by Laura Hoogland

Today, many take for granted that women retain their jobs when they get married, that women participate in professional sports, that there are female Supreme Court justices, CEOs and astronauts, and that women have countless important roles in society.

Prior to WOMENS WAY's founding in the 1970s, the world was a different place. Women were often limited by stereotypes that portrayed them as homemakers, caretakers, elementary teachers and assistants to powerful men. However, in 1977 federal laws were challenged. Sexual discrimination in employment was banned, and reproductive choice became a reality. Despite these notable successes at the national level, local women's agencies were struggling to keep afloat.

Philadelphia agencies serving women were at a crossroads. Operating on shoestring budgets, each was competing against the other for limited government and philanthropic funds. Yet each had the same overall goals and similar visions for Philadelphias future. It was clear that only an innovative approach to fundraising would allow all of the agencies to continue their work serving the needs of the regions women and their families.

WOMENS WAY, a unique fundraising coalition, was founded by a group of seven local agencies. Its purpose was to provide a centralized fundraising organization to support programs run by and for women.

Today, WOMENS WAY proudly raises money and public awareness to fight for and achieve womens equality, safety, self-sufficiency and reproductive freedom through women-centered funding, advocacy and education. The first organization of its kind, WOMENS WAY remains the nation's premier womens funding federation, with allocations of nearly $700,000 per year to agencies serving more than 260,000 women and their families.

WOMENS WAYs collaborative approach to fundraising has leveraged significant grants and gifts, while allowing each of its constituent members to continue its own self-management and programs. However, need still far exceeds funds. Organizations such as CHOICE, Community Womens Education Project, Domestic Abuse Project of Delaware County, Supportive Older Womens Network, Tenants Action Group of Philadelphia, Women Organized Against Rape, and the Womens Law Project are just a handful of the more than 40 agencies that rely on funding from WOMENS WAY to run their programs.

Looking to the future, the WOMENS WAY Board of Directors, chaired by Stephanie Resnick, Esq., recently crafted a thorough and innovative strategic plan. The plan is a cohesive road map for WOMENS WAYs future. Some of the highlights of the plan include: transitioning the organization to a more flexible funding model, enabling it to have a greater impact in the region; defining and developing a public education and advocacy agenda; significantly increasing its fundraising capacity; enhancing its visibility in the community; maximizing its strategic partnerships and collaborations; and striving to make all women feel represented, welcomed and valued by WOMENS WAY, irrespective of age, race, religion, sexual orientation, educational or economic background.

While many gains have been made since WOMENS WAYs founding, much of this progress is fragile, and there is still much work to be done. WOMENS WAY is poised to be at the forefront of the quest for truly equal opportunity for women, and proudly will continue to raise a Powerful Voice for Women in our region.