Research

"Nevertheless, She Persisted."

Check out our research below.

The Women’s Foundation of Arkansas provides grants, commissions research, and convenes stakeholders across the state to pursue their mission of economic security for the women and girls of Arkansas.

The WFA commissions research for two purposes:

Internal Use – The WFA uses research they commission and fund to strategize about where their investments can best be used, where resources need to be allocated, and to educate themselves on the areas Arkansas women and girls are struggling and succeeding in.

External Use – The WFA shares their research with stakeholders externally to educate policy makers, stakeholders, businesses, and community members and mobilize them around the challenges facing the women and girls in our state.

Color & Gender

How race impacts economic opportunity

Economic Impact

What women really want- Capital.

Generations of Women

Discovering how girls everywhere are lowering the filling the gap in income.

About
WFA

WFA is a research focused non-profit. Learn more about our research.

The Intersectional Impact of Race and Gender

Learn more about how women of color are impacting the state of Arkansas' economic development and how race and gender play significant roles in their businesses.

Women of Color Business Owners and Entrepreneurs in Arkansas

“Despite the odds, women of color in Arkansas continue to open businesses at extraordinary rates.”

– Kristy Carter, Author

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About Our Foundation's Research

The Women’s Foundation of Arkansas provides grants, commissions research, and convenes stakeholders across the state to pursue their mission of economic security for the women and girls of Arkansas.

CAPITAL - What Women Really Want: Building Arkansas Women’s Wealth Through Business Ownership

On average, female business owners have a total net worth of $1.1 million — approximately four times higher than the average total net worth of full-time working women at $319,000.

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Women's Commission Report

Read more about the Arkansas Women’s Commission report analyzing the current economic status of women in the workforce.

Looking Toward the Future

For the first time in nearly 50 years the state of Arkansas has a Women’s Commission. The Arkansas Women’s Commission released a statewide, all-inclusive report analyzing the economic status of women in the workforce, with emphasis on the impacts of COVID-19 and family caregiving.

The following report explores the plans of young women in Arkansas post-high school graduation, as well as the fields they plan to pursue and the fields they are being encouraged to pursue. There was a significant focus on whether or not young women were encouraged and/or planning to pursue careers in the male-dominated careers of economics, science, technology, engineering and math (ESTEM) fields. We are proud to announce that four of the eight recommendations from the report’s key findings have received financial and developmental support.

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Impacting Arkansas' Economy

Read more about the Women Foundation of Arkansas’ research on women’s economic impact in Arkansas and the United States.

Economic Indicators for Women in Arkansas: State, Region and County

The WFA commissioned research in 2018 on the economic indicators for women in Arkansas. We learned a lot from that report, and most significantly to our work:

• Men outpace women in business ownership in our state in every racial/ethnic category except one: Black women own 60% of Black-owned businesses in Arkansas compared to their male counterparts who own 40%.

• The highest concentration of women-owned businesses in Arkansas are in the poorest counties of the state.

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Changing the Story: Blueprint for Change

Over 80 women, men and girls from around the state convened on March 4, 2016 to create plans for action to improve the status of women and girls in Arkansas. Following the Summit, four working groups continued with the action plans to develop a blueprint for change in the areas of health, education, economics and workforce and politics and leadership.

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Examining the Future Plans of Arkansas High School Girls

The following report explores the plans of young women in Arkansas post-high school graduation, as well as the fields they plan to pursue and the fields they are being encouraged to pursue. There was a significant focus on whether or not young women were encouraged and/or planning to pursue careers in the male-dominated careers of economics, science, technology, engineering and math (ESTEM) fields

Read the Full Study