Employee and Worker Ownership Initiative
Employee and Worker Ownership Initiative
The LA County Employee and Worker Ownership Initiative (EWOI) is a countywide effort to expand employee and worker ownership as a pathway to building wealth, preserving local businesses, and advancing economic mobility across Los Angeles County. Common employee or worker ownership models include:
- Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP): A qualified retirement plan where a trust holds company shares on behalf of employees. It is typically ideal for businesses with 20+ employees and offers tax benefits for owners.
- Worker Cooperative (Co-op): A business that is fully owned and democratically governed by its employees, with decisions typically made on a “one-member-one-vote” basis. Co-ops have low startup costs and are well-suited for small-to-medium businesses in sectors like retail and services.
- Employee Ownership Trust (EOT): A trust that perpetually owns the business for the benefit of employees. This model has a simple legal structure and is ideal for founders who want to preserve their legacy.
EWOI Contracting Opportunities
The EWOI is a key strategy for inclusive, community-rooted economic development in LA County and was created in response to a September 2023 motion introduced by the Los Angeles County Board Supervisors Holly J. Mitchell and Lindsey P. Horvath. This motion builds upon DEO’s Economic Mobility Initiative to support the startup and growth of local entrepreneurs, businesses, and nonprofits to start, grow, and stay in the County, including Employee Ownership LA County, an education and technical assistance pilot program.
The EWOI was established with the support of an Employee and Worker Ownership Advisory Group and Dalberg Advisors and will be catalyzed through contracts with three service providers that will focus on key components of the initiative:
Marketing and Outreach Service Provider
RFP Available Now! Provider will lead public awareness, community engagement, and recruitment.
Education and Technical Assistance (TA) Provider (RFP Coming January 2026)
Educate and support businesses through the process of launching, transitioning to, or scaling employee or worker owned businesses.
Financing Services Provider (RFP Coming February 2026)
Help design, implement, and manage financing program(s) to support businesses transitioning to employee or worker ownership models.
Marketing and Outreach Services
DEO has opened a Request for Proposals (RFP) to select a Marketing Service Provider to lead outreach and communications for the County’s Employee and Worker Ownership Initiative (EWOI).
- Applications open: Wednesday, December 31st, 2025
- Questions due: Wednesday, January 914th, 2026, by 12:00 PM (PST)
- Questions and answers will be released via an Addendum by Tuesday, January 20th, 2026, by 12:00 PM (PST)
- Proposals due: Friday, January 30th, 2026, by 12:00 PM (PST)
- Anticipated contract term: March 2026 – June 2027
RFA Overview
The selected Marketing and Outreach Service Provider will design and implement a culturally responsive, multilingual campaign to reach entrepreneurs, business owners, and workers across Los Angeles County. The campaign will raise awareness of employee and worker ownership models, such as ESOPs, Worker Cooperatives, and EOTs, and help generate interest and participation in the Initiative’s programs. The engagement will last approximately one year and a half, beginning in March 2026.
Eligibility Requirements
Applicants should demonstrate experience in marketing strategy, content development, and outreach campaigns targeting diverse business, entrepreneur, and worker audiences. Proposals will be evaluated on qualifications, approach, and past performance, among other factors listed on the RFP. Experience and familiarity with employee and worker ownership models is preferred, but not required. For all details of the RFP, including detailed eligibility and proposal requirements, please download the Marketing and Outreach Services RFP HERE.
