THE DISCOUNT FOUNDATION is a small private Foundation concerned with large social problems. Since 1996, Discount has focused entirely upon alleviating poverty by supporting exemplary and innovative programs that elevate wages and create job opportunities, primarily through community and workplace organizing efforts that include strong leadership development and campaigns to affect both public policy and private market forces.

Discount's primary goal is to make economic opportunity, the “American Dream” for generations of the poor, including immigrants, a reality for all. President Franklin Roosevelt in 1937, proposing the first national minimum wage law, sought to "end starvation wages" by guaranteeing America's "men and women a fair day's pay for a fair day's work." Nevertheless, today, almost 30% of all Americans, many working at one or more jobs, remain poor.

At its March 2010 board meeting, The Foundation continued its commitment to Organizing for Worker Justice. Please see the Grants List for the approved grants for 2010. For its 2011 grants cycle the Foundation will continue with its current program focus and funding priorities. However, as it did in 2010, the Foundation will not be conducting an open Letter of Inquiry process for its 2011 grants cycle. Instead, Foundation staff will be inviting a small number of proposals from both current grantees and other organizations. While this is a significant change from past Foundation practice, we believe it will allow staff to better target the very limited resources the Foundation has available for 2011 grants.

Download Making Work Pay: The Discount Foundation Retrospective Report 1997-2002