EOX State Center Project Grants

EOX State Center Project Grants

Status: Active funding program

Geographic Scope: Virginia-based funder supporting State Centers across the United States

Focus Areas:

Community-focused initiatives to engage business owners

Creating new pathways to employee ownership

Developing tools and resources for the EO ecosystem

Educational content and training programs

Research and toolkit development

Storytelling and narrative infrastructure

Convenings and strategic events

Funding Details:

$168,500 total awarded to 10 State Centers (as of February 2026)

Nearly 70% of funded work creates shared value across state lines

Project-specific grants designed for bold, innovative initiatives

Recent Project Examples:

RMEOC — Building the EOT Toolkit

• Research publication on Employee Ownership Trusts (EOTs)
• Practical toolkit for practitioners and policymakers
• Public EOT webinar

TNCEO — Rebuilding Trust With Focused, High-Quality Convenings

• Four strategic regional events
• Reconnection with legacy ESOP advisors
• New relationships with SBDCs and economic developers
• Generated 100+ registrations statewide

OEOC — A Shared Resource for Selling Owners

• Updated "Selling Your Company to Your Employees" book
• Custom, print-ready PDFs for State Centers
• Coverage of ESOPs, worker co-ops, EOTs, and related models

MNCEO — Worker Co. Podcast

• Narrative-focused podcast platform
• Stories from worker-owners, practitioners, and ecosystem partners
• Flexible storytelling channel for education and outreach

ILCEO — People, Profits & Performance Training

• Business training curriculum
• Open-book management and financial literacy focus
• "Great Game of Business" framework
• 50%+ email open rates on outreach
• Reached 200+ partner organizations

NCEOC — Ambassador Program Toolkit

• Full webinar agenda and slide deck
• Process notes for software setup and follow-up
• Guidance on recruiting and supporting Ambassadors
• Cross-state observation and training opportunities

TXCEO — Texas-Sized EO Coalitions

• Dallas ESOP event
• Austin co-op convening
• Purpose Trust Ownership Conference (national-scale gathering)
• 70+ participants in Austin, 25+ in Dallas

VEOC — Early-Stage Owner Readiness Guides

• "Laying the Groundwork" — internal guide for staff and partners
• "Understanding the Journey" — plain-language guide for selling owners
• Targets owners 5-10 years before transition

Strategic Alignment:

Tied to EOX core Ownership Accelerators

Strengthening State Centers

Expanding business outreach

Supporting real transitions to employee ownership

Contact Information:

Email: info@eoxnetwork.org

Phone: (651) 319-1874

Address: 1405 S Fern Street Box 534, Arlington, VA 22202