United WE Launches Kansas City Transformation Journey Groups to Empower Women Civic Leaders
Program to Support Diverse Women in Identifying and Taking Next Steps In Civic Leadership Journeys
KANSAS CITY, MO – August 1, 2024 – United WE today announces the Kansas City Transformation Journey Groups, a new offering under the Appointments Project® generously funded by the Health Forward Foundation and supported by Oracle. Under this program, United WE will bring diverse women together to explore service on appointed boards and commissions.
The journey groups will convene Black, Latina, and rural women in the Kansas City region. Journey group programming will ensure women are equipped with the knowledge to confidently navigate the appointments process and serve effectively in a civic leadership position. These groups will also support participants in building a community of women with similar lived experiences and exploring the intersection of identity and civic engagement.
“United WE works to ensure all women are represented on local boards, not only as a matter of equality but also as a means to improve the quality and efficacy of decision-making,” said Wendy Doyle, President & CEO of United WE. “United WE supports women in launching their civic leadership journey and I’m delighted we are able to convene this type of experience for many diverse women in the Kansas City area.”
Kicking off in September 2024, the three journey groups will meet monthly through January 2025. A celebration event will be held in February 2025 and include participants from all journey groups.
“Health Forward Foundation supports and builds inclusive, powerful and healthy communities in the Kansas City region, and United WE’s journey groups will further mobilize women in our service area to learn and engage in civic leadership opportunities,” said McClain Bryant Macklin, VP of Policy and Impact at Health Forward Foundation. “We are proud to fund the journey groups to increase women’s civic leadership participation and engagement to advance their economic potential and achieve gender and racial equity.”
An Advisory Board was established to ensure the program meets the needs and expectations of diverse women and aligns with the overarching goals for the Appointments Project. Journey group applications are available now and will close on August 29, 2024 or when groups have reached capacity. Black, Latina and rural women in the Kansas City region interested in the program are encouraged to apply at www.united-we.org/apjourney.
The United WE National Commission On Childcare And Women’s Entrepreneurship Announces Its Statement Of Principles At Kauffman Foundation’s “Takes Heart” Event
KANSAS CITY, MO – June 25, 2024 – The United WE National Commission on Childcare and Women’s Entrepreneurship today announced its Statement of Principles to guide its mission in sparking new evidence-based practices and policies to assist more entrepreneurial women in finding diverse childcare solutions to fully participate in the dynamic U.S. economy.
The Statement of Principles were revealed at the “Takes Heart: A Celebration of Women Entrepreneurs” event held at the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation. The exclusive event focused on celebrating women entrepreneurs and featured an interactive 5-foot tall heart located outside the Kauffman Foundation as part of Kansas City’s Parade of Hearts.
“For women entrepreneurs who need expanded childcare support to help them achieve greater business success, current childcare solutions are not cutting it,” says Wendy Doyle, President & CEO of United WE. “The United WE National Commission on Childcare and Women’s Entrepreneurship, funded by a Kauffman Foundation grant, is engaging a broader coalition of audiences — other than traditional childcare stakeholders — who are not typically part of the conversation but their voices and support are needed to help solve America’s childcare crisis.”
The Commission of national leaders is one element of a Kauffman Foundation grant that also included a state-by-state childcare licensing research report and a recent nationwide survey of women entrepreneurs and their childcare needs.
The Commission’s Statement of Principles includes the following key recommendations:
accommodate supply-side (e.g., operational grants and targeted tax credits for teachers and program operators) and demand-side (e.g., vouchers for families) public support.
compensate the childcare workforce sufficiently so that early educators flourish and the quality of childcare programs improves.
include robust, real-time data on childcare supply and demand so that policymakers can accurately plan for, and fund, services for the age groups and locations where gaps are most significant, and families can easily identify available spaces, reserve, and enroll in childcare sites online.
Learn more about United WE’s work to create meaningful change for all women and read the Commission’s full Statement of Principles here.
ABC News Live Prime Anchor Linsey Davis to Headline United WE’s Annual We Work for Change Event on September 12
Proceeds Fuel United WE’s Research, Advocacy, Policy Solutions and Civic Engagement Programs
KANSAS CITY, MO – June 12, 2024 – One of the nation’s most accomplished broadcast journalists, two-time Emmy Award-winning anchor of “ABC News Live Prime” and best-selling author of six books, Linsey Davis will speak at United WE’s 2024 We Work for Change event on September 12, 2024. Hosted at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art and live streamed nationally, Linsey will address the important role of women uniting to advance women of all ages with United WE President & CEO Wendy Doyle and discuss her experience moderating the Presidential debate occurring just prior to the event.
We Work for Change, presented by Bank of America, is United WE's signature annual fundraising event uniting women and allies to raise funds and awareness to advance all women's economic and civic leadership. The event has inspired generations of women and men to work toward a more gender-equitable world.
“At Bank of America, we know that when women thrive, so do families, communities and economies. That’s why we’re committed to investing in women at a global and local level and help by providing economic opportunity for women through support of nonprofit organizations, such as United WE, that advance and empower women,” said Linda Lenza, Senior Vice President and Market Executive, Bank of America Kansas City. “United WE continues to be a positive force for change to improve the lives of women, which is why we’re proud to be the presenting sponsor of this year’s We Work for Change event.”
Linsey will co-moderate the second debate of this year’s presidential election planned for September 10. Davis helped lead the ABC News coverage of the 2022 midterm elections and was at the forefront of ABC’s News’s coverage of the 2020 presidential election spanning all eight nights of the Democratic and Republican National Conventions. She is renowned for her tough but fair moderating skills in political debate.
“As a journalist, I talk directly with politicians about how they address policy issues facing the country,” said Linsey Davis. “United WE’s nonpartisan and civil approach is key to its success in improving the lives of women. Its research covering inequities in pay, paid family leave, affordable childcare, and barriers for women entrepreneurs reveals insights necessary to better understand our nation’s economy and the importance of uniting to move forward.”
“Linsey Davis is a trusted nonpartisan voice in journalism, and we recognize and value the power of her news reporting and authorship of inspiring children’s books,” said Wendy Doyle, President & CEO of United WE. “We are delighted for Linsey to share her extensive knowledge of politics, current events, and her experiences as a woman leader in the media at our We Work For Change event as we unite with hundreds of women and allies across the country to fuel and advance all women’s economic and civic leadership.”
Sponsorship opportunities are now available (view here), and you can find virtual tickets here for the nationwide live stream. Join United WE in creating meaningful change for all women and learn more at www.united-we.org.
Press Release: Nationwide Survey: 57 Percent of Women Entrepreneurs Believe Their Businesses Would Be More Successful If They Could Resolve Childcare Challenges
KANSAS CITY, MO – June 4, 2024 – In a new nationwide survey commissioned by United WE and announced today at the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) Days in Washington D.C., 62 percent of women entrepreneurs indicate childcare options fail to meet their needs and negatively impact their business. In this study of 750 women entrepreneurs with children under age 6, the majority, or 57 percent, state that their business could be more successful if they had better childcare options.
“For years, women entrepreneurs have been taking a giant step forward to start their own businesses because they wanted more flexible childcare support,” says Wendy Doyle, President & CEO of United WE, a nonpartisan organization with a mission to advance all women’s economic and civic leadership. “What we’re learning now is that women entrepreneurs’ growth is being held back by inadequate childcare options, partially driven by critical needs within the childcare workforce itself.”
Women pack a powerful economic punch in driving the U.S. economy. According to a 2024 Wells Fargo report, women-owned businesses continue to positively impact the economy, representing more than 14 million of all businesses, or 39.1 percent, employing 12.2 million workers and generating $2.7 trillion in revenue.
“Similar to other foundational business functions like accounting, software and internet services, childcare also should be considered as a business support function,” says Jen Earle, NAWBO National’s CEO. “Heightened economic growth for women business owners depends on making this shift in thinking about childcare.”
Of the women surveyed, 66 percent launched their businesses to gain greater flexibility in childcare. Women entrepreneurs with household incomes under $100,000 were significantly more likely than those from higher income households to say that flexibility provided by entrepreneurship was a very important reason for their decision to launch their businesses.
When asked about their specific childcare needs, 31 percent of women say that flexible scheduling in childcare services is their first need. Second (29 percent) is the need for infant and toddler care followed by the third (27 percent), which is care during early morning and late evening hours.
“This data reveals that flexible childcare infrastructure is critical to support women entrepreneurs in fueling business growth,” said DeAngela Burns-Wallace, President and CEO, Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, who funded the survey. “When more flexible options for childcare are created, women entrepreneurs can achieve increased economic growth with the confidence their children have the best care.”
The nationwide research, conducted by Openfields, is part of the United WE Institute and available at www.united-we.org/2024childcaresurvey.
Press Release: United WE’s National Civic Engagement Research Reveals that Women Make Up Only 39 Percent of Local Appointed Boards and Commissions Across the U.S.
First-of-its-kind research shows gender gaps on appointed boards and commissions nationwide
KANSAS CITY, MO – March 20, 2024 – Today, United WE announced the results of its National Civic Engagement Research commissioned to collect data and analyze women’s participation on local appointed boards and commissions across the U.S. Of the 5,125 board seats analyzed, only 39% are occupied by women even though women make up just over half of the U.S. population, according to the research conducted by Openfields.
As the first national study of its kind, the National Civic Engagement Research is part of the United WE Institute’s effort to assess challenges and drive advances in women’s economic and civic participation for a greater future.
“This confirms that significant gender gaps still exist on local appointed boards and commissions nationwide indicating that boards do not reflect the diversity of the communities served,” says Wendy Doyle, President & CEO of United WE. “Government that reflects diversity increases public trust and enables effective and equitable policymaking to improve outcomes for all citizens.”
The National Civic Engagement Research also shows the following:
Women are especially underrepresented on Planning and Zoning boards, filling only 35% of seats. These especially powerful boards make highly impactful decisions about land use and development.
Women are underrepresented on boards in more than three-fourths of cities. At most, only 21 cities or 21.4% meet or exceed a 50% threshold of women on boards.
Women were also underrepresented on Parks and Recreation and Housing boards. On library boards, the only type where women were overrepresented, they occupy between five and six out of every 10 seats.
Even though the research exposes the gap, progress is being made through United WE’s Appointments Project® - which celebrates its 10th anniversary this year - and offers training and resources that inspire and equip women to serve. Hundreds of women have participated in the program, and many have been appointed to boards and commissions. Doyle encourages women to investigate board representation in their community, learn about open board positions, and seek an appointment.
“I know we can do better as individuals, local elected officials, and for our communities. We must take action to increase representation and gender balance,” says Doyle. “I want to emphasize that women already have the unique skills and experiences to bring to the table so I encourage them to apply to serve on a board or commission where they live.”
The report recommends cities and counties to take these steps:
Consider how factors like meeting times, locations and availability of childcare can be adjusted to better accommodate women’s participation.
Explicitly invite and encourage women to apply.
Disseminate more information about the appointments process itself. Many cities’ board pages list information about vacant seats, but fewer provide clear information about how residents can apply to fill those vacancies.
Publish comprehensive lists of appointed boards and commissions on government websites, along with information about members and term lengths,
This research continues United WE’s commitment to using research and action to advance all women’s economic and civic leadership. To date, more than 30 research studies addressing civic engagement, entrepreneurship, equal pay, and more have been completed. As a result, 23 laws have been enacted, nine executive orders placed, and 25 administrative actions have been made. To find out more, this research and all other studies are located at the United WE Institute.
Learn more about how United WE is creating meaningful change for all women at www.united-we.org.
United WE Testimony on Kansas HB 2818
Joan Ruff
Chair of the United WE Board of Directors
Joan Ruff, Chair of the United WE Board of Directors, provided testimony in support of House Bill 2818 to the Kansas House Committee on Commerce, Labor and Economic Development. Here is her full testimony:
My name is Joan Ruff and I am Chair of the United WE Board of Directors. As you may recall from previous sessions, the mission of United WE is to advance all women’s economic and civic leadership.
On behalf of United WE, I’m pleased to testify today in support of HB 2818 and propose that an occupational regulation is carefully considered, prioritizing public benefit and the least restrictive measures to protect the general welfare.
This legislation aims to establish structured guidelines for evaluating proposals to regulate occupations not covered before July 1, 2024. By promoting transparency and informed decision-making, we aim to facilitate individuals' pursuit of their chosen professions without unnecessary government intervention.
We believe this would help create a culture of economic empowerment for women in Kansas. Our Status of Women in Kansas research report told us that women are more likely to hold a certification or license than employed men. For that reason, United WE works to remove barriers faced by women in professions that are governed by occupational licensing regulatory boards and frameworks. According to the McKinsey Global Institute, the Kansas economy can grow by 10-15% by the year 2025 if women are fully participating in the workforce. This legislation is a step in the right direction to position Kansas as an economic leader becoming the 15th state in the country to have such a provision.
HB 2818 is the right approach to facilitate more informed decision-making, prevent duplicative and unnecessary regulatory boards from being created, and create a more efficient occupational licensing structure for women entrepreneurs, employed professionals, and all Kansans. For example, currently salon owners who offer spray tanning services, but do not have a tanning bed at their site, are not required to hold a state license. This allows salon owners to tap into a growing market in a manner that does not pose a risk to public health and earn a living for their family. This example shows a balance between entrepreneurism and public welfare and this is the type of balance we hope to secure throughout the state’s economy.
Thank you for the opportunity to share United WE’s perspective on this bill.
Advocating for Change: Closing the Pay Gap for Black Women
Ebony Reed, Chief Strategy Officer at The Marshall Project and United WE board member
Photo Credit: Chichi Ubina
Income gaps impact all women. But Black and Latino women have the greater burden of more often coming from families that trail in wealth, meaning they have less of an economic safety net.
One proposed idea to address this inequity comes from Janelle Jones, the first Black woman to have served as chief economist at the U.S. Labor Department. Jones proposed a framework several years ago named Black Women Best: The Framework We Need for An Equitable Economy. The core of the framework’s philosophy is steeped in economic approaches that consider what is best for Black women, a group that has traditionally been economically insecure in the United States. The framework’s premise is that if Black women are lifted then all communities will be lifted.
For the last three years, Louise Story, also an investigative journalist, my coauthor and Yale School of Management teaching partner, have included Jones’ framework for M.B.A. students to evaluate and think through in a class we co-designed to help business leaders consider the history and the contemporary applications of race and money. Story and I have extensively researched wealth and income gaps impacting all races and women. Our book — Fifteen Cents on the Dollar: How Americans Made the Black-White Wealth Gap is available for purchase now.
Ebony Reed’s Book is Available for Purchase Now!
For our book, we conducted almost 400 interviews across the country, commissioned our own Harris Poll and deeply reported on seven Black families - three prominent and four most people may not know before reading our book. We chronicled their experiences with the student loan crisis, banking, technology, insurance, labor markets, housing and real estate, taxes, the criminal justice system, entrepreneurship and public and private policies, while also tracing their family trees back five-to-six generations.
In most of the families we saw the impact of income disparities and racial wealth gaps.
According to the U.S. The Government Accountability Office, often called the GAO, an independent, non-partisan agency that works for Congress, “the pay gap was greater for women in most historically underserved racial and ethnic groups than for White women.” The agency, which provides non-partisan, fact-based information to Congress and other federal agencies, reports that “women earned about $.82 for every dollar men earned; Hispanic or Latina women earned about $.58 and Black women earned about $.63 for every dollar White men earned,” based on data released in December 2022.
The Social Security Administration, a federal agency, also reports that Black and Hispanic women’s earnings are less than that of white and Asian women. Those earnings can contribute to a family’s overall net worth because wealth is all of the assets minus liabilities in a household. Federal data does not separate women from men in wealth reporting, but we can see differences in income data.
Wealth and income gaps impact every race, including white Americans, Native Americans, Latino Americans, but Black Americans and their families consistently rank in the bottom on federal wealth data reports. The Survey of Consumer Finances 2022 data from the Federal Reserve – released in October 2023 – finds that the average and median Black family has only 15 cents on the dollar in wealth when compared to white families. Often wealth is passed through inheritance, but the gap Black Americans face has been deepened by policies and practices that have left them in worse financial shape. Today Black Americans on average have higher student loan debt, lower home ownership and higher unemployment.
According to the Black Women Best framework outlined in the paper by Jones and her coauthors Kendra Bozarth and Grace Western, published on the Roosevelt Institute website, “centering Black women also means centering other marginalized identities, all of which intersect with race and gender and are identities that Black women hold and live.” The paper argues that focusing on Black women in its application in policy making would be complex and require those who apply it to focus on Black women’s intersecting identities and ensure they can build economic security.
Through our reporting for our book, Story and I cross major historic moments that impacted the Black-white wealth gap – the 2008 economic crisis, the ending of government enforced and legal discrimination and slavery, which is the starting point for the Black-white wealth gap in America. And we include academic research and data – knowing that the more people who are exposed to it, the deeper, richer and more nuanced our conversations can be. Some communities are trying to find solutions to wealth disparities, but even in places, such as California, where the universal basic income was piloted, there is still debate about the best solution.
After three years of deep research and reporting on wealth and income gaps, I often reflect on how big and wide the coalition needs to be to address these issues in American society.
It will take people working in partnership who are different from each other. The coalition will need people of all backgrounds, fields and disciplines.
Ebony Reed is a media executive who has worked at The Wall Street Journal, Associated Press and other regional media companies. She teaches at the Yale School of Management in Connecticut and has taught at seven other colleges and universities. She is a United WE board member and lives in Kansas City, Mo. To learn more about Fifteen Cents on the Dollar go to 15.cents.info.
United WE Joins Engaged Kansas Coalition
United WE is proud to join Engaged Kansas, a coalition of organizations that are encouraging and supporting civic-minded individuals to consider local public service.
"Our research showed us that women don't become civically engaged because they weren't being asked. As a result, we created the Appointments Project so local boards and commissions could reflect the communities they serve," said Wendy Doyle, United WE President and CEO. "Being a part of the Engaged Kansas Coalition, we look forward to furthering our work to address the gender disparities in local leadership and are able to make real changes in our communities."
Other Engaged Kansas partners include:
Chamber of Commerce Executives of Kansas
Kansas Agriculture and Rural Leadership
Kansas Association of Counties
Kansas Association of REALTORS
Kansas Association of School Boards
Kansas Bankers Association
Kansas Chamber
Kansas Farm Bureau
Kansas Leadership Center
Kansas Medical Society
League of Kansas Municipalities
"There are many great organizations across Kansas developing resources for citizens to run for and engage in local civic government," said Brenden Wirth, Kansas Farm Bureau Director of Political Affairs. "Engaged Kansas is a hub for these like-minded organizations to share those tools."
Since its launch in 2023, Engaged Kansas continues to expand and reach out to Kansas leaders on how they can best help their community through the nonpartisan, nonpolicy resources offered by these partner organizations.
United WE Provides Testimony for Missouri Childcare Tax Credit
United WE’s quantitative and qualitative research shows that Missouri women cannot reach their full economic potential when families can’t access affordable childcare.
This month, United WE testified in support of House Bill 1488 and Senate Bill 742, which would create childcare tax credits for families, employers, and providers. These legislation are an important first step to tackling the growing problem of childcare in Missouri, and United WE is thrilled to see policies reintroduced that work to support childcare accessibility to grow our Missouri economy.
Sponsored by Representatives Brenda Shields (District 11 - Buchanan County) and Senator Lauren Arthur (District 17 - Clay County), the bills create three tax credit pathways to support working parents, employers that invest in childcare services, and childcare facilities. Each program is capped annually at $200,000 per taxpayers and $20 million for the program.
Child Care Contribution Tax Credit Act: Taxpayers can receive a 75% tax credit after making a verified contribution to a childcare provider.
Employer Provided Child Care Assistance Tax Credit Act: Businesses can receive a 30% tax credit for donating to a childcare facility or investing in childcare services.
Child Care Providers Tax Credit Act: Childcare providers can receive a 30% tax credit for investing in their own facilities.
Making childcare affordable and ensuring families have a variety of options ensures businesses can create the workforce needed to support an expanding economy. United WE supports policymakers in finding common sense solutions that move our state forward – and these bills put the state of Missouri on the right track.
Why Aren’t Women Business Owners Getting the Support They Need? Our Economy Depends On It.
By: Wendy Doyle, President & CEO at United WE
In business, relationships matter. This is the case for any organization, including small businesses, but the magnitude cannot be understated for women business owners. The impact of relationships is so vital, the creation of a small business hinging on a banking institution loaning money to get the business off the ground.
Women business owners face this type of barrier every day. We know this – because at United WE, we talk to them – but more importantly, we listen.
Recently, a woman entrepreneur told our organization she was turned down by 22 banks and finally received a loan from bank number 23. Only two of the bankers explained why she was declined, with one citing the need for a husband to support the business, and another suggesting she allow the bank to manage her money and that she should get a traditional job.
Over the past couple years, we’ve held town hall meetings across Kansas and Missouri as an opportunity for women and allies to share their experiences. We constantly hear from women that limited business resources, damaging cultural norms and networks have negatively impacted their business endeavors.
The findings are published as research reports in our United WE Institute with next step recommendations to address the barriers women are experiencing.
Access to Capital for Women Entrepreneurs
We learned women lack fruitful relationships with banking institutions – indicating that relationships are most commonly transactional in nature. From our town hall research, 66% of Kansas women describe the relationship with their financial institution as transactional vs. 34% who categorize it as relational.
This lack of relationships with banking institutions affects women’s ability to access capital when forming businesses and limits their awareness of important financial information and resources to grow and sustain businesses.
One town hall participant from Garden City, Kansas said, “…I got laughed at when I tried to get capital from financial institutions for my business, so I had to open several credit cards.”
Another participant in Wichita, Kansas said, “…the banks don’t take women business owners seriously.”
In Missouri, more than 60% of women surveyed were interested in starting a business. Yet, women from the town halls talked about receiving very little to no support from others when starting businesses and access to affordable benefits being a barrier to getting started.
A Roundtable Revealed More Barriers
To further expand on what we heard in our town halls, we partnered with the Center for American Entrepreneurship on a roundtable with women entrepreneurs to dive deeper into understanding the barriers they face. The session focused on many issues like mentoring, peer support, and the issue of inequitable treatment by banks.
The session revealed many issues, including challenges with women-owned businesses in male-dominated industries, the desire for male and female mentors to launch and scale business, lack of access to capital (especially from large banks), and a desire to provide great benefits and professional development without absorbent costs. Read here for a report that further details the learnings, insights and next steps from the roundtable event.
Change Must Happen Now
Small businesses are the engine to our economy, and we must support women business owners. According to the McKinsey Global Institute, Kansas and Missouri’s economies stand to grow by 10-15% by 2025 if women’s participation in the labor force is boosted.
On average, women business owners believe they will achieve equal access to capital by 2031. That’s not soon enough. Change will not come far enough or fast enough unless we intentionally focus on creating opportunities for prospective business owners, particularly those underrepresented in entrepreneurship today.
We will never achieve true economic prosperity in this country without women. As the daughter and granddaughter of small business women, I feel it is a privilege and my responsibility to lead an organization that works to empower even more women to achieve their dreams.
At United WE, we are taking action and will continue to be a leading voice in our region by removing barriers for women and advocating for policies that support women’s economic development.
After all, our economy depends on it.
Media Inquiries:
dmc@united-we.org