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The Foundation researches and educates on women’s issues to acknowledge barriers and identify opportunities.
Commissioned by the WNY Women’s Foundation and created by UB Regional Institute, the 2010 Pathways to Progress Report examined the issues facing women and girls in our community. The report started an ongoing region-wide dialogue about the best ways to support and elevate women and girls.
Pathways to Progress, Vol. 2, a report created by the WNY Women’s Foundation, keeps us moving forward. The new report expands the dialogue with updated data that explore the current status of women and girls in WNY. By diving into the barriers women face throughout their lifespans, the report highlights opportunities and success stories. This educational tool is available to the community thanks to the generous support of the James H. Cummings Foundation, Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo, Health Foundation of Western & Central NY, John R. Oishei Foundation, Joy Family Foundation, Patrick P. Lee Foundation, SEFCU, and WNY Foundation.
Download Pathways to Progress, Vol. 2. Read it, digest, and find the connections that you can make to the women and girls in your family, community, and work. The full reference list for the report is available for download and many of the reports cited are included in this data hub.
In our effort to educate the community and raise awareness, the Foundation has curated research and organized it by topic area. The research below can be filtered by topic with citations and links to original researchers. Alternately, it can be sorted by date of publication. Contact us if your organization has a report to include.
Investing in Single Mothers’ Higher Education: Costs and Benefits to Individuals, Families, and Society
Postsecondary education is a reliable pathway to economic security and is increasingly important to securing family-sustaining employment.
Published Oct. 2018 Institute for Women's Policy Research
Single Mothers with College Degrees Much Less Likely to Live in Poverty
Earning a postsecondary degree is a well-established pathway out of poverty, and degrees are especially life-changing for women raising children on their own.
Published Jul. 2018 Institute for Women's Policy Research
Time Demands of Single Mother College Students and the Role of Child Care in their Postsecondary Success
Time Use Among Single Mothers in College: Tradeoffs between Child Care, Studying, and Self-Care
Published May. 2018 Institute for Women's Policy Research
Understanding the New College Majority
The Demographic and Financial Characteristics of Independent Students and their Postsecondary Outcomes
Published Feb. 2018 Institute for Women's Policy Research
Is Your Campus Family Friendly? Data and Tools to Promote Student Parent Success
Building a collaborative approach to improving conditions for parenting students on campus
Published Jan. 2018 Institute for Women's Policy Research
Pathways to Progress, Vol. 2
100 facts that will guide our community's work to make WNY a great place for women to live, grow, and lead
Published Nov. 2017 WNY Women's Foundation
New Americans and a New Direction: The Role of Immigrants in Reviving the Great Lakes Region
Immigrants play an important and influential role in the economy
Published Oct. 2017 New American Economy
The Competitive Advantage of Racial Equity
Racial equity by wealth, health, education, and career, and how to tackle these issues in a professional setting
Published Oct. 2017 FSG
Persistent Gaps: State Child Care Assistance Policies 2017
Need for overcoming barriers to child care assistance, using income eligibility, waiting lists, and copayment levels to advocate for policy
Published Oct. 2017 National Women's Law Center
Single Mothers in College: Growing Enrollment, Financial Challenges, and the Benefits of Attainment
Data on moms in college by race, unmet financial need, and benefits of their success
Published Sep. 2017 Institute for Women's Policy Research
A Blueprint for Child Care Reform
Making more affordable, accommodating, and accessible child care
Published Sep. 2017 Center for American Progress
How CSR Can Advance Gender Equity
Catering Corporate Social Responsibility programs to individual women dependent on their needs and access
Published Sep. 2017 FSG
The Gender Wage Gap Fact Sheet
Graphs and tables on median incomes by gender, race, year
Published Sep. 2017 Institute for Women's Policy Research
Five Ways to Win an Arguement about the Gender Wage Gap
Facts on the workforce and how women still face discrimination
Published Sep. 2017 Institute for Women's Policy Research
The Economic Cost of Intimate Partner Violence
Can increase medical debt, educational attainment, and housing instability
Published Aug. 2017 The Institute for Women's Policy Research
Realizing gender equality’s $12 trillion economic opportunity
Narrowing the gender gap will result in a large potential for economic growth. This report estimates the tangible progress in both work and society needed to capture this potential and the spending on essential services needed to spur that progress.
Published Aug. 2017 McKinsey & Company
Women & Children Living in Poverty
WNY Women's Foundation Fact Sheet
Published Aug. 2017 WNY Women's Foundation
Intimate Partner Violence
WNY Women's Foundation Fact Sheet
Published Aug. 2017 WNY Women's Foundation
Gender Equity in Leadership
WNY Women's Foundation Fact Sheet
Published Aug. 2017 WNY Women's Foundation
Early Childhood & Child Care
WNY Women's Foundation Fact Sheet
Published Aug. 2017 WNY Women's Foundation
Investing in the next generation
A Bottom-Up Approach to Creating Better Outcomes for Children and Youth
Published Aug. 2017 Brookings Institution
Black and Hispanic Women Lag in Recovering from the Recession
Unemployment among Young Women Before and After the Recession by Age, Race, and Ethnicity
Published Aug. 2017 Institute for Women's Policy Research
Gender Differences in Voter Turnout
In recent elections, voter turnout rates for women have equaled or exceeded voter turnout rates for men. Women, who constitute more than half the population, have cast between four and seven million more votes than men in recent elections
Published Jul. 2017 Center for American Women and Politics
Girlhood Interrupted: The Erasure of Black Girls’ Childhood
First study focused on “adultification” of black girls shows significant bias toward girls starting at age 5, younger than in previous research on black boys
Published Jun. 2017 Center on Poverty and Inequality - Georgetown Law
Watching Gender How Stereotypes in Movies and TV Impact Kids’ Development
"Our comprehensive research review shows that children who are fed gender stereotypes may internalize those roles, shaping their behavior for years to come and that girls aren’t alone in their struggles with restrictive identity norms."
Published Jun. 2017 Common Sense Media
Third-Grade Proficiency in Erie County
The importance of third-graders performing with grade-level proficiency and the proficiency level of third graders in Erie County.
Published Jun. 2017 United Way of Buffalo and Erie County
Women in State Government: Still Too Few
In recent years the movement of women into state-level offices has slowed after several decades of gains. Efforts to actively recruit women for elective and appointive positions will be critical in determining what the future holds for women in state government.
Published Jun. 2017 The Council on State Governments
The Status of Black Women in the United States
The Status of Black Women in the United States seeks to address the gap in research on Black women’s well-being and to provide data that can inform policy and programmatic changes to benefit Black women and their families.
Published Jun. 2017 Institute for Women's Policy Research
Coupling Child Care With Pathways To Nontraditional, Higher Paying Work
Workforce Training for Low-Income Mothers
Published Jun. 2017 Mississippi Low Income Child Care Initiative
Why women don’t run for office
Studies gender differences between career aspirations and confidence
Published Jun. 2017 Politico
State of Play in WNY
For a complete look at the state of youth sports in our communities.
Published Jun. 2017 United Way of Buffalo and Erie County
Deeper in Debt: Women and Student Loans
This report looks at how student debt became a women's issue.
Published May. 2017 American Association of University Women
Niagara Falls students seek better sex education than “abstinence only”
Need for other forms of sex education.
Published May. 2017 The Buffalo News
The Family-Friendly Campus Imperative: Supporting Success Among Community College Students with Children
Ensuring Economic Security and Meeting the Workforce Needs of the Nation
Published Mar. 2017 Institute for Women's Policy Research
Why the federal government should subsidize childcare and how to pay for it.
Now is the time and the opportunity for serious political consideration of new funding and delivery models for childcare.
Published Mar. 2017 Brookings Institution
What does good child care reform look like?
Gaps in current child care policy and assessing quality and affordability of potential policy initiatives
Published Mar. 2017 Economic Policy Institute
The Family-Friendly Campus Imperative
This paper presents a portrait of the community college student parent population, their unique needs, and discusses the role that child care plays in their educational success.
Published Mar. 2017 Institute for Women's Policy Research
Closing the Skills Gap
The “skills gap” in the United States is serious. Here is how to do better.
Published Feb. 2017 McKinsey & Company
Supports that Matter in Workforce Development Programs
This report captures participant perspectives on the role of supportive services in facilitating their success in job training, the availability of supportive services, the unmet needs of participants, and the significance of job training for them.
Published Feb. 2017 Institute for Women's Policy Research
2017 Alzheimer’s disease facts and figures
Demographics of Alzheimer's
Published Jan. 2017 Alzheimer's Association
Winning Beginning NY Executive Agenda 2017-18
Agenda for future advocacy initiatives
Published Jan. 2017 Winning Beginning NY
Births: Final data for 2015
Statistics on birth rates, delivery rates, age of mother, teenage pregnancy, and marital status.
Published Jan. 2017 National Vital Statistics Reports
STEM starts early: Grounding science, technology, engineering, and math education in early education
There is a correlation between early experiences with STEM subjects and later success in these subjects or in school generally.
Published Jan. 2017 The Joan Ganz Cooney Center at Sesame Workshop
Women in State Legislators 2017
Data on the percentage of women in state legislatures by state and by party.
Published Jan. 2017 Center for American Women and Politics
The Simple Truth About The Gender Pay Gap
The pay gap affects women of different demographics and is caused by different experiences. There are things individuals can do to change this.
Published Jan. 2017 American Association of University Women
Domestic Violence: Finding Safety and Support
It is not always easy to recognize abuse. This booklet serves as a tool for victims, friends, family members, and professionals to recognize domestic violence and ways to seek help.
Published Jan. 2017 NYS Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence
Child Care Brief
A POLICY TO PROVIDE CHILD CARE ACCESS FOR ALL WORKING FAMILIES: EFFECTS ON MOTHERS’ EMPLOYMENT AND CASELOAD
Published Jan. 2017 US Department of Health & Human Services
Representation Matters
A stock of the experiences, perspectives, approaches, and influence of women in a polarized, as well as male-dominated, U.S. Congress.
Published Jan. 2017 Center for American Women and Politics (Rutgers); Eagleton Institute of Politics (Rutgers)
Women in the Workplace 2017
A comprehensive study of the state of women in the workforce
Published Jan. 2017 McKinsey & Company
The State of Gender Equality in the Workplace 2016
Findings on the wide range of issues affecting women in the workplace, ranging from how employers can attract and recruit women, to what areas of focus will help them retain women, and what corporate practices and employer benefits correlate with women's job satisfaction.
Published Dec. 2016 Fairy Godboss
A Fair Shot for Millennial Women and Families
How millennial women are affected by student debt, race, and other demographics
Published Nov. 2016 Center for American Progress
Financial Hardship in Erie County
Financial hardship is not limited to families living in conditions of poverty or individuals experiencing unemployment. Working families also experience financial hardship.
Published Nov. 2016 United Way of Buffalo and Erie County
Undervalued and Underpaid in America Women in Low-Wage, Female-Dominated Jobs
This report investigates women’s experiences in large, low-wage, growing, female-dominated occupations, comparing demographic data and indicators of economic security between 1994 and 2014, and projecting growth rates to 2024.
Published Nov. 2016 Institute for Women's Policy Research
Women are better than men at paying their mortgages
Women pay more on average for mortgages
Published Sep. 2016 The Urban Institute
Domestic Violence Counts
New York Summary
Published Sep. 2016 National Network to End Domestic Violence
Women in the Workplace 2016
Women in the Workplace 2016 is a comprehensive study of the state of women in corporate America.
Published Sep. 2016 McKinsey & Company
WNY Girls in Sports
The purpose of this report is to explore the following questions: 1. Are girls in Buffalo active and playing sports, and do gender disparities exist? 2. What opportunities exist for girls to play sports in Buffalo? 3. What barriers are most identified as hindering sports participation locally? 4. How have these barriers been overcome for urban girls in other cities?
Published Sep. 2016 United Way of Buffalo and Erie County
Women Give 2012
Research on women's giving habits
Published Aug. 2016 Women's Philanthropy Institute
Working Mothers Issue Brief
Labor force participation by family type, race, and poverty
Published Jun. 2016 US Department of Labor Women's Bureau
The Complex Data on Girls in STEM
Goals are to increase girls' persistence and resilience in STEM studies to develop their career paths.
Published May. 2016 The Atlantic
NOT JUST About More Time
"A case for stretching the definition of expanded learning time to include academic and non-academic support services especially for low income students"
Published May. 2016 Say Yes to Education
Giving to Women and Girls
This study highlights new data to understanding who gives to women’s and girls’ causes and their motivations for support
Published May. 2016 IUPUI Women's Philanthropy Institute
The power of parity: Advancing women’s equality in the United States
Every state and city in the United States has the opportunity to further gender parity, which could add $4.3 trillion to the country’s economy in 2025.
Published Apr. 2016 McKinsey & Company
Older women are being forced out of the workforce
Discrimination in the workplace
Published Mar. 2016 Harvard Business Review
Barriers and Bias
The report examines the causes of women’s underrepresentation in leadership roles in business, politics, and education and suggests what we can do to change the status quo.
Published Mar. 2016 American Association of University Women
Shortchanged in Retirement
The Continuing Challenges to Women’s Financial Future
Published Mar. 2016 National Institute on Retirement Security
Pathways to Equity Narrowing the Wage Gap by Improving Women’s Access to Good Middle-Skill Jobs
This report addresses women’s access to well-paid, growing, middle-skill jobs (jobs that do not require a bachelor’s degree).
Published Mar. 2016 Institute for Women's Policy Research
Child care costs in New York among nation’s worst
Ongoing increases in child care costs are putting a strain on families across the country, with New York being the least financially accessible.
Published Feb. 2016 Buffalo Business First
The Gender Wage Gap and Public Policy
The basic facts about the gender wage gap, summarizing data on earnings differences between women and men by race and ethnicity, education, and occupation and reasons for the gender wage gap, its consequences for women and their families, and policies that can help to close it.
Published Feb. 2016 Institute for Women's Policy Research
The 2016 State of Women-Owned Businesses Report
Statistics on women-owned businesses.
Published Jan. 2016 American Express OPEN
Opioid Addiction 2016 Facts and Figures
Statistics on the opioid epidemic and opioid addiction.
Published Jan. 2016 American Society of Addiction Medicine
Teens and E-Cigarettes
Infographic with rates of drug usage among teenagers.
Published Jan. 2016 National Institute on Drug Abuse
Understanding teen dating violence
Data on dating violence. Dating violence occurs between two people in a close relationship. The nature of dating violence can be physical, emotional, or sexual.
Published Jan. 2016 Centers for Disease Control
Women and Wealth: Insights for Grantmakers
IInvesting in strategies that promote women’s wealth not only improves women’s financial status, but also the financial status of subsequent generations and improves our nation’s economy.
Published Jan. 2016 Asset Funders Network
Women Give
Women Give 2016 investigates how giving by young adults has changed over four decades, according to gender. It also explores how women’s role in the family and in decision-making about giving has changed over time and how this impacts giving.
Published Jan. 2016 IUPUI Women's Philanthropy Institute
Intimate Partner Violence 1993-2010
Statistics on intimate partner violence
Published Sep. 2015 Bureau of Justice Statistics
A New Vision for Child Care in the United States
A Proposed New Tax Credit to Expand High-Quality Child Care
Published Sep. 2015 Center for American Progress
Moms at Work The Working Mother Report
The impact that the intersection of work life has on working mothers, their careers and their families
Published Sep. 2015 Working Mother Research Institute
Teens, Technology, & Friendships
Video games, social media and mobile phones play an integral role in how teens meet and interact with friends.
Published Aug. 2015 Pew Research Center
Teen Girls and Leadership Biases
Teen girls who are the key to closing the gender gap appear to face an age-old and powerful barrier: gender bias, and specifically biases about their leadership.
Published Jul. 2015 Harvard Graduate School of Education
Solving the Equation The Variables for Women’s Success in Engineering and Computing
Advancing girls and women in the STEM field by looking at stereotypes and biases, social relevance, cultivating a sense of belonging and changing the environment.
Published Jul. 2015 American Association of University Women
Poverty Interrupted
Applying Behavioral Science to the Context of Chronic Scarcity
Published May. 2015 Ideas 42
How and Why Women Give
The purpose of this literature review is to summarize the existing academic research on women, gender, and philanthropy and create a comprehensive picture of what we know about women’s giving and gender differences in giving today.
Published May. 2015 IUPUI Women's Philanthropy Institute
Older women workers and economic security
Economic needs and burdens of older women, retirement income influenced by demographics
Published Feb. 2015 US Department of Labor Women's Bureau
Financial Experience And Behaviors Among Women
Different financial goals and attitudes.
Published Jan. 2015 Prudential
New, Uniform Sexual Assault Policy to Protect New York’s College Students
New York State wants students to be able to have sexual assaults investigated and prosecuted.
Published Jan. 2015 New York State
Where will you find your next leader?
Gender equality in sports can be empowering for women and promote leadership.
Published Jan. 2015 EY Women's Athlete Business Network & espnW
ACEs Handout
Stress & Early Brain Growth: Understanding Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)
Published Jan. 2015 Spokane Washington Regional Health District
Women in the Workplace 2015
A comprehensive study of the state of women in corporate America
Published Jan. 2015 McKinsey & Company
The Status of Women in the States
The Status of Women in New York, 2015: Highlights
Published Jan. 2015 Institute for Women's Policy Research
Perspectives in Philanthropy: The Advancement of Women and Girls
The Advancement of Women and Girls” includes a broad range of articles that highlight the tremendous work both individuals and institutions are engaged in to empower women and girls all over the world.
Published Jan. 2015 Morgan Stanley
Annual Report on the State of Homelessness in WNY
Key findings and recommendations to address homelessness in WNY
Published Jan. 2015 Homeless Alliance of WNY
Black Girls Matter: Pushed Out, Overpoliced, & Underprotected
The research reflected in this report was designed to elevate the voices of Black girls and other girls of color affected by punitive policies so as to deepen our understanding of the ways they experience inhospitable educational environments and to produce recommendations designed to eliminate those inequities.
Published Jan. 2015 African American Policy Forum
Record share of Americans have never married
Values, economics, and gender patterns change
Published Sep. 2014 Pew Research Center
Unlocking Opportunity for African American Girls: A Call to Action for Educational Equity
This report shines a spotlight on the barriers faced by African American girls and women, and the impact on their lives. It contains recommendations for educators, school leaders, communities, advocates, policymakers, and philanthropic organizations to take action to advance the success of African American girls.
Published Sep. 2014 National Women's Law Center
Examining the Impact of Afterschool STEM Impacts
A look at the impact a strong STEM experience can make on participating youth.
Published Jul. 2014 Afterschool Alliance
Still Mending the Patchwork
A report examining county-by-county inequities in child care subsidy administration in New York State
Published Jun. 2014 Empire Justice Center
The Confidence Gap
Evidence shows that women are less self-assured than men—and that to succeed, confidence matters as much as competence. Here's why, and what to do about it.
Published May. 2014 The Atlantic
The Women’s Leadership Gap
Women's leadership by the numbers.
Published Mar. 2014 Center for American Progress
Healthy aging fact sheet
Statistics on chronic diseases, falls, substance abuse, and mental health
Published Jan. 2014 National Council on Aging
College affordability for low-income adults
Improving returns on investment for families and society
Published Jan. 2014 Institute for Women's Policy Research
Unlocking Opportunity for African American Girls
A call to action for educational equity.
Published Jan. 2014 NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, & National Women's Law Center
Afterschool Essentials: Research and Polling
Afterschool programs, when they are accessible, provide a safe learning environment for children and adolescents while their parents are still at work.
Published Jan. 2014 Afterschool Alliance
On pay gap, millennial women near parity – for now
Despite gains, many see roadblocks ahead.
Published Dec. 2013 Pew Research Center
Women Rising: The Unseen Barriers
The subtle gender bias that persists in organizations and in society disrupts the learning cycle at the heart of becoming a leader.
Published Sep. 2013 Harvard Business Review
Women in the Workplace: A Research Roundup
A compilation of research by business, psychology, and sociology scholars offers a window into women’s collective experiences in the workplace, confirming some intuitive notions and calling others into question.
Published Sep. 2013 Harvard Business Review
Paid Family Leave: A Crucial Support for Breastfeeding
Although workplace supports for breastfeeding are increasingly gaining attention, and the new federal healthcare law is already changing employer practices in this regard, balancing work and breastfeeding continues to be a major challenge for new mothers.
Published Aug. 2013 CLASP, & Breastfeeding Taskforce of Los Angeles
Teen Pregnancy Affects Graduation Rates
Academic achievement difficult for teen parents.
Published Jun. 2013 National Conference of State Legislatures
Child Care in Crisis
A Report from the NYS Assembly Child Care Workgroup
Published Feb. 2013 NYS Assembly
The Sandwich Generation
Rising financial burdens for middle-aged Americans
Published Jan. 2013 Pew Research Center
Women as mentors: Does she or doesn’t she?
A global study of businesswomen and mentoring.
Published Jan. 2013 DDI
The State of Girls: Unfinished Business
The report contains current statistical indicators and projections about the future that are focused on key issues such as the health, safety, and educational achievement of girls, as well as demographic trends.
Published Jan. 2013 Girl Scout Research Institute
Quality: What is it and why it matters in early childhood education
Research shows that quality childcare reduced the gap in achievement
Published Sep. 2012 Schuyler Center for Analysis and Advocacy
Quality: What it Is and Why it Matters in Early Childhood Education
This policy brief explains why quality matters, demonstrates what quality looks like, and details how it should be measured.
Published Sep. 2012 Schuyler Center for Analysis and Advocacy
High Potentials in the Pipeline: Leaders Pay it Forward
Key findings, illustrative quotes, and questions for consideration included throughout this report are designed to encourage reflection on how talent is identified and developed within your organization.
Published Jan. 2012 Catalyst
2011-12 Community Needs Assessment
Looking at needs in Erie County in education, income, health and wellness, and overarching concerns
Published Jan. 2012 United Way of Buffalo and Erie County
Women in STEM – A Gender Gap Innovation
Women are underrepresented in STEM
Published Aug. 2011 U.S. Department of Commerce
Women in the Economy
Addendum to the Special Report "Unlocking the full potential of women in the US economy"
Published Apr. 2011 McKinsey & Company
Unlocking the Full Potential of Women in the US Economy
Corporate America's business case for developing, retaining and advancing women.
Published Jan. 2011 McKinsey & Company
Why so few? Women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics
This report demonstrates the effects of societal beliefs and the learning environment on girls’ achievements and interest in science and math.
Published Jan. 2010 American Association of University Women
Childhood and Intergenerational Poverty
The long term consequences of growing up poor
Published Nov. 2009 National Center for Children in Poverty
Delayed childbearing: More women are having their first child later in life
Statistics on births rates given age, geographic location, and country of origin.
Published Aug. 2009 National Center for Health Statistics
Accelerating Change for Women and Girls: The Role of Women’s Funds
The current landscape of philanthropy focused on women and girls and document the specific role played by women’s funds.
Published Apr. 2009 Women's Funding Network
Why are women still not running for office?
Campaign experience, ambitions, and family responsibilities
Published May. 2008 The Brookings Institute
Women Matter 2
Female Leadership, a competitive edge for the future
Published Jan. 2008 McKinsey & Company
Why Early Care and Education Deserves as Much Attention, or More, than Prekindergarten Alone
High-quality early care and education (ECE) programs promote positive child outcomes, allow parents to work, and contribute to the local economy.
Published Jan. 2007 Applied Development Science
Early Learning Left Out: Closing the Investment Gap for America’s Youngest Children
Investing more in young children's education will help them be successful in the future.
Published Apr. 2005 Voices for America's Children and Child and Family Policy Center
The Sexual Victimization of College Women
Understanding prevalence and nature of violence against women.
Published Jan. 2000 U.S. Department of Justice
Sports and Fitness in the Lives of Working Women
Sports and fitness can translate into the workplace through teamwork and drive.
Published Jan. 1993 The Women's Sports Foundation