Tell us a little about Women’s Fund of Greater Fort Wayne’s beginnings.
In 2018, the Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne launched a two-year listening tour, engaging local industry, nonprofits, and community. Through this, it became clear that no comprehensive research had been conducted on women and girls in Allen County since 1974.
In response, 16 founding members, together with the Women’s Fund Steering Committee, initiated a new study in 2020. This research revealed deep disparities. The Women’s Fund was created to meet that need.
From that study, the Women’s Fund identified three critical areas where needs intersected with gaps in local resources:
- Economic security
- Personal safety, particularly related to domestic violence and sexual assault
- Support for young women and girls
Five years later, these remain our core focus areas—and our commitment to driving meaningful, lasting change is stronger than ever.
Speaking of data, you recently released your annual Women in the Workplace report. What are the key findings you’d like more people to know?
The survey measures four factors that influence women’s ability to thrive in the workplace: leadership, compensation, supportive benefits & policies, and equitable hiring & promotion practices. Each area includes objective criteria benchmarked against national trends, and we celebrate local employers that meet or exceed those standards.
In just three years, we’ve seen encouraging signs of progress:
- Median starting wages have increased from $14/hour to $18/hour
- The number of employers adopting a “Do Not Ask About Salary History” policy has risen by 33%. This change is critical, as salary history questions disproportionately harm women.
- Survey participation has grown from 27 to 75 employers.
At the same time, the report identifies areas where greater attention is needed. Our community continues to fall short of the national average of 7% of leadership roles held by women. No employers qualified for recognition in the category of women of color in top salary bands. Only one employer currently implements all five recommended practices for equitable hiring and recruitment.
Progress doesn’t happen all at once—it happens one policy, one practice, one choice at a time. One employer expanding paid parental leave can support dozens or even hundreds of families. Increasing short-term disability pay from 40% to 50% could mean fewer families relying on public assistance. Removing gendered language from job descriptions might be the reason a young woman sees herself in a leadership role she may not have otherwise considered.
How can people in Central Indiana support your work?
One of the most meaningful ways people in Central Indiana can support our work is by supporting the Women’s Fund of Central Indiana.
By investing in the Women’s Fund of Central Indiana, you’re helping expand their capacity to co-lead critical statewide efforts with us— from producing impactful research to providing education and driving the advocacy our communities urgently need.
What’s giving you hope right now?
Last month, we hosted our annual Take a Girl to Work Day. I felt an overwhelming sense of hope as I watched hundreds of girls ask thoughtful questions, imagine new possibilities for their futures, and see—many for the first time—that women who look like them and come from their neighborhoods are capable of extraordinary things.
I was equally inspired by the incredible number of women who volunteered to serve as mentors. When given the opportunity, so many in our community are eager to share their time, talent, and resources to lift others up.
That day reminded me of something simple but powerful: the bold dreams of our young people are what will carry us forward, if we will only invest in them today.
To learn more, visit www.womensfundfw.org.
This article was published within the August 2025 issue of the Women’s Fund’s Diane magazine.
