Nasdaq Foundation Launches Multi-Pronged Initiative to Democratize Wealth Creation and Market Access

The Nasdaq Foundation unveiled an ambitious quarterly grant program designed to break down financial barriers facing historically marginalized communities across the United States. The initiative marks a significant shift in how the philanthropic arm of Nasdaq is channeling resources toward systemic financial inclusion.

A New Model for Financial Empowerment

Rather than a one-time funding announcement, the Nasdaq Foundation grant program operates on a rolling quarterly basis, supporting organizations that advance investor engagement and entrepreneurial growth in underserved regions. Applications are evaluated against criteria emphasizing tangible outcomes in financial literacy and market accessibility.

“We aim to partner with leading organizations to remove the systemic barriers faced by under-represented communities in their efforts to generate and sustain wealth,” explained Jailan Griffiths, President of the Nasdaq Foundation and Head of the Purpose Initiative at Nasdaq. The foundation’s approach recognizes that democratizing financial knowledge directly correlates with wealth creation participation.

Strategic Partnerships Drive Research and Action

Beyond grant distribution, the Nasdaq Foundation is coupling its capital markets expertise with external research capabilities. A collaborative effort with the Aspen Institute’s Financial Security Program and Commonwealth will investigate structural obstacles limiting equal market participation. This research will directly inform future program design and capital allocation decisions.

Ida Rademacher, Executive Director of the Aspen Institute Financial Security Program, emphasized the urgency: “While the U.S. has the world’s deepest and most liquid capital markets, we also have historic levels of wealth inequality. It is possible to write a new chapter in the future of wealth and ownership in this country – one marked by more inclusive growth and more deeply shared prosperity.”

Immediate Impact: Seeding Black Business Ownership

The Nasdaq Foundation is backing Operation HOPE with financial commitments, employee mentorship, and technical resources aimed at establishing and sustaining 100 Black-owned enterprises. Simultaneously, support flows to the Herndon Directors Institute, reinforcing Nasdaq’s commitment to cultivating diverse corporate board leadership.

Timothy Flacke, Executive Director of Commonwealth, noted that “current conditions are ideal for innovation to make the investment ecosystem more accessible to new investors, especially women, Black, and Latinx people.” These targeted investments reflect this diagnostic reality.

Measuring Success Through Numbers

Operation HOPE’s track record provides context: the organization has served over 4 million individuals and channeled more than $3.2 billion in economic activity into economically disadvantaged communities since 1992. Commonwealth has enabled over 750,000 people to accumulate more than $3 billion in savings through innovative financial products.

The Nasdaq Foundation grant program website contains application guidelines and submission timelines. This structured approach ensures sustainability and measurable outcomes, positioning the initiative as both philanthropic endeavor and marketplace experiment in financial system redesign.