Democracy at Work Institute (DAWI)

Year Founded: 2013 (by the U.S. Federation of Worker Cooperatives)

DAWI believes that expanding access to worker ownership can transform economic outcomes for underserved workers. By addressing capital gaps, training practitioners, and embedding cooperative models in public policy and economic development systems, DAWI strengthens the national infrastructure for cooperative development and catalyzes systemic change.

DAWI is the only nationally recognized intermediary focused on building the field of worker cooperatives through a unique combination of direct support, systems change, and infrastructure development. Their trusted leadership, proximate governance structure, and growing influence in policy and capital access align with New Profit’s Economic Mobility strategy to scale inclusive wealth-building opportunities.

DAWI is headquartered in San Diego, CA, and New York City and operates nationally, with active programs in cities including Chicago, Durham, Atlanta, and Los Angeles.

Co-Executive Directors Vanessa Bransburg and Julian McKinley bring complementary strengths in program strategy, field-building, and communications. Together, they embody DAWI’s commitment to power-sharing and proximate leadership, supported by a staff- and practitioner-led Board structure.

Impact Highlights:

• In 2024, DAWI helped invest $16M in employee-owned businesses, with 89% of new employee-owners identifying as workers of color and 92% as low- to moderate-income. 
• DAWI’s Rapid Response Cooperative model has supported 15 new worker co-ops in the past 7 years, and their policy efforts influenced a $15M investment by the city of Chicago and $2M in worker cooperative investment by the State of California within 2 years.