facing workers remain significant, making ongoing investment from philanthropy, the public, and private sectors critical for strengthening the voice of workers fighting for economic opportunity.”

(Photo credit: Getty Images/N. Nehring)