Aspen Institute & Pivotal Launch Nationwide Grant Competition for Workplace Innovation

Today, the Aspen Institute launched the Workplace Innovation Now (WIN) Challenge, a new initiative to discover and scale bold ideas to help women thrive and everyone win in a rapidly changing workplace. The bedrock of the WIN Challenge is a $60 million grant competition, supported by Pivotal. The foundational vision, backed by research, is that when workplaces are designed with the needs of women in mind, they're better places for everyone to work—and the benefits will be felt across communities and the economy at large.

Women make up nearly half of the U.S. workforce. The WIN Challenge is an opportunity to source and scale innovative solutions to address barriers like caregiving responsibilities and biases that tend to disproportionately impact women and are harmful for everyone. This is especially true at a time when innovative technologies, such as AI, are accelerating the pace of change within workplaces.

"Women—especially mothers of young children—are leaving the workforce at an alarming rate, driven out by inflexible policies, rising childcare costs, bias, and harassment," said Melinda French Gates, founder of Pivotal. "Now is the time to invest in better workplaces: ones that support balance, ensure safety for all workers, and recognize women as essential leaders. When we remove barriers for women, we unlock potential across the entire economy."

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"As the workplace goes through profound shifts, driven by rapidly emerging new technologies, it is critical that we make sure that everyone has the opportunity to realize their full potential," said Dan Porterfield, President and CEO of the Aspen Institute. "The WIN Challenge reflects the Aspen Institute's deep commitment to strengthening economic opportunity and trust across society by investing in workplace innovations that serve the needs of all. We are grateful to Melinda French Gates and Pivotal for their leadership in this vital effort."

"We know that when women thrive at work, our families and communities benefit as well," said Clare Bresnahan English, Senior Director of the WIN Challenge at Aspen Digital. "This is an open call for new solutions because we know we don't have all the answers. We need bold innovation. The WIN Challenge is an opportunity to create lasting transformation and foster curiosity so we can reimagine what's possible to build a better future for all."

Over the next year, Aspen Digital, a program of the Aspen Institute, will lead the WIN Challenge grant competition focused on three key pillars: Culture & Practices, AI, and Narrative. It will look for scalable solutions to improve workplace culture and practices, leverage AI to build a workplace that supports everyone, and reshape narratives and norms. Each of the pillars has $20 million to award up to eight innovative awardees, who will receive grants of either $2.5 million or $5 million each. Successful applicants will offer a novel or breakthrough solution with high-impact potential.

To participate in one or more of the challenge pillars, eligible participants must first register online by Thursday, December 11, 2025. Final submission deadlines for each pillar vary, and can be found online at winchallenge.org. The WIN Challenge is open to 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations, coalitions of organizations, and others eligible to receive grant funds located within the United States and U.S. territories.

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Source:  PRNewswire