Eva Longoria announces a $1 million investment to prove the real value of Latina entrepreneurs

The Eva Longoria Foundation announced a $1 million investment in UCLA’s Latino Policy and Politics Institute (LPPI) to support long-term, data-driven solutions that integrate leadership development and narrative change within Latino communities.

“This grant is going to fund a lot of the economic research and policy work for Latina entrepreneurs, because we need to know what our economic power is,” Longoria said at the Inc. Founders House Los Angeles.

Through this partnership, the foundation will fund a three-year initiative aimed at advancing Latina economic mobility by generating data on Latina entrepreneurs and workers and the barriers they face to building wealth, while also training leaders and shifting public understanding of Latina economic power.

Additionally, LPPI plans to establish a Latina Entrepreneurship Advisory Group and host Policy Pláticas to connect research with community leaders and decision-makers, while also supporting the next generation through fellowships, mentorship, graduate research opportunities, and communications training.

Longoria is an actress, producer, and entrepreneur best known for her breakout role on Desperate Housewives. She’s become a prominent advocate for the Latino community and was among Inc.’s 2023 Female Founders honorees.

In 2012, she founded the Eva Longoria Foundation to support innovative solutions that accelerate economic opportunity, civic participation, and cultural influence for Latinas. Its work spans expanding access to careers, creating pathways in the entertainment industry, and building a world where Latinas are equitably represented both on and off screen. 

While its programs are tailored specifically for Latina women, the foundation believes that empowering them creates a ripple effect that benefits their families and broader communities.

She is no stranger to this work, having long sought out ways to uplift her community. “My master’s degree thesis was the basis of the foundation, which is helping Latinas reach their full potential through entrepreneurial programs,” she said.

Her dedication has not gone unnoticed, as she was also the recipient of the Jeff Bezos Courage and Civility $50 million award.

Investing in people over products

When it comes to investing, Longoria has said she bets on people rather than products. Her investment in Siete Foods, for instance, was driven by a personal connection to the family behind the brand and a shared Mexican American heritage.

This same instinct guided her partnership with LPPI, whose director, Amada Armenta, PhD, is also Mexican American—a connection that felt natural to Longoria. Additionally, the institute is currently entering a new chapter under Armenta’s leadership alongside deputy director Lila Burgos.

Despite driving significant economic growth and contributing $4.1 trillion to U.S. GDP in 2023, the Latino community continues to face steep barriers around wages, wealth, and opportunity. According to the LPPI, Latinas are the lowest-paid workers in the country, and Latino households hold a disproportionately small share of U.S. wealth relative to their roughly 20 percent share of the population.

Longoria says she is focused on filling these gaps, and those left by the current administration’s cutbacks, to ensure that vulnerable communities don’t get left behind in the process.

“A lot of DEI programs are gone. A lot of programs for women are gone,” she said. “And these were viable pipelines for people to gain access to, to jobs and job training. And so using that money through all the programs that I’ve talked about, but also to make sure that nobody falls through the cracks.” 

Securing a seat at the table for 2026 and beyond

With major economic events on the horizon—specifically the 2027 Super Bowl, the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, and the 2026 FIFA World Cup—the initiative aims to ensure Latinas are not sidelined from the economic opportunities these moments will generate. That urgency is what drives the partnership, Longoria said: “Trying to understand and research this juggernaut of an economic force and really hoping to turn this study into tools for economic mobility for Latinos.”

—Amaya Nichole

This article originally appeared on Fast Company’s sister website, Inc.com. 

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