Economic Security

In the midst of the current economic crisis—which is exacerbating previously existing disparities and inequalities in the United States—the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act offers an opportune moment to raise up public investment for all citizens and make inroads in gender equality.  Building on NCRW's commitment to initiatives that advance women’s economic well-being, this project aims to gain a better understanding of the impact of the Recovery Act on women and their families.  Additionally, the project examines the inequities in the initiative’s allocation of resources and ways to address any resulting disparities.  Research has shown that educating and advancing women has an exponential impact on family well-being. 

NCRW's Economic Recovery project is assessing the extent to which the Recovery Act is adequately reaching low-income women and families, particularly families of color, and identifying key indicators that need to be examined to determine the Act’s potential and actual impact on women and girls.This collaborative project draws on the expertise of NCRW’s network, bringing together member centers located in critical regions and/or doing work around the key economic indicators identified as critical. Combining this local expertise with a national perspective drawn from our broader network of experts, the project is utilizing quantitative and qualitative methods to gather relevant data.
 
Accurate, disaggregated data will allow us to contribute to the crafting of future economic policies that work for everyone. 

NCRW Resources

News

  • Educated women quit work as spouses earn more
    March 8, 2012

    According to a new study from the Federal Reserve, due to be published shortly, between 1993 and 2006, there was a decline in the workforce of 0.1 percent a year on average in the number of college-educated women, with similarly educated spouses...
  • Women react to Rush's apology: Not accepted?
    March 5, 2012

     The outcry over Rush Limbaugh calling birth control activist Sandra Fluke a “slut” and a “prostitute,” seems to have worked. Several days after his attempt to slut-shame the Georgetown University law student, Limbaugh...
  • Investing in Female Entrepreneurs: The Impact of Goldman Sachs’ “10,000 Women”
    March 2, 2012

    In 2008, Goldman Sachs launched 10,000 Women, a $100 million philanthropic initiative, which at the time, was the largest in Goldman’s history. The goal of the five year program is to provide business and management training to 10,000...
  • Why Is "Opting Out" A Bad Word For Women?
    February 29, 2012

    Lately it seems I can’t have a conversation with a women’s expert without hearing the phrase “opting out.” “Thirty percent of working women will opt out of the workplace during the course of their career,” they tell...
  • One Mancession Later, Are Women Really Victors in the New Economy?
    February 29, 2012

     Six years ago, the housing bubble imploded, igniting the recession. Construction and manufacturing soon crumbled, taking jobs mostly held by men down with them. Not long after, AEI’s Mark J. Perry referred to the “mancession”...

Blog Posts

ECONOMIC STIMULUS FORUM: Round-Up
ncrw
March 2, 2009 posted by admin It is undeniable that we are facing tough economic times.  In January, the unemployment rate registered 7.6% with 11.6 million people lacking jobs.  An...
Thursday, March 5, 2009 - 5:15pm
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Women Leaders Across Sectors on Social Justice and Change
ncrw
March 3, 2009 posted by Deborah Siegel I’m sitting in a very crowded auditorium at 3 World Financial Center, home of American Express, and the sun is pouring in on one of the coldest days...
Wednesday, March 4, 2009 - 4:38pm
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ECONOMIC STIMULUS FORUM: Center for American Progress’ Heather Boushey—Let’s Get People Back to Work!
ncrw
February 27, 2009 posted by admin The best thing we can do for women and their families is to get people back to work. We’ve seen 3.6 million jobs disappear over the past year and millions more...
Friday, February 27, 2009 - 1:23pm
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ECONOMIC STIMULUS FORUM: The Bitter with the Sweet
ncrw
February 25, 2009 posted by admin Overall, the economic stimulus plan that Congress passed and President Obama signed is a strong package.  We fervently hope it will provide the help that...
Wednesday, February 25, 2009 - 5:37pm
1 comments
ECONOMIC STIMULUS FORUM: A Great Start-- But Low-Income Women and Families Need Economic Security
ncrw
February 25, 2009 posted by admin From Legal Momentum’s perspective, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act will do a great deal of good for women and families in the crisis. While we...
Wednesday, February 25, 2009 - 5:06pm
1 comments

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Project Related Reports & Publications

NCRW Economic Recovery and Stimulus Project

In the midst of the current economic crisis—which is exacerbating previously existing disparities and inequalities in the United States—the Economic Reinvestment and Recovery Act [ARRA] offers an opportune moment to raise up public investment for all citizens and to make inroads in gender equality. Building on the Council’s commitment to initiatives that advance women’s economic well-being, this project aims to gain a better understanding of the impact of the Act on women and their families. Additionally, the project will identify the inequities in the Recovery Act’s allocation of resources and recommend ways to address any resulting disparities.

Race-Recovery Index: Is Stimulus Helping Communities in Crisis?

The Race-Recovery Index, a project of the Kirwan Institute, is designed to measure how all people, but particularly marginalized populations, are fairing in the midst of the national recovery efforts.
 

Supporting State Child Care Efforts with American Recovery and Reinvestment Act Funds

From the National Women's Law Center, this report tracks how states are using their ARRA child care funds to maintain or expand access to child care assistance for families and to support initiatives to enhance the quality of care.

Making Unemployment Insurance Work for Women: The Unfinished Agenda

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act provided incentives to states to modernize their unemployment insurance (UI) programs and improve coverage for women. Many states responded -- but many have yet to act, despite urgent need.

How the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act Addresses Women's Needs

The worsening recession is causing pain across the country, especially for the millions of women and families who already were struggling to make ends meet. The Obama Administration and House and Senate leaders have developed a strong plan for economic recovery to preserve and create jobs, help people through tough times, protect vital public services, and invest in our nation's future. The Conference Agreement on the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act includes a number of measures that are especially important for women and their families.

 

State Implementation of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act: Appendix C: Safety Net

Economists agree that increased assistance to low-income families has the most immediate stimulative effect on the economy because those with the least amount of financial security traditionally engage in more immediate consumption and are less likely to divert those resources into savings or debt reduction. Safety net programs also provide education and training for America’s workforce, ensuring that there is a supply of qualified workers as new jobs become available.

Recession, Stimulus and the Child Care Sector: Understanding Economic Dynamics, Calculating Impact

This brief has been developed to help state policymakers calculate the stimulus effects of increased child care spending on output and employment in the state economy. There are three important aspects of the child care sector which need to be counted when assessing economic impact: 1) direct employment and output in the child care sector itself, 2) multiplier effects of the sector in the broader regional economy, and 3) the social infrastructure role child care plays in supporting the parent workforce. All of these are short term economic effects.

Race, Gender, and the Recession: Job Creation and Employment

Women of color and their communities have been hit hardest by the recession. With fewer assets and savings paired with lower earnings compared to their White counterparts, racial and ethnic minorities will have a difficult time riding out the economic storm. In fact, many communities of color were doing poorly before the crisis gripped the nation and their situation has only worsened over the last 14 months.

Ensuring Equal Opportunity in Our Nation's Economic Recovery Efforts

This fact sheet provides informtation and ideas for ensuring that federal investments in America's economic recovery create gender and more equal opportunity for all. Specifically, it describes the ways in which existing laws require equal opportunity in jobs, housing, healthcare, transportation, and other sectors, and offers specific ideas for holding public and private officials accountable.

ARRA: Extending the Unemployment Insurance Safety Net to Victims of Domestic Violence

Recent changes to the unemployment insurance system as a result of the federal stimulus legislation have expanded an important safety net for victims of domestic and sexual violence who lose jobs as a result of the violence against them. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) included several provisions for modernizing state unemployment insurance systems, such as providing access to unemployment insurance benefits to various groups who were not previously covered by state laws, including victims of domestic violence.