Why We Exist: More Information

Foreword

The fastest growing population of homeless people in the Capital Region comprises women with children. More than 20% of female-headed households in the region live in poverty and the number of reports of domestic violence has increased dramatically, doubling in most areas.

For these and other troubling statistics, The Women’s Fund of the Capital Region — a groundbreaking collaboration of The Community Foundation for the Capital Region, United Way of Northeastern New York and United Way of Schenectady County — was created to promote women’s financial independence and opportunities for girls.

Based on a wide range of current research, The Women’s Fund of the Capital Region is able to make investments that empower women and girls to attain financial independence, direct their lives, and create a positive future. We accomplish this through donor and community education, grantmaking, and community collaboration.

Background

There are approximately 210,000 women aged 16 and over in the labor force in Albany, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Schenectady, and Schoharie counties. Of that number, approximately 60,000 have children under the age of 6 (US Census, 2000).

In the Capital Region, in both rural and urban areas, at least 30% of female-headed households live in poverty. For female-headed households with children under age five in both inner cities and very rural towns in this area, more than 60% live in poverty.

Nationally, women claiming bankruptcy increased 45% from 2003 to 2004, and today represent 40% of all filers. Research from Pricewaterhouse Coopers shows that easy access to personal loans and credit cards with high interest rates has fueled this increase. In addition, a study from the American Bankruptcy Institute says there is a feminization of bankruptcy, with many divorced and single head-of-household women unable to maintain financial stability.

According to the local Homeless and Travelers Aid Society’s 2004 Annual Report, of their total 2,498 episodes of homelessness, 510 were families with teen parents and 45% of unaccompanied adults were female.

Nationally, 17.4% of all women-headed households face critical housing problems (paying more than 50% of their income for housing, or living in housing that is overcrowded or has severe physical problems); 28% of women-headed families with children have critical housing problems; 21% of single women are in the same situation (McAuley Institute).

Women’s Fund Strategy

The above statistics build a case for a focus on financial independence* for women. These issues create a net loss economically and socially to our communities and families. We also know it is increasingly difficult for women with limited education and work skills to obtain employment as the needs of regional employers have changed. Many women in the Capital Region are caught between poverty and self-sufficiency. Such women do not earn enough money to pay for basic necessities such as housing, food, and transportation. Because their incomes are above the federal poverty line, however, they may not qualify for public assistance.

This creates a fragile economic situation where paying for unexpected expenses such as a car repair or medicine for a child’s illness may mean the family foregoes other necessities. A car breakdown or medical needs that interfere with the woman’s availability for work can also cost her the job that feeds her family. Therefore, achieving self-sufficiency means more than just getting a job – it means overcoming multiple barriers. Our vision is to fund programs that address multiple barriers that women face as they struggle for self-sufficiency.

*The Women’s Fund uses the Self-Sufficiency Standard (SSS) developed by Wider Opportunities for Women as a measurement used to determine the amount of income necessary for women to be economically self-sufficient. The SSS measures the amount of income necessary for a given family composition in a given place to adequately meet its basic needs – without public or private assistance. The SSS incorporates seven components, including realistic costs for housing, food, childcare, transportation, health/medical and taxes.

The 2000 Self-Sufficiency Standard of New York calculates that a woman with one infant would need:

• $23,868 in Albany County
• $27,684 in Rensselaer County
• $27,672 in Saratoga County
• $27,684 in Schenectady County
• $24,816 in Schoharie County

Yet, the 2004 Poverty Threshold for households containing one adult and one dependent child is $13,020. The percentage of female-headed households living in poverty in 2003 was:

• Albany County: 24.2%
• Rensselaer County: 22.5%
• Saratoga County: 17.5%
• Schenectady County: 20.8%

Proponents of the self-sufficiency standard say the measure is a better gauge of what it takes for a family to be self-sufficient than the poverty threshold. It takes into account the costs of housing and utilities in different areas, as well as food, daycare, transportation and health care costs, all of which the average family would need to go to work every day.

Who are the Women Behind the Statistics?

To learn more about the women and girl behind these statistics, The Women’s Fund convened two focus groups in May 2006. About 50 participants, representing a wide variety of non-profit organizations, employers and educators from around the region, met to discuss and brainstorm the issues facing women and children, and how The Women’s Fund can best help. Those findings are summarized below.

Focus group on women’s issues
The typical woman of the Capital Region who is struggling to maintain financial independence is a mother with a history of trauma who grew up poor. She is full of self-doubt, has low self-expectations, and does not know how to get out of poverty. She lacks role models and is fearful of asking for help. She is considered among the working poor, employed but receiving welfare benefits and in a precarious financial situation.

Beyond the workplace, the typical woman struggling to maintain financial independence faces multiple issues such as divorce, health issues and substance abuse. She is often single and has a fragile social network.

The barriers for these women struggling to achieve self-sufficiency are many. Affordable childcare (and childcare in general) is limited in the Capital Region, particularly during evening and weekend hours, when these women must often work. Childcare for sick children is also tough to find, making it difficult for women to maintain a job. Lack of transportation (sometimes because of having no driver’s license) is a major barrier for women not living on a bus line.

A wide variety of services are available to help struggling residents, but such services are often available short-term only, and social services are available only during office hours, making them difficult to attain by women with two or more jobs. Lack of such information as business etiquette (wearing proper attire, having a positive attitude) and how to set goals are also barriers for women looking to keep jobs.

Focus group on girls’ issues
Many factors help girls thrive, including having parents, family or mentors who support a positive self-image and high self-esteem. Family involvement in general is critical. Girls who achieve success at something (such as sports or in school) or learn a new skill are also more likely to thrive.

Girls can find opportunities to succeed through a healthy peer group, a positive mentoring relationship or schools. As a community, we need to ensure that all girls have places to test their voices, such as through girl-focused organizations. (Keeping in mind girls must also interact with boys to succeed in the real world.) In all situations, girls must be allowed to make mistakes.

We also need to provide girls the opportunity to see women in positions of power, so they can be inspired and see women’s strengths as decision makers. We should encourage girls to be involved in extra-curricular activities (including educating them on options available and providing transportation), and provide ‘reality’ training, in which girls learn how to become financially independent adults. Above all else, we need to value what girls say and believe about themselves and their world.

What will the Women’s Fund of the Capital Region do?

The Women’s Fund will invest in the power and potential of women and girls by:

• Identifying issues affecting women and girls;
• Leveraging financial, social and intellectual resources to sustain successful efforts;
• Creating change through the power of collective giving;
• Increasing involvement of women in community investment and philanthropy; and
• Impacting issues critical to the well-being of the entire community.

The Women’s Fund of the Capital Region will:

• Create and manage a permanent endowment fund to perpetuate grantmaking explicitly for women and girls; and
• Lead the way in funding and advocating for programs that support growth and financial independence for women and opportunities for girls.
  • Women often simultaneously face multiple barriers to financial independence. To successfully navigate through these barriers, women need multi-faceted guidance and support. Consequently, the Fund supports programs and partnerships that work collaboratively to address multiple challenges. Specifically, The Women’s Fund is most interested in funding initiatives that:
    • Promote sustained financial independence for women, and
    • Provide multi-faceted guidance and support to women working toward the goal of financial independence.
  • Girls receive many messages early in their lives that prevent them from achieving financial independence as women. Consequently, The Women’s Fund supports programs and partnerships that:
    • Provide opportunities for girls to experience and understand the full range of career opportunities available to them, and
    • Help girls develop and use valuable new skills and competencies.

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