Evaluating Project Design for Worker Equity
Position Design
Why it is important: Grant funds should not exacerbate cycles of institutional short-termism nor should they reinforce the precarity of work or otherwise harm individual workers.
Questions to ask:
- Are multiple part-time positions used to be doing the work of one full-time position?
- Are positions appropriate to a temporary project or should they be funded by the institution as part of the core mission with ongoing needs?
- Is the salary equitable with the cost of living for the geographic region, work being done, and credentials required?
- Are the position's benefits and classification equitable within the institution and sector?
- Does the position fit into the organization chart? Are there clear lines of reporting, preferably with a single supervisor who understands the parameters of the position? Does the proposal describe how the worker will be integrated into the organization?
How to assess (assume the worker may have dependents and student loans):
- MIT Living Wage Calculator https://livingwage.mit.edu/
- United for ALICE https://www.unitedforalice.org/
Commitment to Worker Growth
Why it is important: Grants are investments in staff development alongside other outcomes.
Questions to ask:
- Will workers be acknowledged appropriately for their contributions, for instance through a credit line on a project website or publication co-authorship?
- Will workers hired to complete the project have the opportunity/funding to present this work at professional conferences or other venues?
- Will workers have resources (time and funding) to pursue professional development relevant to completion of the project and progress in their own professional growth?
- Are workers provided with sufficient structured mentoring opportunities?
- Have the applicants identified specific areas of growth or skill development workers are anticipated to gain by completing the project?
- Has the institution committed to support worker transitions into future positions?
How to assess:
- Do existing project reports, white papers, or previous projects by the institution demonstrate commitment to the values stated in the application?
- Have individuals who participated on grants or in early career/graduate student positions at the organization moved into more secure or permanent positions?
