Advocate with Confidence
Women in our community need to flourish if we're all going to thrive. We're partnering with elected leaders and local partners to create systemic change leading to economic self-sufficiency for more women. This isn't a women's issue-it's a community issue.
We’re committed to crafting a community where we all prosper. We’re working with local, state, and federally elected officials to push legislation supporting the economic self-sufficiency of women. Our work is non-partisan, grounded in evidence and data. We believe equitable policies build equitable communities.
Quote or statement to accompany picture: “On balance, we believe that this legislation moves our community in the right direction toward gender and racial equity.”
Cliff Effect
The “cliff effect” is a paradox that occurs when low-income families work more and earn less due to the structure of our public benefits systems. The cliff effect and other socio-economic issues create disincentives to increased work hours, career advancement and educational investment. It deters working women and families from reaching self-sufficiency. This negates the objective of public assistance programs – to help lift people out of poverty.
Our groundbreaking research has increased awareness of this complex issue among local and national policymakers. Currently, we work with elected officials and our partners to identify policy solutions to address these disincentives, so everyone can reach self-sufficiency without systemic barriers.
Salary History Ban
In March 2019, Cincinnati City Council passed a law prohibiting employers in the City of Cincinnati from asking job applicants about salary or wage history. This law will prevent historic gender and racial disparities from following an employee from one job to the next.
Implementing salary history bans is a key policy recommendation from equity and human resource experts. Similar laws have been passed in over a dozen states and across the country. By demonstrating that Cincinnati is a welcoming and inclusive community, this law makes the region more competitive for top talent.
The Women’s Fund was a key partner in the passage of this legislation, providing research and national evidence and context outlining its benefits.
REVIEW OUR ONE-PAGER TO LEARN THE IMPACT OF THIS LEGISLATION
Appointed
Appointed is a non-partisan initiative that identifies opportunities for women to serve on civic boards and commissions. Our purpose is to empower them to seek a seat at the table. We provide support and training opportunities. We also serve as a resource to connect elected officials to interested board candidates.
Appointed boosts the number of women on civic boards. Civic boards are public entities in which members are appointed by a government entity, usually an elected official. The appointed members are volunteers, doing public service for their community.
Women hold less than one-third of civic board seats, and 32 percent of our civic boards have no female representation at all.
Our community’s women have answers, but they aren’t always able to share them. There are currently too many barriers for our women to have their voices heard. Appointed offers the tools to overcome these barriers. Together, we will build civic boards and commissions that are more effective, inclusive and deliver better results for our community. Read our white paper, “Gender Diversity of Boards and Commissions” to learn more.
The value of this project is in the diversity of its participants. We are actively seeking women from all backgrounds to accurately represent our community.
Do you ride the bus to work? Do you have young kids who like to play in a park? Do you work in the medical field? You’re already an expert on public transportation, our park systems or health care. There’s a board for that! All your experiences are assets. Seek an appointment, and you can use your voice to drive solutions, develop a network and give back to the community. Signing up for Appointed will only take five minutes on your time. Raise your hand today!
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