Economy

Think infrastructure jobs will only work for men? Think again.

Posted on by Gwen Rubinstein

As the economic stimulus package inches closer to Congressional approval and President Obama’s signature, many have focused on who is in and who is out – especially men versus women.

While predictable, this is not particularly productive.

Yes, men’s unemployment is rising faster than women’s.  Losses in the manufacturing and construction sectors have hit men particularly hard.

Still, unemployment among women is also rising, just not as fast. 

As usual, the losses are falling particularly hard on women-headed families, many of whom were also struggling before the recession. 

In addition, if history is any guide, we know women’s unemployment is likely to increase later in the recession.

In the work of repairing the economy, our policymakers need to find the wisdom to focus on the totality of the challenge for all Americans and the courage to question their assumptions.

One assumption I nominate for the recycle bin is that infrastructure jobs (and, for that matter, “green” jobs) are not and cannot be jobs for women.

Here at The Women’s Foundation, through investments made in our Stepping Stones Initiative, we have generated a lot of learning about how to support women in training for non-traditional occupations, such as construction.  Women who have completed these programs have gone on to good jobs with family-sustaining wages and benefits.

Here is one example from Washington Area Women in the Trades (a joint project of the Community Services Agency of the Metropolitan Washington Council of the AFL-CIO, Wider Opportunities for Women and the YWCA of the National Capital Area.

J. H. started in June 2008 as a ‘Transformer Tester Helper’ in general utility operations training at the PEPCO facility on Benning Road. The experiences she gained at the Washington Area Women in the Trades program helped her attain this very competitive job, which will put her on a solid career path, allowing her to help support her family and eventually to purchase a home. She starts at a great pay grade – double the minimum wage – and with a generous employee benefits package. After 12 months and after successfully completing the PEPCO exam, she will make even more.

Of course, this kind of success requires more than a physical program. To be successful, women need a rich and stable array of supports to sustain them during training and on the job, including child care, transportation, access to health care and access to financial education to help them reduce their debt, improve their credit and save for the future.

(I’m guessing men probably need some, if not all, of this, as well.)

Because Stepping Stones is a comprehensive and long-term initiative, it invests in all of these services to support low-income, women-headed families in our region.

Even in difficult economic times, we have continued to see our investments reap benefits for these women, their families and our community. I can only hope that our national leaders will look out of the windows of their Washington offices and into our greater Washington community for inspiration and help.

Gwen Rubinstein is a program officer at The Women’s Foundation.

Weekly Round-Up: News and Analysis on Women and Poverty (Week ending January 16, 2009)

Posted on by Lisa Kays

Spotlight on Poverty and Opportunity, a national foundation-led initiative, is excited to collaborate with The Women’s Foundation to bring you the latest news and analysis on women and poverty.

Spotlight is the go-to site for news and ideas about fighting poverty. And every Friday, look for our weekly rundown of the top news stories on women and poverty.

Here’s this week’s news:

  • As the House gets ready to pass an expansion of health care services, there is controversy about allowing immigrant pregnant women immediate coverage, according to The Washington Post.
  • As noted by the Los Angeles Times, cuts in state healthcare coverage include reductions in treatment for breast and cervical cancer for low-income women.
  • The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports on a federal lawsuit against the “conscience rule,” which allows health providers to refuse contraceptive services, even in the event of rape, and which advocates fear will harm those in poverty.
  • In an article featured in the Venture County Star, it is reported that excess water in baby formula—a cost-saving measure for low-income mothers—can be harmful to infants.
  • The York Daily Record quotes Pennsylvania lawmakers who want to repeal a child-support tax that they think harms single mothers.

To learn more about Spotlight, visit www.spotlightonpoverty.org.  To sign up for our weekly updates with the latest news, opinion and research from around the country, click here.

The Spotlight on Poverty and Opportunity Team

Spotlight on Poverty and Opportunity is a foundation-led, non-partisan initiative aimed at ensuring that our political leaders take significant actions to reduce poverty and increase opportunity in the United States. We bring together diverse perspectives from the political, policy, advocacy and foundation communities to engage in an ongoing dialogue focused on finding genuine solutions to the economic hardship confronting millions of Americans.

Online tools help service providers help local low-income families.

Posted on by Lisa Kays

This morning, Phyllis introduced a Webinar hosted by one of our Grantee Partners, Wider Opportunities for Women, on a tool they’ve developed to help calculate the true income needed to raise a family in our region.

As Phyllis explained, "With the current economic downturn…families are increasingly focusing on cutting back. And for some families—particularly those headed by single mothers—this means slipping from barely making it to not making it.  But where is the line?  According to the federal poverty standard—which hasn’t changed since 1960—a family of three headed by a single mom isn’t poor if she earns a dollar more than $16,500.  Yet, the real costs of raising that family are far greater…The federal standard is based just on the cost of food and doesn’t include crucial costs to families like child care, health care and transportation."

That’s why WOW’s standard is important, as it shows the the real cost for a single mother to raise an infant and a pre-schooler is $55,000 a year in Prince George’s County, $58,000 in Washington, D.C. and about $70,000 to live in Arlington or Montgomery Counties. 

A bit more realistic.

The Self-Sufficiency Calculator will not only allow a family to calculate what income they’d need to be self-sufficient based on family size, geography, etc., but it also provides information on how to find jobs that would meet that level of income and are attainable even without a college or two-year degree.

The Calculator can be accessed at www.dcmassc.org. 

WOW recently hosted a session featuring two other resources that help direct service providers in our area help heads of low-income families, who are usually women. 

One is the DC Food Finder, produced by So Others Might Eat (SOME), another Grantee Partner.  The Food Finder is an excellent resource that uses Google mapping to show where a variety of food resources exist in relation to a particular neighborhood or address, from food pantries to low-cost groceries to farmer’s markets.

Finally, the District Alliance for Safe Housing developed the Housing Resource Center, which helps identify housing appropriate in various situations, ranging from women fleeing domestic violence with children to affordable homes to purchase.  The resource enables service providers or individuals to input information relevant to them and then to access information particular to their situation.

 Many thanks to WOW, SOME and the District Alliance for Safe Housing for developing, updating and maintaining these tools that provide crucial information to our region’s low-income families as they strive for self-sufficiency.

Lisa Kays is The Women’s Foundation’s Director of Communications.

Good news for working women!

Posted on by Sharon Levin

On Friday, the House of Representatives passed two bills that would greatly improve the ability of women and other employees to bring claims of wage discrimination. President-Elect Obama has said that he would like to sign the bills — the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act and the Paycheck Fairness Act — in his first days in office. So, if the Senate moves quickly to pass both bills we could take an important step towards pay equity in the next few weeks.

The provisions of the bills include:

  • The correction of a Supreme Court decision that incorrectly bars many (if not most) wage discrimination cases from being heard in Court;
  • An increase in the remedies available to women who win wage discrimination suits and the easing of rules that allow women to bring class actions;
  • Procedures to bring greater attention to model employers so that others can emulate “best practices;”’ and,
  • A prohibition of employer retaliation against those who file wage discrimination cases.

Women still only earn 78 cents for every dollar earned by men.

The passage of these laws will allow women who have been paid less than they are worth to seek justice.

You can help to have these two bills passed quickly by contacting your Senators and urging them to support both the Ledbetter and the Paycheck Fairness Acts.  You can reach them at www.senate.gov or 202.224.3121.

Think about what a great way this would be to start the New Year!

Sharon Levin is The Women’s Foundation’s Director of Policy Advocacy.

Weekly Round-Up: News and Analysis on Women and Poverty (Week ending January 9, 2009)

Posted on by Lisa Kays

Spotlight on Poverty and Opportunity, a national foundation-led initiative, is excited to collaborate with The Women’s Foundation to bring you the latest news and analysis on women and poverty.

Spotlight is the go-to site for news and ideas about fighting poverty.  And every Friday, look for our weekly rundown of the top news stories on women and poverty.

Here’s this week’s news:

  • The Washington Post writes that a day care center’s relocation will create a burden for low-income mothers.
  • The Washington Times summarizes what an Obama administration might mean for feminism, abortion rights, and domestic violence legislation.
  • Struggling moms and an elderly woman are the focus of a Chicago Tribune piece on homeless families.
  • The Los Angeles Times considers popular television programs’ portrayals of teen pregnancy.
  • A Philadelphia Inquirer editorial calls for stronger marriage to cut down on the number of families run by single mothers.
  • The Miami Herald writes that teen pregnancy has increased for the first time in over a decade.
  • The recession might force a breast cancer hotline for low-income women to shut down, according to New York Newsday.
  • As noted by the St. Louis Post Dispatch, the new Missouri Secretary of Health and Human Services has inspired controversy over her pro-choice views.
  • The Associated Press announced that a new health program for low-income women has been started in Missouri.

To learn more about Spotlight, visit www.spotlightonpoverty.org.  

To sign up for our weekly updates with the latest news, opinion and research from around the country, click here.

The Spotlight on Poverty and Opportunity Team

Spotlight on Poverty and Opportunity is a foundation-led, non-partisan initiative aimed at ensuring that our political leaders take significant actions to reduce poverty and increase opportunity in the United States. We bring together diverse perspectives from the political, policy, advocacy and foundation communities to engage in an ongoing dialogue focused on finding genuine solutions to the economic hardship confronting millions of Americans.

Stepping Stones Research Update: December 2008

Posted on by Lisa Kays

As part of our ongoing commitment–in partnership with The Urban Institute–to providing information and resources related to the goals of Stepping Stones, please find below a summary of recent research on issues of economic security and financial independence for women and their families.

This research is summarized and compiled for The Women’s Foundation by Liza Getsinger of The Urban Institute, NeighborhoodInfo DC.

Financial Education and Wealth Creation News

The Urban Institute looks at how the financial crisis is affecting retirement savings.  (Fact sheet) (Related text)

DC Fiscal Policy institute looks at why so many families in the city aren’t able to make ends meet, and offers policy recommendations on how to bridge the gap between earnings and basic expenses.  (Abstract) (Full text)

Jobs and Business Ownership News

The Urban Insitute looks at how scheduling and paid time off impact workers in low-skill jobs.  (Abstract) (Full text)

Child Care and Early Education News

The Urban Insitute reviews research literature on the impact of performance-based accountability on school and teacher behavior.  (Intro) (Full text)

Health and Safety News

ChildTrends explores what kids have available to them to eat at school, and what they’re really eating.  (Key findings) (Full text)

Other News and Research

The Brookings Insitution looks at how a new poverty measure would provide a more accurate picture of economic need in the United States. (Abstract) (Full text)

Weekly Round-Up: News and Analysis on Women and Poverty (Week ending December 19, 2008)

Posted on by The Spotlight and Opportunity Team

Spotlight on Poverty and Opportunity, a national foundation-led initiative, is excited to collaborate with The Women’s Foundation to bring you the latest news and analysis on women and poverty.

Spotlight is the go-to site for news and ideas about fighting poverty. And every Friday, look for our weekly rundown of the top news stories on women and poverty.

Here’s this week’s news:

  • The Los Angeles Times profiles a transitional residence offering housing and support services to homeless women and their children.
  • Many are concerned that a last-second Bush Administration policy allowing doctors to refuse services on grounds of “conscience” will negatively affect women and the poor, as noted by the Los Angeles Times.
  • As reported by the San Francisco Chronicle, a California judge struck down an eligibility requirement making it harder for some low-income women to receive state assistance with pregnancy and childbirth.
  • The Salt Lake Tribune reports that many women victims of domestic violence have difficulty finding affordable housing in a recession market.
  • The Associated Press notes a report saying that because of poverty and other factors, the percentage of women being incarcerated on the rise.
  • In a tough economic climate, a Connecticut organization offering literacy and life-skills training to low-income women needs basic goods like food rather than toys, according to the Connecticut Post.
  • The Wilmington News Journal reports on a training session for a women-centered volunteer day with Habitat for Humanity.
  • The Tulsa World covers a charity that assists low-income parents – often single moms – with infant care expenses.
  • The Casper Star Tribune highlights a Wyoming-based job training nonprofit that has been a success placing single moms in good jobs.
  • The Corpus Christi Caller-Times editorial board criticizes a city council decision to cut a grant to Planned Parenthood.

To learn more about Spotlight, visit www.spotlightonpoverty.org.  

To sign up for our weekly updates with the latest news, opinion and research from around the country, click here.

The Spotlight on Poverty and Opportunity Team

Spotlight on Poverty and Opportunity is a foundation-led, non-partisan initiative aimed at ensuring that our political leaders take significant actions to reduce poverty and increase opportunity in the United States. We bring together diverse perspectives from the political, policy, advocacy and foundation communities to engage in an ongoing dialogue focused on finding genuine solutions to the economic hardship confronting millions of Americans. 

Arts are an important investment, even when resources are tight.

Posted on by Phyllis Caldwell

Looking at the recent grants issued by our two giving circles, they may seem a bit counter-intuitive given the current economic climate.

Some have asked me why I believe funding the arts for girls is so important when there are many other pressing issues and priorities in our city, and funds are so tight.

But I’m proud of these recent funding choices by our African American Women’s Giving Circle and the Rainmakers, who chose this grantmaking cycle to invest in the Cultural Academy for Excellence (CAFÉ), a music arts program for girls in Maryland, and The Art League, an art mentoring program for at-risk, pre-teen girls in Virginia.

I salute these choices because in tough economic times, so often the arts are among the first cuts made in schools and programs for youth.

And at The Women’s Foundation, it is part of our mission to encourage philanthropy that focuses on filling the gaps where services are most needed and our support can make a unique, significant contribution.

I am a long-time supporter of the arts. I serve on the board of the Cultural Development Corporation, which is committed to supporting artistic outlets in Washington, D.C. that also create economic return for our community.

I personally invest in the arts because I believe that they are a fundamental part of the health and vibrancy of any community, contributing a space for dialogue, reflection, spiritual and emotional growth and intellectual challenge. The arts remind us of our shared humanity.

Similarly, the programs our giving circles have chosen to support use the arts as a means to help our community’s young women to build self-esteem, academic skills, and an expanded sense of their place in their community and the world.

Opportunities like these are all-too-often lost in communities and families where resources are limited and must be directed to more basic needs like food, shelter and clothing.

So, at a time when attention is focused on where to cut back so many programs and opportunities, I’m proud to see our giving circle members taking the lead in recognizing the need for youth in our area to imagine and create a future based on all of their unique talents and potential.

Whether they lie in a book or on a computer, or on a stage or blank canvas.

Phyllis Caldwell is president of The Women’s Foundation.

This is a time for strategy, smart investing and sacrifice on the part of foundations.

Posted on by Phyllis Caldwell

Last week, I had to inform my staff of two decisions—that will be the first of more, I am sure—that I never would have expected to make when I took this position almost a year ago.

As we hired staff earlier this year—filling several positions that had remained vacant in anticipation of my arrival—we planned to take over some additional space in our building to accommodate everyone comfortably.

We have put that decision on hold.

Times are different now, and with predictions that more than 100,000 nonprofits nationwide could close in the next two years, we’re considering all of our operational spending very carefully, and doing what we can to ensure that despite the downturn, we’ll be able to maintain—if not grow—our grantmaking over the next few years.

Our mission is to support our region’s nonprofits as they work to change the lives of women and girls.  Many of the organizations we support are small, or just starting to establish themselves. They have lean staffs and do their programmatic work on a shoestring budget.

So, rather than making sure that we have enough space behind our doors during these tough economic times, we’re turning our focus to doing what we can to help our Grantee Partners keep theirs open and providing critical services throughout our region.

This is a time when strategy, smart investing and sacrifice are going to be required of foundations, just as they are of individuals, to ensure that the impact of our giving is as meaningful as possible.

To that end, the staff at The Women’s Foundation recently completed a strategic retreat to reflect on our priorities, goals and how we can meet them as efficiently and effectively as possible during this economic cycle.

Last week , we sent out an email asking staff to bring their own lunches to the retreat, as food and beverage costs for meetings and other events are another way that we’ve identified to cut costs and keep the focus of our spending on our work.

It may seem like a small gesture, but over time these decisions will add up and allow us to focus resources where they are needed most—with the women and their families who are being disproportionately impacted by this economic downturn.

This is similar to our strategy of increasing the impact of gifts—whatever their size—by combining them with the gifts of others so that when we give, we give more and your dollars go further.

In many ways, applying The Power of Giving Together in every way we can has never been more important.

Phyllis Caldwell is president of The Women’s Foundation.

Weekly Round-Up: News and Analysis on Women and Poverty (Week ending December 5, 2008)

Posted on by The Spotlight and Opportunity Team

Spotlight on Poverty and Opportunity, a national foundation-led initiative, is excited to collaborate with The Women’s Foundation to bring you the latest news and analysis on women and poverty.

Spotlight is the go-to site for news and ideas about fighting poverty.  And every Friday, look for our weekly rundown of the top news stories on women and poverty.

Here’s this week’s news:

In a story covered by the Birmingham News, Alabama has decreased child-support obligations for the poor.

President-elect Obama represents an example for kids of single moms, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer.

The Washington Times reports on a controversial new holiday present: Planned Parenthood gift certificates.

In a Boston Globe editorial, Randy Albelda, a professor of economics and senior fellow at the Center for Social Policy at University of Massachusetts-Boston, argues that the proposed job stimulus plan leaves out women.

A story in the Chicago Tribune sheds light on the struggles of single women in tough economic times.

The New York Times profiles a single mom struggling to support a daughter with special needs.

To learn more about Spotlight visit www.spotlightonpoverty.org.  To sign up for our weekly updates with the latest news, opinion and research from around the country, click here.

The Spotlight on Poverty and Opportunity Team

Spotlight on Poverty and Opportunity is a foundation-led, non-partisan initiative aimed at ensuring that our political leaders take significant actions to reduce poverty and increase opportunity in the United States. We bring together diverse perspectives from the political, policy, advocacy and foundation communities to engage in an ongoing dialogue focused on finding genuine solutions to the economic hardship confronting millions of Americans.