To create lasting change for women and
their families, United WE focuses on relevant
research and strategic partnerships in six key areas.
2024 NATIONAL CIVIC ENGAGEMENT RESEARCH
To understand and take necessary steps to create greater balance in gender equity on local boards, United WE commissioned new research to collect data and analyze women’s participation on appointed boards and commissions in cities across the U.S.
Of the 5,125 board seats analyzed, only 39% are occupied by women even though women make up just over half of the U.S. population.
KANSAS AND MISSOURI TOWN HALL PROGRESS REPORTS
The following report outlines progress toward the challenge identified in the Missouri Town Hall Report (2021) and Kansas Town Hall Report (2022). Progress is noted using a stop-light approach:
• Green - Significant progress made
• Yellow - Progress made, but more work is needed
• Red - Little progress made
GENDER PARITY AND RACIAL DIVERSITY ON CIVIC BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS IN MISSOURI REPORT
This report, conducted by University of Missouri–St. Louis, confirms inequities in racial and gender parity across Missouri civic boards and commissions.
We have long noted the scarcity of reliable data about how many boards and commissions exist, who serves on them, and how representation breaks down by gender and race. Similar to our research on this issue last year in Kansas, this study is the first of its kind in Missouri.
KANSAS TOWN HALL RESEARCH REPORT
Informed with quantitative data from the Status of Women in Kansas report, United WE set out in 2022 to launch the Kansas Women’s Economic Development Task Force to study issues related to women’s participation and advancement in the workforce.
The Town Halls report details findings and insights from meetings all over Kansas, where more than 500 women shared their stories. With this qualitative data we identified seven areas as key opportunities for impact, and will use the findings of this report to inform future policy agendas.
OCCUPATIONAL LICENSING & WOMEN IN MISSOURI POLICY BRIEF
Commissioned by United WE and sponsored by CommunityAmerica Credit Union, the policy brief updates previous research conducted in 2016 with new information concerning professional licensing.
Occupational licensing protects the safety and well-being of the public, however, it can create unnecessary barriers for women entrepreneurs by restricting entry and re-entry into professions, reducing employment, and creating economic inequity.
Because women are more likely to work in occupations that are licensed and are more likely to earn less than men, the economic barriers to entry are more severe for women in the workforce.
Status of Women in Oklahoma Research
We partnered with Oklahoma State University’s Spears School of Business to unveil critical new research to understand the economic and civic leadership status of women in Oklahoma. The research report reflects Oklahoma women’s journeys and highlights opportunities to empower future progress and discusses insights such as Employment & Earnings, Childcare, Poverty & Social Insurance and Civic Engagement.
Kansas Municipalities and Gender Balance Research
In March 2022, United WE revealed research conducted by the University of Kansas Institute for Leadership Studies about women’s representation on Kansas municipal boards and commissions. Funded by United WE, the research project was conducted as part of the Appointments Project® and Ready to Run Kansas Women’s Leadership Series. The report revealed that Kansas women are underrepresented on civic boards and commissions, especially on “power boards” that have direct influence on policy making and financial resource allocation such as planning and zoning boards. Of the six most common civic boards and commissions, Kansas women have achieved gender parity on only two: library boards and housing boards, regardless of community size.
Learn more about the Appointments Project® here.
STATUS OF WOMEN IN KANSAS RESEARCH
United WE commissioned a study on the status of women in Kansas with the University of Kansas's Center for Science Technology & Economic Policy. The initial study was released in March 2016 to provide a baseline for continued research that will inform reasonable policy solutions for women and their families. Ongoing research was conducted and new research has been released.
MISSOURI TOWN HALL RESEARCH REPORT
Informed with quantitative data from the Status of Women in Missouri 2020 report, United WE set out in 2021 to launch the Missouri Women’s Economic Development Task Force to study issues related to women’s participation and advancement in the workforce. This initiative intended to shed light on what is holding women back so we can generate fresh solutions to longstanding challenges. We are using these insights to better translate our research into actionable change for women in Missouri. Review our 2021 Town Halls Report to learn about the insights and findings from the town halls, as well as opportunities for impact in six key areas that have proven to be barriers for Missouri women in order to fully participate in the workforce.
status of women in missouri RESEARCH
In effort to better identify areas of concern for women of all ages that require policy solutions, United WE commissioned a study on the status of women in Missouri with the University of Missouri's Institute of Public Policy. This study was initially released in January 2015. Ongoing research was conducted and new findings were released in January 2017 and November 2020.
COVID-19 RESEARCH
United WE and MySidewalk released state-specific data demonstrating how women in Missouri and Kansas are disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The dashboard was built by mySidewalk, a Kansas City-based city intelligence software company and can be viewed here. For county-specific data, please contact us at info@united-we.org.
Appointments Project® Research
United WE released new research on the benefits of gender diversity and a set of best practices to help municipal leaders increase the diversity and effectiveness of public boards and commissions. The best practices, developed in collaboration with researchers at the University of Missouri Institute of Public Policy, identify five strategies political executives can employ to increase the diversity and effectiveness of boards and commissions. The research shows that increasing gender diversity improves organizational effectiveness, increases public trust, and improves the lives of residents.
Breast cancer research
United WE released a study showing that nearly half of Missouri women diagnosed with breast cancer from 2002 and 2012 also suffered from type 2 diabetes, essential hypertension, or cardiovascular disease – and that the presence of these diseases substantially increased their risk of dying from cancer.
CIVIC ENGAGEMENT RESEARCH
IN 2014, uNITED we COMMISSIONED A RESEARCH STUDY LED BY DR. BARBARA KERR, A RESEARCHER AND PROFESSOR AT THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS, WITH THE FOLLOWING OBJECTIVES:
Gain descriptive information about women’s attitudes towards civic engagement
Compare responses at three levels of civic engagement
Draw themes from small groups.
After three months of online surveys, focus groups, and analysis, the results highlight there are significant barriers that keep women from becoming involved in Kansas City boards and commissions.
Occupational Licensing and Women Entrepreneurs in Missouri
Marking Women’s Small Business Month in 2017, United WE released research and outlined solutions to lower occupational licensing barriers that restrict entry into certain professions and make it harder for women to start their own businesses: Occupational Licensing and Reciprocity in Missouri and the U.S. and Alternatives to Occupational Licensing in Missouri and the U.S.
Read Occupational licensing & reciprocity in Missouri & the U.S. HERE.
READ ALTERNATIVES TO OCCUPATIONAL LICENSING IN MISSOURI AND THE U.S. HERE.
READ THE "FACTS AND FINDINGS" SUMMARY HERE.
During Global Entrepreneur Week 2016, United WE released findings in a new research report: Occupational Licensing and Women Entrepreneurs in Missouri. The research study was conducted in partnership with the University of Missouri Truman School Institute of Public Policy and with the generous support of the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation.
It found that occupational licensing, while intended to protect the safety and well-being of the public, can often create unnecessary barriers for women entrepreneurs by restricting entry and re-entry into professions, reducing employment, and creating economic inequity. This research shows removing these barriers will meet one of Unite WE’s key goals of empowering more women to become entrepreneurs.
United WE is pleased to share the 2016 report here. a fact sheet SUMMARIZING the research is available here.
SUNRISE PROVISIONS FOR OCCUPATIONAL LICENSING: A REVIEW
PROJECT DIANE RESEARCH
United WE partnered with the University of Kansas researchers and included a large-scale survey and analyzed 24 focus groups with 198 Special Forces men and women in order to identify potential barriers and benefits to female integration in Special Forces. The findings can also be applied in other male-dominated professions in the civilian workforce.