Wny Womens Foundation

TO SUPPORT WOMEN IN WNY THROUGH ADVOCACY, LEADERSHIP AND ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT.

IN 2022, WNYWF REBRANDED ITS SUCCESSFUL MOMS: FROM EDUCATION TO EMPLOYMENT (R) INITIATIVE, INFORMED BY PARTICIPANTS, TO MPOWER. WNYWF'S MOMS: FROM EDUCATION TO EMPLOYMENT (R) EVOLVED IN 2020 FROM COMMUNITY COLLEGE LEVELEDUCATION TO INCLUDE WORKFORCE CERTIFICATION PROGRAMS. THESE PROGRAMS ARE SHORTER DURATION, HIGH SUPPORT EMPLOYMENT ENTRY CERTIFICATIONS. THE CURRENT WORKFORCE CERTIFICATION FOCUS SUPPORTS WNYWF'SHEALTHCARE HUB - PART OF THE 2022 LAUNCHED WOMEN'S ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENTPATHWAY (WEMP). THE WEMP IS A PERSON-CENTERED, TRAUMA FOCUSED AND DATA INFORMED COMPREHENSIVE, COLLABORATIVE EFFORT TO HELP WOMEN BE THE SUCCESS THEY ARE MOST DESERVING OF BEING. WE TARGET THE CITY OF BUFFALO'S 53.5% OF FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN WHO ARE LIVING BELOW THE POVERTY LEVEL WHICH ARE HEADED BY WOMEN WELL AHEAD OF NATIONAL, STATE, AND ERIE COUNTY AVERAGES.THIS INITIATIVE IS ENHANCED BY WNYWF'S ADVOCACY EFFORTS TO SECURE POLICY AND FUNDING,ESPECIALLY AROUND CHILD CARE ACCESS AND AFFORDABILITY. IN 2023, THERE WERE 2 COMMUNITY COLLEGES AND 2 WORKFORCE PARTNERS. OVER 750 WOMEN AND 1200 OF THEIR CHILDREN HAVE BENEFITTED FROM THESE PROGRAMS SINCE 2014.

WNYWF EDUCATES AND ENGAGES DECISION MAKERS TO ADVANCE POLICIES AND FUNDING, ACCELERATING THE PACE OF CHANGE FOR ISSUES IMPACTING WOMEN. WE ARE A RESPECTED AND TRUSTED APOLITICAL PARTNER WITH A STRONG TRACKRECORD FOR BUILDING COLLABORATIONS AND DRIVING POLICY AND FUNDING. WE FACILITATE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEENFUNDERS AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS THAT ADDRESS THE CHANGING SOCIETAL NEEDS OF OUR MOST MARGINALIZED WOMEN. WNYWF HAS PROVIDED LEADERSHIP TO A COALITION THAT SECURED A RECORD, TRANSFORMATIONAL STATE INVESTMENT IN THE CHILD CARE WORKFORCE AND BUSINESSES, AND INCREASED ELIGIBILITY FOR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO PARENTS. ADDITIONALLY, OUR THOUGHT KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE IS OFTEN SOUGHT-OUT FOR GUIDANCE FOR REPORTS, LEGISLATIVE HEARINGS, ADVOCACY INITIATIVES, TASK FORCE APPOINTMENTS AND ADVISEMENT TO PARTNERS, DECISION MAKERS AND COALITIONS.

ALL IN COLLABORATES WITH OUR COMMUNITY TO INVEST IN PURPOSEFUL EFFORTS TO EMPOWER WOMEN IN THE WORKPLACE AND ILLUMINATE THE PATHWAYS FOR WOMEN TO LEAD. A DATA-DRIVEN, DEIB INITIATIVE, ALL IN TAKES AN INTERSECTIONAL APPROACH TO ADVANCING INTERSECTIONAL GENDER EQUITY IN WESTERN NEW YORK. ALL IN CONSISTS OF THREE MAIN COMPONENTS: EMPLOYER PATHWAY: ENGAGE EMPLOYERS TO TAKE PURPOSEFUL STEPS TO MOVE WOMEN AND GENDER MINORITIES INTO LEADERSHIP POSITIONS AND IMPROVE COMPANY CULTURE USING AN INTERSECTIONAL GENDER-BASED LENS. ASPIRING LEADER PATHWAY: READY, SET, LEAD! CULTIVATE ASPIRING LEADERS THROUGH MENTORSHIP AND EDUCATIONAL SESSIONS, BUILDING A STRONG NETWORK OF LEADERS IN A BROAD CROSS-SECTION OF THE COMMUNITY. ENTREPRENEUR PATHWAY: ELEVATE FEMALE ENTREPRENEURSHIP BY PROMOTING, ENDORSING, AND COLLABORATING WITH WOMEN-OWNED BUSINESSES. THIS INITIATIVE IS ENHANCED BY WNYWF'S ADVOCACY EFFORTS TO SECURE POLICY AND FUNDING,ESPECIALLY AROUND CHILD CARE ACCESS AND AFFORDABILITY, PAY EQUITY AND PAID FAMILY LEAVE

WNYWF AMPLIFIES WOMEN'S VOICES TO ADVANCE GENDER EQUITY THROUGH DATA-DRIVEN SOLUTIONS. AS A CREDIBLE SOURCE OF DATA AND INFORMATION, WE CENTER WOMEN'S VOICES THROUGH AN INTERSECTIONAL GENDER LENS. RELYING ON DEEP, TRUSTED CONNECTIONS, OUR ORGANIZATION RAISES AWARENESS OF THE TRUE NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY THROUGH DATA THAT TELLS A STORY AND ELEVATES WOMEN'S EXPERIENCES. WNYWF IS THE GO-TO SOURCE FOR DATA AND INFORMATION WHEN IT COMES TO ISSUES IMPACTING WOMEN, INCLUDING GENDER EQUITY, ECONOMIC MOBILITY, AND CHILD CARE AS AN ESSENTIAL WORKFORCE SUPPORT. THIS DATA INFLUENCES KEY DECISION MAKERS AT THE LOCAL, STATE AND NATIONAL LEVELS. IN ADDITION, THE WNYWF IS FREQUENTLY SOUGHT BY THE MEDIA. THIS INVALUABLE EXPOSURE HAS HELPED CHANGE HEARTS AND MINDS, AS WE LIFTED OUR VOICE TO DRIVE SOLUTIONS TO THE CHALLENGES BARRING WOMEN FROM ACHIEVING THEIR FULL POTENTIAL.