Post-Election Analysis Shows Women Continue to be Underrepresented in Missouri and Kansas State Legislatures

Women’s Foundation’s Appointments Project® works to empower women to close the leadership gap

KANSAS CITY – The Women’s Foundation, which works to reduce barriers to civic engagement for women, released an updated analysis on how women candidates for the state offices fared in the 2018 midterms and the number of women who will be serving in the Missouri and Kansas legislatures in 2019.

“This year’s midterm elections saw historic victories by women on both sides of the aisle, but here in the heartland the numbers show there is still work to be done,” said Wendy Doyle, President & CEO of the Women’s Foundation. “While Laura Kelly will become Kansas’ third female governor, the number of women in the Kansas state legislature will actually decline in January. In Missouri, Nicole Galloway is now the state’s only female statewide elected officeholder, and women will still hold just a quarter of state legislative seats. Closing this gap is vital for our government to represent the diversity – and interests – of the communities it serves. Through our Appointments Project the Women’s Foundation is committed to building a pipeline of women leaders with the skills and experience needed to finally end the era of underrepresentation and close the leadership gap for good.”

In Missouri, there were a total of 118 women running in state, federal and judicial races in 2018. Sixty-one, or 53 percent, of those candidates won their respective races. In Kansas, there were 75 women candidates for those offices, 32 of which won their elections. The gender makeup of the Missouri and Kansas state legislatures will also remain largely static, with the percentage of women in the Missouri General Assembly ticking up from 22.8 percent to 25.4 percent, and the percentage of women in the Kansas Legislatures declining from 28.4 percent to 26.5 percent.

Last week, nine women were elected to the Missouri House and Senate leadership: Whip Sandy Crawford, Majority Caucus Secretary Jeannie Riddle, Minority Floor Leader Gina Walsh, Assistant Minority Floor Leader Kiki Curls, Minority Caucus Chair Karla May, Minority Whip Jamilah Nasheed, Caucus Chair Sonya Anderson, Caucus Secretary Chris Dinkins, and Minority Floor Leader Crystal Quade.

In 2014, the Women’s Foundation launched the Appointments Project® to remove barriers for women to serve on public boards and commissions so they are more reflective of the populations they serve. Based on a first-of-its-kind study that identified numerous barriers causing women to be underrepresented on public boards and commissions, the Appointments Project serves as a talent bank and advisor for women seeking appointed positions in state and local government. To date, nearly 100 women have been appointed to state and local boards and commissions in Missouri and Kansas through the program.

Women in the Missouri and Kansas Legislatures

	2018	2019
Missouri	45 (22.8%)	50 (25.4%)
Kansas	47 (28.4%)	43 (26.5%)

*Does not include vacancies from officeholders who were elected to higher office.

Women Candidates in 2018**

	Candidates	Victories
Missouri	118	61
Kansas	75	32

**Includes federal, state and judicial offices.

Note: These numbers may adjust as vacancies are filled. Final election results must be certified by the Secretaries of State in Kansas and Missouri. 

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Initiative to Appoint More Women to Local Boards Now Accepting Applications in West Plains

Women in West Plains, Missouri encouraged to apply for positions on local boards and commissions through the Appointments Project®

CONTACT:
Channing Grate, Women’s Foundation, channing@gpsimpact.com
Todd Shenks, City of West Plains, todd.shanks@westplains.net, 417-256-7176

WEST PLAINS, Mo – In the wake of a historic election for female candidates nationwide, an initiative to appoint more women to civic boards and commissions is now operating in West Plains, Missouri. Women interested in serving the public are encouraged to apply to the Appointments Project®, a program launched by the Women’s Foundation to help increase the diversity of public boards and commissions.  

A free webinar for prospective appointees will be held on November 27 from 12-12:30pm. Women interested in participating can sign up at: http://www.womens-foundation.org/new-events/.

“We’re thrilled to expand the Appointments Project into West Plains and encourage all women interested in serving their communities to apply,” said Wendy Doyle Women’s Foundation President and CEO. “Adding more diverse voices to the decision-making table will improve public policy and help local boards and commissions be more responsive and reflective of the communities they serve.”

The Appointments Project will work to empower women and encourage greater diversity on West Plains’ public commissions by helping to educate and engage prospective officials on the application and appointment process.

“Local government works best when everyone’s voices are heard and when citizens have confidence that their views are represented,” said West Plains City Councilman Josh Cotter. “This initiative will help build a pipeline of empowered, qualified women and make our city government more efficient, effective and responsive to the citizens we serve.”

Launched in 2014, the Appointments Project aims to remove barriers for women to serve on public boards and commissions so they are more reflective of the populations they serve. Based on a first-of-its-kind study that identified numerous barriers causing women to be underrepresented on public boards and commissions, the Appointments Project serves as a talent bank and advisor for women seeking appointed positions in state and local government.

The Appointments Project saw a 300% increase in the number of Appointments Project locations in 2018, and the two dozen locations are now present in every congressional district of Kansas and Missouri. In Kansas City, where the program was piloted, it helped increase the percentage of women on city boards and commissions from 33-percent to 42-percent in just three years.

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Initiative to Appoint More Women to Local Boards Launches in St. Joseph

ST. JOSEPH – In the wake of a historic election for female candidates nationwide, the Women’s Foundation today joined St. Joseph Mayor Bill McMurray in announcing an innovative initiative to reduce barriers to civic engagement and appoint more women to city boards and commissions. The city is participating in the Appointments Project®, a program launched by the Women’s Foundation to increase gender diversity on civic boards and commissions.

A free webinar for prospective appointees will be held on November 27 from 12-12:30pm. Women interested in participating can sign up at: http://www.womens-foundation.org/new-events/.  

“We’re thrilled to bring the Appointments Project to St. Joseph and encourage all women interested in serving their communities to apply,” said Wendy Doyle, Women’s Foundation President and CEO. “Increasing the number of women in leadership roles here in St. Joseph will boost civic engagement and create a pipeline of women leaders who will move this region forward in the future. We commend Mayor McMurray for his leadership and for working with us to encourage more women to get involved in public service.” 

Started in 2014, the Appointments Project aims to remove barriers for women to serve in civic leadership positions and increase the number of women serving on boards and commissions so that they are more reflective of the populations they serve. Based on a first-of-its-kind study that identified numerous barriers causing women to be underrepresented on boards and commissions, the Appointments Project serves as a talent bank, advisor, and advocate for women seeking appointed positions in state and local government.

 “Here in St. Joseph we’re always looking for ways to make local government more open, transparent, and accountable – and the Appointments Project fits right in with those goals,” said Mayor McMurray. “We are very proud to be working with the Women’s Foundation on this innovative initiative that will encourage more women to apply for positions on our boards and commissions, which play a critical role in moving our city forward.” 

The Appointments Project is currently partnering with approximately two dozen state and local governments across Missouri and Kansas. It has received more than 1,000 applications and helped appoint more than 90 women to Kansas and Missouri boards and commissions. In Kansas City, where the program was piloted, it has helped increase the percentage of women on city boards and commissions from 33-percent to 42-percent in just three years. 

Learn more about the Appointments Project here.

The Women’s Foundation promotes equity and opportunity for women of all ages, using research, philanthropy and policy solutions to make meaningful change. More information about the organization can be found at www.Womens-Foundation.org.

A Record Number of Women Are Running for Office. Here’s Why We Need Even More.

Wendy Doyle, President & CEO of the Women’s Foundation

At a time when two-thirds of Americans say the country is on the wrong track, one of the most promising trends in the country today is the record number of women running for office in this year’s midterm elections.

The number of female major party nominees in 2018 has shattered previous records. A total of 257 women are running for Congress this year, many of them first-time candidates who have never before served in public office.

This is encouraging news not only for women who will be more fairly represented in the halls of power, but for all Americans who will benefit from a more inclusive and representative government.

Research shows that having greater diversity in leadership positions increases public trust, improves decision-making, combats harassment and even boosts the bottom line. A study of 600 business decisions found that inclusive teams made better decisions 87 percent of the time, and delivered 60 percent better results.

In the wake of the #MeToo movement, there is also evidence that increasing gender diversity can help prevent sexual harassment and misconduct. A study by Pew found that women in mostly-male workplaces are more likely to report that sexual harassment as a problem where they work.

Bringing more diverse voices and backgrounds to the decision-making table also improves public trust. A representative democracy is supposed to be just that: representative of and responsive to the diverse communities it serves.

For all these reasons, the historic surge of women candidates this year will benefit everyone - Republicans and Democrats, and women and men alike.

But even if every woman running for Congress this year won her race, we would still fall short of our overall percentage of the population.

So how can we close the leadership gap more quickly? And how do we continue to break down the barriers that keep women, and especially women of color, from public leadership roles?

At the Women’s Foundation, our approach starts from the ground up – by asking women themselves.

We commissioned a first-of-its-kind study and found that one of the reasons why women hadn’t run for office was simple: they’d never been asked.

Women also expressed concerns that they didn’t have the necessary experience or knowledge. This is consistent with the findings of a widely-reported study by Hewlett Packard, which found that men apply for a job when they meet only 60% of the qualifications, but women apply only if they meet 100% of them.

At the same time, we noticed a staggering number of vacancies on civic boards and commissions. From economic development and tourism to professional licensure, these boards and commissions make crucial decisions for their states and communities – and they are typically filled by appointment, not election.

In Missouri alone there are no fewer than 40 boards and commissions that oversee occupational licensure. And if you’ve ever tried to become a licensed cosmetologist or a landscape architect, you know how important these boards and their licensing standards can be.

The appointments process also often relies on informal networks and personal connections, and as a result, these boards tend to be filled with industry insiders with a vested interest in maintaining the status quo.

We saw an opportunity to fill these gaps and meet the needs of both groups – women looking for ways to gain leadership experience and political executives looking for qualified appointees - with a solution we call the Appointments Project®.

The Appointments Project serves as a talent bank, advisor and advocate for women seeking appointed positions. It connects public officials with qualified candidates for their boards and commissions, and helps build a pipeline of women with the confidence and experience to run for higher office down the road.

Through trainings and webinars, the Appointments Project helps demystify the selection process, educate women about these lesser-known opportunities to serve and coach them on how to apply.

The result is more diverse voices at the decision-making table and better outcomes for everyone. To date, more than two dozen state and local governments have signed on, and nearly 100 women have been appointed.

This year’s boom of female candidates has been likened to a “pink wave.” But the problem with waves is they recede.

That’s why we all need to keep working to sustain and build on this progress, until our government finally reflects the rich diversity of the people it serves.

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Jefferson City Joins Initiative to Increase Gender Diversity on Local Boards and Commissions

Women in Jefferson City, Missouri encouraged to apply for positions on local boards and commissions through the Appointments Project®
  

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 1, 2018  

CONTACT:
Channing Grate, Women’s Foundation, channing@gpsimpact.com

JEFFERSON CITY – Jefferson City is teaming up with the Women’s Foundation on an initiative to increase the number of women on publicly appointed boards and commissions. The city is participating in the Appointments Project®, which aims to improve local governance by increasing gender diversity on civic boards and commissions.

A free webinar for prospective appointees will be held on November 27 from 12-12:30pm. Women interested in participating can sign up at: http://www.womens-foundation.org/new-events/.

“We created the Appointments Project to break down the barriers to women’s civic engagement, and the response has been overwhelming,” said Wendy Doyle, Women’s Foundation President & CEO. “We’re thrilled that Jefferson City has signed on to this initiative, joining dozens of communities across Missouri and Kansas that are demonstrating their commitment to equity, opportunity and good governance by participating in the Appointments Project. We thank Mayor Tergin for her leadership and commitment to increasing diversity and empowering women at the local level.”

Jefferson City and Columbia are among approximately two dozen state and local governments that are participating in the Appointments Project, which serves as a talent bank and resource for women interested in serving on a civic board or commission. The Appointments Project will work to empower women and encourage greater diversity on Jefferson City’s public commissions by helping to educate and engage prospective appointees on the application and appointment process.

“I know from my own experience how important it is to be proactive in asking women to serve,” said Jefferson City Mayor Carrie Tergin. “Now as mayor, I am committed to preparing the path for other women and making sure local government draws on the talents and diversity of all our residents. We know that increasing diversity improves outcomes for everyone.”

Launched in 2014, the Appointments Project aims to remove barriers for women to serve on public boards and commissions so they are more reflective of the populations they serve. Based on a first-of-its-kind study that identified numerous barriers causing women to be underrepresented on public boards and commissions, the Appointments Project serves as a talent bank and advisor for women seeking appointed positions in state and local government.

The Appointments Project saw a 300% increase in the number of Appointments Project locations in 2018, and the two dozen locations are now present in every congressional district of Kansas and Missouri. In Kansas City, where the program was piloted, it helped increase the percentage of women on city boards and commissions from 33-percent to 42-percent in just three years.

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Trick-or-Treaters Experience the Pay Gap in Women’s Foundation’s “A Scary Truth”

KANSAS CITY – This Halloween, the Women’s Foundation and creative agency Barkley are illustrating just how unfair the gender pay gap is using kids’ favorite currency: candy.

In “A Scary Truth: The Wage Gap,” adorable young trick or treaters are shocked and outraged when they realize the girls are getting less Halloween candy than the boys.

“We love this project because it illustrates how the gender pay gap violates the most basic principle of fairness that children grasp intuitively,” said Wendy Doyle, President & CEO of the Women’s Foundation. “We hope ‘The Scary Truth’ helps call attention to the fact that women are still not paid equally for equal work – and the solutions that can finally help close the gender pay gap once and for all.”  

When the trick-or-treaters show up at the Scary Truth house, they aren’t greeted by a friendly parent in a vampire costume but instead by a businessman in a suit who shamelessly gives more and better candy to the boys than to the girls. The heartbroken kids are children of Barkley employees and friends who were invited to participate in the trick-or-treating experiment without knowing its purpose.

The candy disparity illustrates the gender pay gap, where nationally women are paid an average of 80 cents on the dollar to men.

The kids aren’t cool with the discrepancy. “We deserve that one,” declare the girls while pointing to the oversized lollipops being handed to the boys. Another girl says, “They’re both people, they should get the same amount.”

The work supports the efforts of the Women's Foundation and the American Association of University Women (AAUW), to close the wage gap with programs like salary negotiation training and best practices for employers.

“Our hope is that we can play a small part in getting a generation of women the tools they need so these little girls grow up and never hear the term ‘wage gap,’” says Katy Hornaday, Executive Creative Director of Barkley.

Don’t worry. After the cameras stopped rolling, all children were given plenty of equal sized candy.

“The Scary Truth” notes that women of color face even wider pay disparities. For example, November 1st is Latina Women’s Equal Pay Day, marking the day when Latina women’s earnings finally catch up to what men earned the previous year. Latinas typically earn only 53 cents for every dollar earned by White, non-Hispanic men and must work nearly 23 months to earn what white men earn in 12 months.

See the video at: https://youtu.be/3VKTbxa1vcQ  

Changemaker Profile: Tameka Stigers, St. Louis Entrepreneur

The Women’s Foundation achieved a major victory during the 2018 Legislative Session, when the Missouri General Assembly passed sweeping occupational licensing reforms that will make it easier for women to start a new career or open their own business.

Tameka Stigers, a St. Louis entrepreneur and hair braider, was instrumental in this fight and we were so proud to have her and her daughter Julee kick off our 2018 We Work for Change Annual Event.

Read her story about working for change, and how these reforms are making a difference for women and their families.

“I was working in public health when I decided to start my own business providing African-style hair braiding to women in my community. More than just a job, I wanted a career and a way to give back.

But there was just one problem. Under Missouri’s licensing laws, I was required to spend thousands of dollars on cosmetology classes that didn’t have anything to do with braiding hair.

So I decided to fight back – in court with the support of the Institute for Justice and in the Missouri General Assembly with the help of the Women’s Foundation.

It’s been a long journey, but earlier this year the Legislature finally passed reforms that will allow me and other hair braiders earn a living without jumping through unnecessary bureaucratic hoops. Occupational licensing may sound like an obscure issue, but it has a huge impact on women and their families. Many women who practice hair braiding are new to this country, and it is so important that we surround them and help them provide for their families.

Advocating for these reforms has been one of the most challenging and rewarding experiences of my life. My advice for other women working for change is to stick with it.

The opposition will always be there, and they may bet they’ll wait you out. That’s why we have to continue to fight. If they close a door, find a window – find another entry point, and do what you need to make change happen.”

Initiative to Appoint More Women to Local Boards Now Accepting Applications in Lawrence

Women in Lawrence, Kansas encouraged to apply for positions on local boards and commissions through the Appointments Project®

  

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 5, 2018 

CONTACT:
Channing Grate, Women’s Foundation, channing@gpsimpact.com
Porter Arneill, City of Lawrence, parneill@lawrenceks.org, (785) 832-3302 

LAWRENCE, KS – An innovative initiative to appoint more women to civic boards and commissions is now operating in Lawrence, Kansas. Women interested in serving the public are encouraged to apply to the Appointments Project®, a program launched by the Women’s Foundation to help increase the diversity of public boards and commissions. 

An information session will be held on Thursday, November 8, 2018, from 11:30am-1:30pm at the Lawrence Public Library, Meeting Room B, 707 Vermont St, Lawrence, KS 66044.

“We’re thrilled to expand the Appointments Project into Lawrence and encourage all women interested in serving their communities to apply,” said Wendy Doyle, Women’s Foundation President & CEO. “Adding more diverse voices, particularly women of color, to the decision-making table will improve public policy and help local boards and commissions be more responsive and reflective of the communities they serve.”

The Appointments Project is an initiative established by the Women’s Foundation to increase the number of women serving on civic boards and commissions and recently added Lawrence to its list of Appointments Project cities. The Appointments Project will work to empower women and underrepresented groups and encourage greater diversity on Lawrence’s public commissions by helping to educate and engage prospective officials on the application and appointment process. Prospective appointees can learn more and express their interest in serving at: www.womens-foundation.org/a-p.

"Lawrence’s rich diversity is one of our city’s greatest strengths, and by teaming up with the Appointments Project we’ll make sure gender diversity is reflected on our local boards and commissions,” said Mayor Stuart Boley. “We are excited to collaborate with the Appointments Project to help encourage more women to pursue leadership roles in our community.”

The Appointments Project has seen a 300 percent increase in the number of Appointments Project locations in 2018, and the two dozen locations are now present in every congressional district of Kansas and Missouri. Appointments Project cities in Kansas include Abilene, Eudora, Greensburg, Johnson County, Merriam, Olathe, Pittsburg, Shawnee, Topeka, the Unified Government of Wyandotte and Kansas City, KS and Wichita. 

Launched in 2014, the Appointments Project aims to remove barriers for women to serve on public boards and commissions so they are more reflective of the populations they serve. Based on a first-of-its-kind study that identified numerous barriers causing women to be underrepresented on public boards and commissions, the Appointments Project serves as a talent bank and advisor for women seeking appointed positions in state and local government. To date, more than 90 women have been appointed through the initiative.

Women’s Foundation promotes equity and opportunity for women of all ages, using research, philanthropy and policy solutions to make meaningful change. More information at www.womens-foundation.org.

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Empowering Native American Women and Closing the Pay Gap

Wendy Doyle, Women’s Foundation President & CEO

In 2018, it's still a shocking reality that women are not paid equally for equal work – nearly half a century after the passage of the Equal Pay Act. Women in the U.S. on average make just 80 cents for every dollar earned by a man, and Native American women face disparities that are even wider.

Native American Women's Equal Pay Day, which this year falls on September 27, highlights the unacceptable fact that Native American women must work nine extra months to earn the same amount of money that men do in one year.

The gender pay gap is a complex and pressing issue, and at the Women’s Foundation, we are committed to closing it with practical solutions that get results.

In August we were proud to team up with the American Association of University Women (AAUW), Kansas City Mayor Sly James to launch AAUW Work Smart Kansas City – the first phase of an initiative to empower one million women to successfully negotiate for the salary and benefits they deserve.

AAUW Work Smart Kansas City will help close the gender pay gap in Kansas City, where the overall gender pay ratio is 78 percent – a 22 percent gap and larger than the national average.

And because we know that Native American women face an even wider pay gap – making just 57 cents for a man’s dollar – we’re thrilled that Travois has stepped up to host these valuable pay negotiation trainings for women in this region.

As a mission-driven small business focused exclusively on promoting housing and economic development for American Indian, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian communities, Travois is well-positioned to help empower Native American women to negotiate for higher salaries and more generous benefits that reflect the value they bring to the workplace.

These pay negotiation trainings will help women negotiate for a new job as well as for earned raises and promotions. In every two-hour workshop, participants will gain confidence in negotiation style through facilitated discussion and role-playing – while also learning a number of life-changing skills, such as:

• How to identify and articulate your personal value

• How to develop an arsenal of persuasive responses and other negotiation strategies, including how to get a raise or promotion

• How to conduct objective market research to benchmark a target salary and benefits

• About the pay gap, including its long-term consequences

Women make up 47 percent of the workforce. We outnumber men on college campuses, and recent estimates indicate that 42 percent of mothers are the sole or primary breadwinners for their families.

Equal pay for equal work shouldn’t be a lot to ask.

We're lucky to be able to work with organizations like Travois who are working hard to achieve economic equity for all. If you are interested in attending one of AAUW’s pay negotiation workshops, you can sign up and find more information here.

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Appointee Profile: Monica Walker

Monica has been appointed to the Child Abuse & Neglect Review Board.

Monica currently works at American Family Insurance and is very involved within her community. She currently serves on the Second Harvest Board of Directors, and also serves as an Allocations Committee Member at the United Way of Greater St. Joseph.

Helping people excel and be successful in the workforce is one of her greatest satisfactions, but her heart can truly be found outside the office. Monica believes every child from all walks of life should have a solid foundation to build their lives on, a quality education, and to feel safe and loved.