Worker Funds

Will Reopen Soon

Starbucks Workers Fund

 2023/10/SBWU_Memphis-7_Presser-8-scaled-1-2.jpg
Learn More

Will Reopen Soon

Tech Workers Fund

 2023/10/desola-lanre-ologun-IgUR1iX0mqM-unsplash.jpg
Learn More

Will Reopen Soon

Googlers Emergency Fund

 2024/05/googlers-nimbus-e1722699092110.webp
Learn More

Are You A Worker Looking For Money And Support As You Organize?

We are here with you.

Worker Funds

Our funding comes with solidarity for you to succeed. Below are our current mutual aid Funds, see which one matches you best. Workers who meet the eligibility criteria receive a cash stipend along with strategy and leadership coaching, organizing training and resources to succeed in their workplace activism.

Will Reopen Soon

Starbucks Workers Fund

Our Starbucks Workers Fund supports current and former Starbucks activists and organizers.

Learn More
Will Reopen Soon

Tech Workers Fund

Our Tech Workers Fund supports worker activists organizing across the tech labor supply chain.

Learn More
Will Reopen Soon

Googlers Emergency Fund

Our Googlers Emergency Fund supports workers impacted by the firings after protests over Project Nimbus.

Learn More

Interested in setting up a fund?

Our infrastructure is available for groups of workers to raise and distribute money to support workplace organizing. Reach out to learn how we can partner with you and your coworkers to start a new Fund, or if you have questions about the Funds we have available.

Connect With Us

How to Apply

While each fund has a unique eligibility criteria, below are the general steps that apply across the funds.

After having worked for Uber and Lyft, I found myself working for Lugg, an app-based moving company. The truck that I was using for work got stolen. That’s when I applied and got a stipend from the Coworker Solidarity Fund. It literally saved my life! I would have not been able to continue my activism without it.
Otavio, Luggers Make a Move Share Your Story

FAQ's

Each Fund has a policy for when to accept applications for a new round of stipends, taking into consideration factors such as available funding, and the ability of the worker committee and the Fund’s staff to conduct application reviews in a timely manner.

The Starbucks Worker Fund plans to reopen applications whenever donations cover at least ten $2,500 stipends for workers engaged in organizing at Starbucks. To contribute to that fund, donate here.

The Tech Worker Fund will reopen applications whenever donations cover at least five $2,500 stipends for workers engaged in activism and organizing in the tech sector. To contribute to that fund, donate here.

The Googlers Emergency Fund plans to reopen applications whenever donations cover at least $10,000 for workers impacted by the firings. To contribute to that fund, donate here.

Each Fund has different eligibility requirements.

To be eligible for funding for the Tech Worker Fund, an individual* must meet all the following requirements:

  • Be employed (or formerly employed) by a tech sector company, either directly or indirectly, regardless of job function;
  • Be a worker who, with their coworkers, builds collective power or pressures those in positions of power within a tech company to make lasting change to improve working conditions in the tech sector;
  • Be at least 18 years of age;
  • Have a social security number (SSN) or individual taxpayer identification number (ITIN);
  • Have a US bank account; and
  • You have not previously received a stipend from the Fund.

The Tech Worker Committee recognizes that the ‘tech sector’ isn’t easily defined. To determine whether a company operates in the tech sector, the committee will be looking at how the media generally refers to the company and its influence in the culture, whether a company presents itself as a technology company in its IPO filing or other public records, and how much influence its leaders have in the tech industry.

*At this time, funding is only available for individuals and not organizations.

The application should take approximately 10-20 minutes to complete and can be completed via computer, tablet, or smartphone. You can also save your application and come back to it later if you do not wish to complete it in one sitting. You will be asked four questions, each with a 50 word limit. Some of the the questions are:

  • What is the issue or demand that you are addressing?
  • Please describe the kinds of activities you’ve engaged (or want to engage) in to make your job or workplace better.
  • Why are these activities important to you?*

You may upload any files that verify your activism such as screenshots, documents, videos, social media posts, etc.

The application ends with an optional demographics section. This section does not have any bearing on your application, and it will not be shared. Data from this section will only be used internally and in aggregate to improve the work of the Fund going forward.

At this time, funding is only available for individuals and not organizations. However, Fund recipients in the past have redistributed their funding to other workers, or donated to organizations upon receiving their stipends.

We trust that you will choose how to best use the funding awarded to support your activism. Examples include, but are NOT limited to:

  • Paying legal fees for filing unfair labor practice charges.
  • Removing barriers to participating in power-building activities with your coworkers.
  • Buying non-company tech (phone, laptop, software, etc.) to communicate safely
  • Travel expenses for workers to attend strategic actions, training, meetings, etc.
  • Funding for communications materials for workplace activism.
  • Compensating a guest speaker to present on issues helpful to your activism.
  • Facilitating workplace organizing events (venues, tech platforms, etc.)

We recommend that you DO NOT use your work email for any workplace activism or organizing activities.

While the National Labor Relations Act offers certain protections, the law as currently written falls short in shielding employees from employers spying during the digital age. According to an FAQ on employee surveillance by Workplace Fairness, a comprehensive online resource for employees about their workplace rights, “employers can legally monitor almost anything an employee does at work as long as the reason for monitoring is important enough to the business. Employers may install video cameras, read postal mail and e-mail, monitor phone and computer usage, use GPS tracking, and more.”

You can learn more about the use of company-owned digital tools for workplace organizing in this post.

Within two weeks of submitting your application, you will be notified of your application status via email. If your application is chosen to move forward in the process, you will be asked to schedule a 15 to 30-minute phone call to discuss your application. You will receive a final decision on your application within 2 weeks of your phone interview.

Applications are first reviewed by our staff who ensure that submissions meet the eligibility requirements. Eligible applications are then reviewed by members of the appropriate Worker Committee and Fund Staff who evaluate the applications based on the eligibility criteria (see above) and decision criteria (see below). Visit the Our Team page to learn more about the Fund staff and Worker Committees.

The Fund will consider the following criteria (developed by the Worker Committees in partnership with the Fund’s staff and board) in deciding whether or not to recommend funding:

  • The extent to which an individual’s actions further the organization’s mission of fighting for safer and more equitable jobs, workplaces, and industries;
  • The extent to which an individual’s actions are aligned with the Fund’s values including: collective liberation from white supremacy, patriarchy, and other systems of oppression.
  • The availability of funds;
  • Anything else the Worker Committee deems relevant.
The Fund will consider the application submission, as well as any information about the applicant publicly available or previously known to members of the Fund. Unfortunately, not all applications that meet the criteria will necessarily be approved.
We are in a continuous learning process, and each Fund is work-in-progress. Therefore the criteria may evolve, and it is likely to be updated in the future. The Fund will update these FAQs with any new or modified criteria if and when that happens.

Payments are made in one lump sum. You may choose to have your payment made electronically or by check to a US bank account.

No. This is money to support you and your leadership. We won’t require you to do anything in exchange for these funds beyond what you’ve already done or plan to do in your workplace. That said, we’d love to stay connected and support your efforts to organize in your workplace and/or industry. Please contact us if you would like to explore other layers of support that we may be able to provide.

We send all fund recipients an optional survey to complete 2-3 months after receiving payment. The questions in this survey will inquire about your experience with the Solidarity Fund and how the funding was useful to you.

For the Tech Worker Fund, the Fund is only giving one stipend per person at this time.

For the Starbucks Fund you can apply for another stipend if it has been 12 months or more since receiving your last stipend.

Coworker Solidarity Fund relies on contributions from individuals and philanthropic institutions. We also received in-kind support from Amalgamated Bank. You can make a donation to support our work here.

No. While Coworker Solidarity Fund, a 501(c)(4), and Coworker.org, a 501(c)(3), share vision and values in supporting worker-activists, the organizations are autonomous, financially and legally independent, and governed by separate Boards of Directors. Each does all of its own fundraising and makes its own decisions.

Yes! It’s a great privilege to support your leadership and workplace activism, and we think you’re doing incredibly important work. If you’d like to talk about our support for your organizing and activism, we suggest language like, “The Solidarity Fund has awarded me a $2,500 stipend to support my workplace organizing efforts at [company name].”

Our sister organization, Coworker.org, can provide you with coaching and training on how to take action in the workplace. Send an email to [email protected] to get connected to an experienced organizer.

If you are interested in learning more about starting a petition on Coworker.org, please click here.

To learn more about staging a workplace walkout, please visit “So you want to stage a workplace walkout. Here are a few things to consider.”

Yes, payments are considered taxable income. You will be asked to submit a W-9 and payments will be reported to the IRS. You will receive a 1099 for your tax filing purposes. Income tax requirements vary by state. We recommend that you check with a tax professional or tax preparation service for guidance on how to report your payment when filing your state and federal taxes.

Unemployment benefits vary by state. Please check your state’s Unemployment Insurance Benefits (UIB) rules, or check with your local benefits office or caseworker to determine if income from the Fund will affect your current or pending unemployment benefits. Here are links to UIB Rules in CA, NY, TX, MA, and WA:

Join us to build power for workers everywhere

And stay in-the-know about how workers are democratizing the workplace, by subscribing to our email list.