2015 Year In Reviewpdf.iwf.org/IWF_AnnualReport_2015.pdf · Charlotte Hays Director of Cultural Programs Ashley B. Carter Grassroots Director Amber Schwartz Director of Outreach Celia

#WomenWinwith IWF

2015 Year In Review

Julie GunlockCulture of

Alarmism Director

erin Hawley Legal Fellow

Hadley Heath manning

Director of Health Policy

Charlotte HaysDirector of

Cultural Programs

Ashley B. Carter

Grassroots Director

Amber SchwartzDirector of Outreach

Celia meyerCommunications

Associate

michele VogtDigital Director

Whitney Garrison Athayde

Director of Foundations and Donor Relations

Sabrina SchaefferExecutive Director

Victoria ColeyDirector of

Communications

Carrie LukasManaging Director

IWF StaFF

Legal Fellow

IWF Board of Directors

IWF Leadership CircleMindy Berry l Elizabeth Biar l Kim Bolt l Andrea Bottner l Susanna Dokupil

Windi Grimes l Clark Judge l Kate Pomeroy l Janie Tisdale

Senior FellowsKarin Agness l Vicki E. Alger, Ph.D. l Amber Smith l Rachel DiCarlo Currie l Krista Kafer

Donna Wiesner Keene l Patrice J. Lee l Angela Logomasini l Jillian Melchior l Naomi Schaefer Riley Anna Rittgers l Abby W. Schachter l Lisa Schiffren l Emily Esfahani Smith l Gayle Trotter

Visiting FellowsJennifer Marsico l Lane Scott, Ph.D. l Christina Villegas

Heather R. HigginsChairman

introduction................................................................................5

iWF.Projects

Women.at.Work.................................................................6

Prescriptions.for.Health.Care......................................7.

Culture.of.Alarmism.........................................................8.

Dollars.and.Sense.Economics.....................................9.

Culture.and.Education.................................................. 10

Women.and.Politics.........................................................11

Women.LEAD.Summit..........................................................11

2015.Woman.of.Valor.Awards.Dinner...........................12

Media.Outreach....................................................................... 13

iWF’s.Blog..................................................................................17

Fundraising............................................................................... 18

Conclusion................................................................................. 19

taBLe oF ContentS

Elizabeth Biar l Yvonne S. Boice l Kellyanne Conway l Giovanna Cugnasca Lisa Gable l The Hon. Nan Hayworth l Adele Malpass

http://www.iwf.org/about/sabrina-schaefferhttp://www.iwf.org/about/carrie-lukashttp://www.iwf.org/about/victoria-coleyhttp://www.iwf.org/about/michele-vogthttp://www.iwf.org/about/celia-meyerhttp://www.iwf.org/about/amber-schwartzhttp://www.iwf.org/about/whitney-garrison-athaydehttp://www.iwf.org/about/charlotte-hayshttp://www.iwf.org/about/hadley-heathhttp://www.iwf.org/about/ashley-carterhttp://www.iwf.org/about/julie-gunlockhttp://www.iwf.org/about

4...iWF.•.2015.yEAr.in.rEViEW. #WomenWin #WomenWin. iWF.•.2015.yEAr.in.rEViEW.. 5

With.deep.gratitude,

Sabrina Schaeffer

Executive.Director

Dear IWF Friends and Supporters,

in.recent.years,.we’ve.been.focused.on.how.the.right.is.

out-numbered, out-researched, and out-spent.against.

the.tapestry.of.progressive.women’s.organizations,.which.

have.poured.millions.into.researching.and.winning.women.

over.the.last.decade..i’ve.cautioned.that.traditional.feminist.

groups.are.setting.the.agenda.when.it.comes.to.the.

workplace,.health.care,.culture.and.education,.and.that.the.

right.needs.to.do.more to engage women, disrupt their

thinking, and change the narrative for the better.

To.be.clear,.we’ve.not.yet.won.this.contest.of.ideas..But.

we.are.clearly gaining strength...

Indeed.it’s.come.to.the.point.where.the.other.side.has.

not.just.taken.note.of.the.vibrancy.of.our.ideas.and.our.

presence.—.but.is.recognizing.the.effectiveness.of.the.

Independent Women’s Forum,.in.particular...

Media.outlets.and.progressive.women’s.organizations.

can’t.ignore.us.anymore...And.your.continued.support.

makes.this.possible!

Certainly.we.still.have.much.work.to.do..But.with.each.

year,.with.each.research.project,.with.each.book,.with.

each.event,.with.each.media.appearance,.iWF.better.

understands.how.to.reach.women,.how.to.engage.with.

them.effectively,.and.how.to.bring.complicated.political.

and.ideological.concerns.in.front.of.them.in.a.way.that.

is.relevant..

With.our.message.research.projects.this.year,.we.asked:.

what.happens.when.we.engage.women.and.open.their.

eyes.to.the.real.effects.of.government.micromanaging?.

We’re.not.talking.about.an.extensive,.sustained.

advertising.campaign..What.if.we.just.introduce.them.

one time to.a.short.and.simple.message.about.the.

downsides.of.these.policies?.

For.instance,.when.iWF.brought.to.life.how.government.

intervention.in.the.workplace.would.threaten.flexibility,.

lead.to.job.loss,.and.actually.harm.the.very.people.it.is.

intended.to.help,.support.for.big.government.policies.

shifted.dramatically.

When.we.speak.to.women.in.an.emotional,.personal.

way,.we.are.able.to.flip.support.for.the.expansion.of.the.

progressive.state.into.support.for.freedom.

That’s why I know we can win the battle for ideas with women — we just need to continue doing the hard

work. We.have.to.remember.that.getting.in.front.of.

people.—.especially.women.—.is.critical..And making

the message and the messenger personal is essential.

We.need.to.seek.out.ways.to.empathize, share, and

ultimately connect at a human level if.we.want.to.

convince.more.women.that.#WOMEnWin.with.limited.

government..#WomenWin.with.iWF...

IntroDuCtIon


With.deep.gratitude,

Sabrina Schaeffer

Executive.Director

Dear IWF Friends and Supporters,

in.recent.years,.we’ve.been.focused.on.how.the.right.is.

out-numbered, out-researched, and out-spent.against.

the.tapestry.of.progressive.women’s.organizations,.which.

have.poured.millions.into.researching.and.winning.women.

over.the.last.decade..i’ve.cautioned.that.traditional.feminist.

groups.are.setting.the.agenda.when.it.comes.to.the.

workplace,.health.care,.culture.and.education,.and.that.the.

right.needs.to.do.more to engage women, disrupt their

thinking, and change the narrative for the better.

To.be.clear,.we’ve.not.yet.won.this.contest.of.ideas..But.

we.are.clearly gaining strength...

Indeed.it’s.come.to.the.point.where.the.other.side.has.

not.just.taken.note.of.the.vibrancy.of.our.ideas.and.our.

presence.—.but.is.recognizing.the.effectiveness.of.the.

Independent Women’s Forum,.in.particular...

Media.outlets.and.progressive.women’s.organizations.

can’t.ignore.us.anymore...And.your.continued.support.

makes.this.possible!

Certainly.we.still.have.much.work.to.do..But.with.each.

year,.with.each.research.project,.with.each.book,.with.

each.event,.with.each.media.appearance,.iWF.better.

understands.how.to.reach.women,.how.to.engage.with.

them.effectively,.and.how.to.bring.complicated.political.

and.ideological.concerns.in.front.of.them.in.a.way.that.

is.relevant..

With.our.message.research.projects.this.year,.we.asked:.

what.happens.when.we.engage.women.and.open.their.

eyes.to.the.real.effects.of.government.micromanaging?.

We’re.not.talking.about.an.extensive,.sustained.

advertising.campaign..What.if.we.just.introduce.them.

one time to.a.short.and.simple.message.about.the.

downsides.of.these.policies?.

For.instance,.when.iWF.brought.to.life.how.government.

intervention.in.the.workplace.would.threaten.flexibility,.

lead.to.job.loss,.and.actually.harm.the.very.people.it.is.

intended.to.help,.support.for.big.government.policies.

shifted.dramatically.

When.we.speak.to.women.in.an.emotional,.personal.

way,.we.are.able.to.flip.support.for.the.expansion.of.the.

progressive.state.into.support.for.freedom.

That’s why I know we can win the battle for ideas with women — we just need to continue doing the hard

work. We.have.to.remember.that.getting.in.front.of.

people.—.especially.women.—.is.critical..And making

the message and the messenger personal is essential.

We.need.to.seek.out.ways.to.empathize, share, and

ultimately connect at a human level if.we.want.to.

convince.more.women.that.#WOMEnWin.with.limited.

government..#WomenWin.with.iWF...

IntroDuCtIon

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1srHl5plqyk]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1srHl5plqyk

6...iWF.•.2015.yEAr.in.rEViEW. #WomenWin #WomenWin. iWF •.2015 yEAr.in.rEViEW 7

iWF’s.Women.at.Work.Project.is.the.leading.voice.

explaining.how.women.benefit.from.a.free.and.flexible.

work.environment.and.highlighting.how.government.

regulations.can.backfire.on.women.by.limiting.economic.

opportunity.and.discouraging.workplace.innovation.and.

customization..

in.2015,.as.part.of.our.principal.Dollars.and.Sense.

Economics.and.Women.at.Work.projects,.iWF.

conducted.research.to.determine.what.women.actually.

want.in.the.workplace.and.where.there.are.interesting.

divisions.and.differences..We.wanted.to.know.how.

important.is.the.issue.of.paid.leave,.for.instance,.to.

women?.Are progressives justified in making this the

centerpiece of their women’s economic agenda?.

This.project.consisted.of.a.national.Causal.Conjoint.Optimization.(C

2O).experiment,.which.required.

respondents.to.choose.between.a.series.of.randomly.

generated.workplaces,.creating.a.constrained.choice.

between.job.packages.that.varied.in.terms.of.key.job.

attributes.such.as.percent female executives, raises,

family and medical leave, CEO’s annual salary, and your

supervisor’s gender, to name a few. The.end.result.is.

causal.identification.of.exactly.what.(different).women.

value.in.the.workplace.

it.turns.out.that.some.of.the.biggest.findings.are.

what.we.might.expect.—.that.women.are.not.all.the.

same..When.progressives.talk.about.pay.equity,.paid.

leave.mandates.or.childcare.subsidies,.they’re.often.

working.under.the.assumption.that.women’s.needs.

and.preferences.in.the.workplace.are.all.the.same..

iWF’s.research.demonstrates.that.women.not.only.

have.varying.needs.and.wants.in.the.workplace,.but.

also.helps.us.give.credence.to.the.argument.that.one-

size-fits-all.workplace.“solutions”.will.limit.this.kind.of.

personalization.of.the.workplace.

Even.though.our.research.revealed.that.women.want.

different.things,.we.also.know.that.all.workers.like.

getting.more.money.and.benefits..That’s.why.it’s.easy.

for.lawmakers.to.propose.micromanaging.wages.and.

mandating.benefits.—.like.raising.the.minimum.wage,.

mandating.paid.sick.leave.or.expanded.maternity.

leave...And.conservatives.are.often.at.a.disadvantage.in.

these.conversations.because.legislation.like.the.Healthy.

Families.Act.(HFA),.which.would.mandate.paid.sick.leave.

for.businesses.with.more.than.14.employees.—.sounds.

good..it’s.not.been.legislated.yet.

That’s.why.iWF.conducted.a.follow-up.messaging.

project.to.figure.out.can we still fight these kinds

of workplace regulations or have we already lost in

the court of public opinion?.Through.the.use.of.a.

randomized,.controlled.message.trial,.we.looked.at.

whether.we.can.persuade.women.that.workplace.

regulations.like.the.HFA.are.a.bad.idea..And.our.findings.

were.very.encouraging..

Just.by.engaging.women.one time.with.facts.and.

arguments,.we.had.the.ability.to.remodel.the.opinion.

landscape...And.this.was.even.the.case.among.

progressive.women.who.responded.very.positively.to.an.

emotional,.personal.message.that.emphasized.the.real economic threat of job loss from the Healthy Families Act. in.fact.it.drove.down.the.margin.of.support.among.

liberal.women.—.from.69.points.to.29..

While.this.research.fills.an.intellectual.itch,.its.purpose.

is.much.broader..iWF.is.now.able.to.provide.causal.

evidence.to.media,.policy.makers,.and.the.public.on.why.

over-regulating.the.workplace.in.the.name.of.protecting.

women.will.have.negative.economic.consequences..

And.it.laid.the.groundwork.for.our.Working.for.Women.

project,.coming.out.April.2016.

Women at Work PreSCrIPtIonS For HeaLtH Care

in.2015,.iWF.engaged.on.several.healthcare.issues.with.

effective.projects..in.the.spring.and.early.summer,.we.

led.the.charge.in.educating.the.public.about.King v.

Burwell,.the.Supreme.Court.case,.and.about.what.was.

truly.at.stake..iWF.commented.broadly.in.the.media.

on.the.case.(in.opeds,.print.and.broadcast.outlets),.

using.messages.our.sister.organization.iWV.created.

through.focus.groups.and.polling..in.March,.health.

policy.director.Hadley.Heath.Manning.wrote.a.policy.

focus.and.interviewed.Grace-Marie.Turner,.president.of.

the.Galen.institute.in.a.Working.for.Women.podcast.on.

the.topic.

in.addition.to.King v. Burwell,.we.worked.throughout.the.

year.to.expose.the.debacle.of.so.many.failed.state.

exchanges,.including.Cover.Oregon,.where.corruption.

and.waste.robbed.taxpayers.of.valuable.funds,.and.left.

many.with.only.broken.promises.

This.summer,.iWF.was.proud.to.file.an.amicus.brief.

in.support.of.petitioners.in.Little Sisters of the Poor v.

Burwell,.a.case.headed.to.the.Supreme.Court..Although.

the.Court.already.ruled.on.Hobby.Lobby.in.2014.(which.

offered.relief.to.closely-held.corporations),.the.same.

so-called.“birth.control.mandate”.in.the.Affordable.Care.

Act.continues.to.violate.the.religious.liberty.of.religious.

non-profit.groups..At.the.end.of.2015,.iWF.–.alongside.

our.allies.at.the.Cato.institute.–.filed.yet.another.amicus.

brief.in.the.case..

in.September,.iWF.released.“Straight.Talk.about.Health.

Care.”..With.over.60,000.views,.this.animated.video.series.

encouraged.viewers.to.#MeetBeth,.an.ordinary.American.

woman.who.decided.to.start.her.own.business. Beth.

experienced.the.healthcare.system.before.ObamaCare

(video.one),.and.learned.that.it.wasn’t.really.a.free-market

system..During.ObamaCare (video.two),.Beth.faced.the.

frustration of.limited choices and.higher.costs..Finally.(in.

video.three),.Beth.dreams of.a.better world, where free-

market solutions.to the.healthcare issue would put.her.—.

the.patient —.at the.center..We launched.this.video.series.

with.a.full-fledged.online.and.media.effort, including.a.

dedicated.oped.and.podcast, a.social.media.campaign.

using.the.hashtag.#MeetBeth,.a.press.release and.multiple.

media.interviews..it will.be.a.long-standing educational

asset for.iWF’s work on.the.healthcare issue.

iWF continues to stress the.importance of.repealing

ObamaCare..in October,.we released a.policy focus on.

the.tax.burden imposed.by the.law,.highlighting.several

taxes that primarily.hit.the.middle.class.

Going.forward into 2016,.iWF is.excited to continue to

work against government-controlled.health.care and.in.

favor of.expanded healthcare freedom for all.

http://www.iwf.org/women-at-workhttp://www.iwf.org/health-carehttp://www.iwf.org/blog/2798122/straight-talk-about-health-carehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xndrmue5yNohttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_NuooeZUTYhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sUPIhwkGHychttp://pdf.iwf.org/15-105acIndependentWomen%E2%80%99sForum.pdfhttp://pdf.iwf.org/IWF-Workplace-C2O-Final.pdfhttp://pdf.iwf.org/IWF-HFA%20Report_Final.pdfhttp://pdf.iwf.org/IWF-HFA%20Report_Final.pdfhttp://iwf.org/publications/2796370/policy-focus-king-v-burwellhttp://iwf.org/publications/2796370/policy-focus-king-v-burwellhttp://www.iwf.org/blog/2796380/Working-For-Women-Podcast-1-%E2%80%A2-King-v.-Burwell:-A-Quick-Take-on-a-Crucial-Supreme-Court-Case-http://www.iwf.org/media/2798018/Independent-Women's-Forum-Filed-Amicus-Brief-in-Support-of-Little-Sisters-of-the-Poorhttp://www.iwf.org/media/2798018/Independent-Women's-Forum-Filed-Amicus-Brief-in-Support-of-Little-Sisters-of-the-Poorhttp://www.iwf.org/media/2798018/Independent-Women's-Forum-Filed-Amicus-Brief-in-Support-of-Little-Sisters-of-the-Poorhttp://iwf.org/straight-talk-about-health-carehttp://iwf.org/straight-talk-about-health-care


iWF’s.Women.at.Work.Project.is.the.leading.voice.

explaining.how.women.benefit.from.a.free.and.flexible.

work.environment.and.highlighting.how.government.

regulations.can.backfire.on.women.by.limiting.economic.

opportunity.and.discouraging.workplace.innovation.and.

customization..

in.2015,.as.part.of.our.principal.Dollars.and.Sense.

Economics.and.Women.at.Work.projects,.iWF.

conducted.research.to.determine.what.women.actually.

want.in.the.workplace.and.where.there.are.interesting.

divisions.and.differences..We.wanted.to.know.how.

important.is.the.issue.of.paid.leave,.for.instance,.to.

women?.Are progressives justified in making this the

centerpiece of their women’s economic agenda?.

This.project.consisted.of.a.national.Causal.Conjoint.Optimization.(C

2O).experiment,.which.required.

respondents.to.choose.between.a.series.of.randomly.

generated.workplaces,.creating.a.constrained.choice.

between.job.packages.that.varied.in.terms.of.key.job.

attributes.such.as.percent female executives, raises,

family and medical leave, CEO’s annual salary, and your

supervisor’s gender, to name a few. The.end.result.is.

causal.identification.of.exactly.what.(different).women.

value.in.the.workplace.

it.turns.out.that.some.of.the.biggest.findings.are.

what.we.might.expect.—.that.women.are.not.all.the.

same..When.progressives.talk.about.pay.equity,.paid.

leave.mandates.or.childcare.subsidies,.they’re.often.

working.under.the.assumption.that.women’s.needs.

and.preferences.in.the.workplace.are.all.the.same..

iWF’s.research.demonstrates.that.women.not.only.

have.varying.needs.and.wants.in.the.workplace,.but.

also.helps.us.give.credence.to.the.argument.that.one-

size-fits-all.workplace.“solutions”.will.limit.this.kind.of.

personalization.of.the.workplace.

Even.though.our.research.revealed.that.women.want.

different.things,.we.also.know.that.all.workers.like.

getting.more.money.and.benefits..That’s.why.it’s.easy.

for.lawmakers.to.propose.micromanaging.wages.and.

mandating.benefits.—.like.raising.the.minimum.wage,.

mandating.paid.sick.leave.or.expanded.maternity.

leave...And.conservatives.are.often.at.a.disadvantage.in.

these.conversations.because.legislation.like.the.Healthy.

Families.Act.(HFA),.which.would.mandate.paid.sick.leave.

for.businesses.with.more.than.14.employees.—.sounds.

good..it’s.not.been.legislated.yet.

That’s.why.iWF.conducted.a.follow-up.messaging.

project.to.figure.out.can we still fight these kinds

of workplace regulations or have we already lost in

the court of public opinion?.Through.the.use.of.a.

randomized,.controlled.message.trial,.we.looked.at.

whether.we.can.persuade.women.that.workplace.

regulations.like.the.HFA.are.a.bad.idea..And.our.findings.

were.very.encouraging..

Just.by.engaging.women.one time.with.facts.and.

arguments,.we.had.the.ability.to.remodel.the.opinion.

landscape...And.this.was.even.the.case.among.

progressive.women.who.responded.very.positively.to.an.

emotional,.personal.message.that.emphasized.the.real economic threat of job loss from the Healthy Families Act. in.fact.it.drove.down.the.margin.of.support.among.

liberal.women.—.from.69.points.to.29..

While.this.research.fills.an.intellectual.itch,.its.purpose.

is.much.broader..iWF.is.now.able.to.provide.causal.

evidence.to.media,.policy.makers,.and.the.public.on.why.

over-regulating.the.workplace.in.the.name.of.protecting.

women.will.have.negative.economic.consequences..

And.it.laid.the.groundwork.for.our.Working.for.Women.

project,.coming.out.April.2016.

Women at Work PreSCrIPtIonS For HeaLtH Care

in.2015,.iWF.engaged.on.several.healthcare.issues.with.

effective.projects..in.the.spring.and.early.summer,.we.

led.the.charge.in.educating.the.public.about.King v.

Burwell,.the.Supreme.Court.case,.and.about.what.was.

truly.at.stake..iWF.commented.broadly.in.the.media.

on.the.case.(in.opeds,.print.and.broadcast.outlets),.

using.messages.our.sister.organization.iWV.created.

through.focus.groups.and.polling..in.March,.health.

policy.director.Hadley.Heath.Manning.wrote.a.policy.

focus.and.interviewed.Grace-Marie.Turner,.president.of.

the.Galen.institute.in.a.Working.for.Women.podcast.on.

the.topic.

in.addition.to.King v. Burwell,.we.worked.throughout.the.

year.to.expose.the.debacle.of.so.many.failed.state.

exchanges,.including.Cover.Oregon,.where.corruption.

and.waste.robbed.taxpayers.of.valuable.funds,.and.left.

many.with.only.broken.promises.

This.summer,.iWF.was.proud.to.file.an.amicus.brief.

in.support.of.petitioners.in.Little Sisters of the Poor v.

Burwell,.a.case.headed.to.the.Supreme.Court..Although.

the.Court.already.ruled.on.Hobby.Lobby.in.2014.(which.

offered.relief.to.closely-held.corporations),.the.same.

so-called.“birth.control.mandate”.in.the.Affordable.Care.

Act.continues.to.violate.the.religious.liberty.of.religious.

non-profit.groups..At.the.end.of.2015,.iWF.–.alongside.

our.allies.at.the.Cato.institute.–.filed.yet.another.amicus.

brief.in.the.case..

in.September,.iWF.released.“Straight.Talk.about.Health.

Care.”..With.over.60,000.views,.this.animated.video.series.

encouraged.viewers.to.#MeetBeth,.an.ordinary.American.

woman.who.decided.to.start.her.own.business..Beth.

experienced.the.healthcare.system.before.ObamaCare.

(video.one),.and.learned.that.it.wasn’t.really.a.free-market.

system..During.ObamaCare.(video.two),.Beth.faced.the.

frustration.of.limited.choices.and.higher.costs..Finally.(in.

video.three),.Beth.dreams.of.a.better.world,.where.free-

market.solutions.to.the.healthcare.issue.would.put.her.—.

the.patient.—.at.the.center..We.launched.this.video.series.

with.a.full-fledged.online.and.media.effort,.including.a.

dedicated.oped.and.podcast,.a.social.media.campaign.

using.the.hashtag.#MeetBeth,.a.press.release.and.multiple.

media.interviews..it.will.be.a.long-standing.educational.

asset.for.iWF’s.work.on.the.healthcare.issue.

iWF.continues.to.stress.the.importance.of.repealing.

ObamaCare..in.October,.we.released.a.policy.focus.on.

the.tax.burden.imposed.by.the.law,.highlighting.several.

taxes.that.primarily.hit.the.middle.class..

Going.forward.into.2016,.iWF.is.excited.to.continue.to.

work.against.government-controlled.health.care.and.in.

favor.of.expanded.healthcare.freedom.for.all.

http://www.iwf.org/women-at-workhttp://www.iwf.org/health-carehttp://www.iwf.org/blog/2798122/straight-talk-about-health-carehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xndrmue5yNohttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_NuooeZUTYhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sUPIhwkGHychttp://pdf.iwf.org/15-105acIndependentWomen%E2%80%99sForum.pdfhttp://pdf.iwf.org/IWF-Workplace-C2O-Final.pdfhttp://pdf.iwf.org/IWF-HFA%20Report_Final.pdfhttp://pdf.iwf.org/IWF-HFA%20Report_Final.pdfhttp://iwf.org/publications/2796370/policy-focus-king-v-burwellhttp://iwf.org/publications/2796370/policy-focus-king-v-burwellhttp://www.iwf.org/blog/2796380/Working-For-Women-Podcast-1-%E2%80%A2-King-v.-Burwell:-A-Quick-Take-on-a-Crucial-Supreme-Court-Case-http://www.iwf.org/media/2798018/Independent-Women's-Forum-Filed-Amicus-Brief-in-Support-of-Little-Sisters-of-the-Poorhttp://www.iwf.org/media/2798018/Independent-Women's-Forum-Filed-Amicus-Brief-in-Support-of-Little-Sisters-of-the-Poorhttp://www.iwf.org/media/2798018/Independent-Women's-Forum-Filed-Amicus-Brief-in-Support-of-Little-Sisters-of-the-Poorhttp://iwf.org/straight-talk-about-health-carehttp://iwf.org/straight-talk-about-health-care


CuLture oF aLarmISm

iWF’s.Culture.of.Alarmism.program.continues.to.educate.

women.about.how.activists.misuse.science.and.fuel.

fear.with.alarmism,.paving.the.way.for.more.regulation.

and.increased.taxes..COA.writers.use.a.mix.of.timely.

commentary,.earned.media,.and.events.targeted.at.opinion.

leaders.to.help.change.the.conversation.and.encourage.a.

more.rational.approach.to.health.and.safety.issues...

On.chemicals,.iWF.worked.to.expose.how.

environmental.groups.demand.products.be.

unnecessarily.altered.to.remove.safe.and.

beneficial.chemicals..iWF.will.continue.to.remind.

consumers.that.trace.levels.of.chemicals.used.in.food,.

personal.care.products,.furniture,.and.other.everyday.

goods.make.those.products.safer,.more.durable.and.

less.expensive...

Similarly,.iWF.pushed.back.on.radical.

environmental.groups.that.tell.the.American.

public.that.the.modern.food.system.is.

broken..When.it.comes.to.regulations.facing.the.food.

and.restaurant.industry,.such.as.soda.taxes,.bans.on.

sugar,.salt.and.certain.fats,.menu.and.GMO.labeling.

mandates,.bans.on.fast.food.restaurants.within.city.

limits,.iWF.reminded.women.that.America.has.the.

safest.food.system.in.world.and.that.additional.

regulations.will.only.make.things.worse,.not.better,.

and.more.expensive.for.consumers..

Through.the.work.of.Senior.Fellow.Jillian.

Melchior,.the.COA.project.continued.to.

expose.how.radical.activists.scare.the.

American.public.with.doom.and.gloom.scenarios.

related.to.energy,and.continued.to.explain.why.

Washington.should.get.out.of.the.business.of.picking.

winners.and.losers.in.the.energy.sector..

We.also.continued.to.stress.how.the.

government.is.increasingly.meddling.in.

parenting.choices.—.from.expansions.in.the.

school.lunch.program.to.criminalizing.the.decisions.

parents.make..Just.this.year,.a.couple.in.Maryland.

faced.criminal.charges.for.letting.their.children.walk.

home.(less.than.a.mile).from.a.park..This.is.a.major.

headline-making.issue.that.concerns.parents.of.all.

political.stripes.and.is.a.natural.fit.for.iWF’s.COA.

program..

iWF.will.continue.to.use.these.issues.as.a.conversation.

starter.with.women.(and.men).who.tune.out.many.

policy.or.political.topics.but.are.concerned.about.

the.growing.government.intrusion.in.food,.product.

regulation.and.their.own.private.parenting.decisions..

IWF hosted the first in a series of “Superwomen of Science” events focused on farming and technology, the increasing cost of food, and activist pressure put on manufacturers. We hope to take these events “on the road,” targeting specific cities facing ballot initiatives or regulations on the food and manufacturing sectors.

iWF’s.COA.project.consists.of.several.subsets.

of.issues:.Chemicals.in.manufacturing,.modern.

agriculture.and.biotechnology,.energy.policy,.

parenting.and.vaccinations,.and.food.regulations..

iWF’s.Dollars.and.Sense.Economic.project.made.

tremendous.inroads.in.2015,.helping.communicate.how.

government.overspending.and.regulatory.hurdles.impact.

women.and.their.families.from.Wall.Street.to.Main.Street..

Several.of.iWF’s.leading.policy.papers.this.year.took

on.broad.economic.concerns..For.instance,.in her.

Policy.Focus “Ending ‘Too.Big to.Fail’,”.Senior.Fellow.

rachel.Currie.asked.the.critical.question:.Do top-down

government programs help prevent TBTF businesses,

or are they at the root of the problem?.it.turns.out.

that.by.classifying.more.of.America’s.largest.bank-

holding.companies.as.“systemically.important.financial.

institutions,”.Washington.has.once.again.given.these.

larger.banks.a.competitive.edge.over.their.smaller.

counterparts..

Carrie.Lukas.explored.how.women.are.faring.in.the.

Obama.economy,.concluding.that.the.evidence.suggests.

women’s.economic.prospects.and.financial.situation.

have.not.meaningfully.improved.—.in.fact,.on.many.

accounts,.they.have.worsened..For.every.woman.who.

has.taken.a.job.during.this.administration,.Lukas.points.

out,.two.women.have.exited.the.labor.force.entirely,.

suggesting.the.economy.is.simply.not.producing.the.

kinds.of.opportunities.that.women.want.and.need..

Finally,.Currie.expanded.on.this.concern.over.economic.

growth.and.job.creation.with.her.“Agenda.For.Broad-

Based.Prosperity,”.arguing.that.we.must.transfer.

more.of.our.tax.burden.from.income.to.consumption,.

rebalance.federal.spending.so.that.entitlements.don’t.

crowd.out.basic.research.and.development,.expand.

apprenticeships,.and.transition.toward.a.skill-based.

immigration.system.that.serves.our.national.interest..

DoLLarS anD SenSe eConomICS

http://iwf.org/culture-of-alarmismhttp://iwf.org/economicshttp://www.iwf.org/news/2796253/Fed-Wasted-Millions-on-Activist-Spawned-Media-Frenzy-About-BPA-Riskshttp://www.iwf.org/blog/2797798/New-Clean-Power-Plan-Regulations:-Disastrous-for-Too-Many-States-http://iwf.org/publications/2797710/Policy-Focus:-Ending-'Too-Big-To-Fail'http://www.iwf.org/publications/2798246/Policy-Focus:-An-Agenda-For-Broad-Based-Prosperityhttp://www.iwf.org/publications/2798246/Policy-Focus:-An-Agenda-For-Broad-Based-Prosperity


CuLture anD eDuCatIon Women anD PoLItICS

iWF.realizes.that.it.is.of.utmost.importance.not.to.cede.

the.popular.culture.to.the.left.and.let.them.get.by.with.

the.idea.that.government.and.the.nanny.state.can.tell.us.

how.to.live.our.lives..

We value a healthy civic culture, self-reliance, policies

that lead to the rebuilding of the family, and the

liberties guaranteed in our Constitution.

iWF.is.famous.for.putting.on.spirited.but.civil.panels.that.

address.tough.questions..While.the.panels.have.created.

a.certain.cachet.around.town,.we.do.them.because.we.

feel.it.is.part.of.our.mission.to.provide.a.forum.to.debate.

crucial.issues.important.to.the.well.being.of.society.

Although.all.our.panels.address.important.questions,.

none.has.been.more.vital.to.the.character.of.society.

than.our.May.13.panel.titled.“i.Do.......or.i.Don’t:.The.

Future.of.Marriage,”.which.drew.a.standing.room.only.

crowd.from.journalism,.think.tanks,.Capitol.Hill,.the.

corporate.world,.lobbying,.and.the.general.public....

With.an.astonishing.40.percent.of.children.in.the.U.S..

now.born.to.unmarried.women,.we.knew.we.had.to.ask.

some.hard.questions.about.the.future,.if.any,.of.marriage..

The.implications.of.a.decline.in.marriage.for.both.the.

character.and.economic.future.of.society.are.profound.

We.could.not.have.assembled.a.more.distinguished.group.

of.panelists.or.a.group.who.cared.more.passionately.

about.the.issue..W. Bradford.Wilcox, Director.of.the.

national.Marriage.Project.at.the.University.of.Virginia,.

Dr..isabel.V..Sawhill,.co-director.of.the.Center.on.Children.

and.Families.at.the.Brookings.institution.and.author.

most.recently.ofGeneration Unbound: Drifting into Sex

and Parenthood without Marriage, and.Kay.S..Hymowitz,.

whose.four.books.on.the.family.include.Marriage and

Caste in America: Separate and Unequal Families in a

Post-Marital Age. (Kate.Bolick,.whose.book.Spinster:

Making a Life of One’s Own.had.just.come.out,.was.

prevented.from.joining.us.by.an.emergency.)

The.good.news.from.the.panel.is.that.marriage.is.not.

yet.dead.but.that.it.remains.seriously.imperiled..if.

marriage.is.over,”.Schaeffer.asked,.“who.will.step.in.to.

fill.the.void?”.Although.the.panelists.didn’t.agree.about.

everything,.the.consensus.was.that.the growth of big

government and the decline of marriage and the two-

parent family go hand in hand.

iWF.is.frequently.called.upon.to.

comment.on.the.role.of.women.in.the.

public.and.political.sphere.—.especially.

in.the.wake.of.the.november.

midterms.in.which.Americans.elected.

a.host.of.new.liberty-minded.women.

to.public.office..not.only.are.the.

political.parties.changing.shape,.but.

also.we’ve.seen.more.women.of.varied.

educational,.professional,.racial.and.

ethnic.backgrounds.begin.to.take.

center.stage..iWF.is.consistently.

asked.by.media.and.outside.groups.

to.discuss.these.issues.and.the.role.

women.play.in.campaign.trails.and.in.

politics.and.policy.formulation.more.

broadly..

Our.reputation.for.putting.on.

panels.is.such.that.we.are.often.

invited.to.co-sponsor.events..We.

accepted.an.invitation.from.Levick.

Communications.to.co-host.a.

panel.entitled.“inside.the.Minds.of.

Conservative.Women:.How.to.Engage.

in.2016.”.Again,.it.was.an.all-star.

group.of.speakers:.April.Ponnuru.of.

the.Conservative.reform.network.

was.moderator..Capitol.Hill.insider.

Mattie.Duppler,.American.Enterprise.

institute’s.Caroline.Kitchins,.Levick’s.

Sue.Zoldak,.and.iWF’s.Sabrina.

Schaeffer.were.on.the.panel.

iWF.realizes.it’s.essential.to.respond.

to.the.progressive.feminists.who.

continue.to.move.the.goal.posts,.

always.lamenting.the.shortage.of.

women.rather.than.applauding.their.

success..

To see why this was such an important evening, you can access our booklet (with transcript) on the event here: The Future of Marriage Booklet.

Women LeAD Summit

One.of.iWF’s.biggest.accomplishments.in.2015.was.

the.hosting.of.our.first.annual.Women.LEAD.Summit..

There.has.been.a.proliferation.of.women’s.groups.on.the.

right,.and.iWF.felt.it.had.a.responsibility.to.bring.those.

disparate.leaders.from.around.the.country.together.to.

help.create.unity.and.focus.in.how.best.to.reach.women.

with.a.limited.government.message..

We.had.approximately.50.attendees.for.a.closed-door.

morning.session.where.women.from.all.around.the.

country.had.an.opportunity.to.meet.one.another,.learn.

what.other.organizations.are.doing,.and.find.opportunity.

to.collaborate..

150.guests.joined.us.for.the.afternoon.public.session.and.

reception..We.had.18.speakers.throughout.the.day,.4.

solo.speakers,.3.panels,.and.a.great.deal.of.social.media.

traffic..The.Daily.Signal.conducted.an.entire.days.worth.

of.video.on.the.event,.as.well..

IWF is already planning the 2nd Annual Women LEAD Summit to be held June 8, 2016Save The daTe

http://www.iwf.org/publications/2797715/The-Future-of-Marriage-Booklethttp://www.iwf.org/culture-and-education-policyhttp://www.iwf.org/women-and-politicshttp://www.iwf.org/publications/2797715/The-Future-of-Marriage-Booklet

10...iWF •.2015 yEAr.in.rEViEW #WomenWin #WomenWin. iWF.•.2015.yEAr.in.rEViEW.. 11

CuLture anD eDuCatIon Women anD PoLItICS

iWF realizes.that it.is.of.utmost importance not.to cede

the.popular.culture to the.left.and.let.them.get.by with.

the.idea.that government.and.the.nanny state can.tell us.

how to live our.lives.

We value a healthy civic culture, self-reliance, policies

that lead to the rebuilding of the family, and the

liberties guaranteed in our Constitution.

iWF is.famous for putting.on.spirited but.civil.panels.that

address.tough questions. While.the.panels.have.created

a.certain cachet.around town,.we do.them.because.we

feel it.is.part.of.our.mission to provide.a.forum to debate.

crucial.issues important.to the.well being.of.society.

Although.all.our.panels.address.important.questions,

none.has.been.more vital.to the.character.of.society.

than.our.May 13.panel.titled.“i.Do.......or.i.Don’t:.The

Future of.Marriage,”.which.drew.a.standing room only.

crowd from journalism,.think.tanks,.Capitol Hill,.the.

corporate.world, lobbying, and.the.general public....

With an.astonishing.40.percent.of.children in.the.U.S.

now born.to unmarried.women, we knew we had.to ask.

some.hard questions about.the.future,.if.any,.of.marriage..

The implications of.a.decline.in.marriage.for both.the.

character.and.economic future of.society.are profound.

We could not.have.assembled a.more distinguished group

of.panelists or.a.group who.cared more passionately

about.the.issue..W. Bradford Wilcox, Director.of.the.

national Marriage.Project at the.University of.Virginia,.

Dr..isabel V..Sawhill, co-director of.the.Center.on.Children

and.Families at the.Brookings.institution.and.author.

most recently.ofGeneration Unbound: Drifting into Sex

and Parenthood without Marriage, and.Kay.S..Hymowitz,

whose.four books.on.the.family include.Marriage and

Caste in America: Separate and Unequal Families in a

Post-Marital Age. (Kate Bolick,.whose.book.Spinster:

Making a Life of One’s Own had.just come out,.was

prevented.from joining.us.by an.emergency.)

The good.news.from the.panel.is.that marriage.is.not.

yet dead.but.that it.remains seriously.imperiled..if

marriage.is.over,”.Schaeffer asked, “who.will.step.in.to

fill.the.void?” Although.the.panelists didn’t.agree about.

everything,.the.consensus was that the growth of big

government and the decline of marriage and the two-

parent family go hand in hand.

iWF.is.frequently.called.upon.to.

comment.on.the.role.of.women.in.the.

public.and.political.sphere.—.especially.

in.the.wake.of.the.november.

midterms.in.which.Americans.elected.

a.host.of.new.liberty-minded.women.

to.public.office..not.only.are.the.

political.parties.changing.shape,.but.

also.we’ve.seen.more.women.of.varied.

educational,.professional,.racial.and.

ethnic.backgrounds.begin.to.take.

center.stage..iWF.is.consistently.

asked.by.media.and.outside.groups.

to.discuss.these.issues.and.the.role.

women.play.in.campaign.trails.and.in.

politics.and.policy.formulation.more.

broadly..

Our.reputation.for.putting.on.

panels.is.such.that.we.are.often.

invited.to.co-sponsor.events..We.

accepted.an.invitation.from.Levick.

Communications.to.co-host.a.

panel.entitled.“inside.the.Minds.of.

Conservative.Women:.How.to.Engage.

in.2016.”.Again,.it.was.an.all-star.

group.of.speakers:.April.Ponnuru.of.

the.Conservative.reform.network.

was.moderator..Capitol.Hill.insider.

Mattie.Duppler,.American.Enterprise.

institute’s.Caroline.Kitchins,.Levick’s.

Sue.Zoldak,.and.iWF’s.Sabrina.

Schaeffer.were.on.the.panel.

iWF.realizes.it’s.essential.to.respond.

to.the.progressive.feminists.who.

continue.to.move.the.goal.posts,.

always.lamenting.the.shortage.of.

women.rather.than.applauding.their.

success..

To see why this was such an important evening, you can accessour booklet (with transcript) on the event here:The Future of Marriage Booklet.

Women LeAD Summit

One.of.iWF’s.biggest.accomplishments.in.2015.was.

the.hosting.of.our.first.annual.Women.LEAD.Summit..

There.has.been.a.proliferation.of.women’s.groups.on.the.

right,.and.iWF.felt.it.had.a.responsibility.to.bring.those.

disparate.leaders.from.around.the.country.together.to.

help.create.unity.and.focus.in.how.best.to.reach.women.

with.a.limited.government.message..

We.had.approximately.50.attendees.for.a.closed-door.

morning.session.where.women.from.all.around.the.

country.had.an.opportunity.to.meet.one.another,.learn.

what.other.organizations.are.doing,.and.find.opportunity.

to.collaborate..

150.guests.joined.us.for.the.afternoon.public.session.and.

reception..We.had.18.speakers.throughout.the.day,.4.

solo.speakers,.3.panels,.and.a.great.deal.of.social.media.

traffic..The.Daily.Signal.conducted.an.entire.days.worth.

of.video.on.the.event,.as.well..

IWF is already planning the 2nd Annual Women LEAD Summit to be held June 2016Save The daTe

http://www.iwf.org/publications/2797715/The-Future-of-Marriage-Booklethttp://www.iwf.org/culture-and-education-policyhttp://www.iwf.org/women-and-politicshttp://www.iwf.org/publications/2797715/The-Future-of-Marriage-Booklet


meDIa outreaCH: Broadcast media

IWF launched a new product: Podcasts that feature an IWF spokeswoman discussing with a guest a key policy topic. Our spokeswomen debunk misrepresentations that are commonly made by our opponents and describe the benefits of better economic policies. IWF podcasts are offered through iTunes, SoundCloud, and YouTube.

in.2015,.iWF.continued.to.build.our.brand.affinity.and.

command.the.attention.of.our.target.audience.through.

our.communications.work..

By.strategically.bracketing.the.news,.rapidly.responding.

to.breaking.headlines,.offering.enlightening.commentary.

both.online.and.in.print.publications,.and.appearing.on.

broadcast.media.realms,.iWF.countered.every.liberal.

argument.in.the.media.about.women.in.the.workplace,.

education,.energy,.health.care.and.more.with.a.free-

market.message..This.strategy.has.elevated.iWF’s.

reputation;.iWF.continues.to.be.seen.by.the.media.as.a.

notable.resource.and.the.go-to.women’s.organization.for.

clear,.succinct,.limited.government.views..

An.iWF.spokeswoman.can.be.seen.or.heard.on.TV.

or.radio.making.our.case.for.liberty.almost.every.day.

of.the.week..in.2015,.iWF.appeared.on.TV.482 times

reaching over 113.7 million viewers across the country..

iWF’s.total.2015.television.airtime.is.valued at more than

$50 million dollars..What’s.more,.iWF.staff.and.fellows.

joined.more.cable-news.TV.programs.in.2015.than.

previous.years...Moreover,.exceeding.years.past,.iWF.

spokeswomen.were.on.radio 549 times...

Save The daTe The NEXT Woman of Valor Awards Dinner will beWednesday, November 30th in Washington, DC

https://itunes.apple.com/tn/podcast/independent-womens-forum/id989972759https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_Gq3d8Fhvk&feature=youtu.be


meDIa outreaCH: Broadcast media

IWF launched a new product: Podcasts that feature an IWF spokeswoman discussing with a guest a key policy topic. Our spokeswomen debunk misrepresentations that are commonly made by our opponents and describe the benefits of better economic policies. IWF podcasts are offered through iTunes, SoundCloud, and YouTube.

in.2015,.iWF.continued.to.build.our.brand.affinity.and.

command.the.attention.of.our.target.audience.through.

our.communications.work..

By.strategically.bracketing.the.news,.rapidly.responding.

to.breaking.headlines,.offering.enlightening.commentary.

both.online.and.in.print.publications,.and.appearing.on.

broadcast.media.realms,.iWF.countered.every.liberal.

argument.in.the.media.about.women.in.the.workplace,.

education,.energy,.health.care.and.more.with.a.free-

market.message..This.strategy.has.elevated.iWF’s.

reputation;.iWF.continues.to.be.seen.by.the.media.as.a.

notable.resource.and.the.go-to.women’s.organization.for.

clear,.succinct,.limited.government.views..

An.iWF.spokeswoman.can.be.seen.or.heard.on.TV.

or.radio.making.our.case.for.liberty.almost.every.day.

of.the.week..in.2015,.iWF.appeared.on.TV.482 times

reaching over 113.7 million viewers across the country..

iWF’s.total.2015.television.airtime.is.valued at more than

$50 million dollars..What’s.more,.iWF.staff.and.fellows.

joined.more.cable-news.TV.programs.in.2015.than.

previous.years...Moreover,.exceeding.years.past,.iWF.

spokeswomen.were.on.radio 549 times...

Save The daTe The NEXT Woman of Valor Awards Dinner will beWednesday, November 30th in Washington, DC

https://itunes.apple.com/tn/podcast/independent-womens-forum/id989972759


Equally.important,.iWF.was.cited in over 350 stories in

top outlets, a 14 percent increase over 2014,.including.

top.publications.like.the.Wall Street Journal,.Washington

Post,.New York Times,.The Guardian,.National Journal,.

Slate,.and.Politico to.name.a.few..

WSJ August 9, 2015

Sabrina.Schaeffer,.executive.director.

of.the.conservative.research.group.

independent.Women’s.Forum,.said.she.

hoped.Sunday’s.discussion.of.women.in.

the.workplace.heralded.the.beginning.

of.a.broader.conversation.among.

conservatives.on.how.to.reach.women.

voters.on.economic.issues.such.as.pay.

equity.and.flexible.working.arrangements.

.

“The.reality.is,.i.don’t.think.that.many.

conservatives.are.paying.attention.to.

how.much.Democrats.recognize.the.

importance.of.women.voters.[who].have.

really.shifted.their.focus.to.workplace.

issues,”.she.said.in.an.interview..“i.think.

that’s.a.real.opportunity.for.republicans.

not.to.shy.away.from.talking.about.those.

issues.but.to.take.them.head.on.”.

WAPo August 6, 2015.

Sabrina.Schaeffer,.executive.director.

of.the.independent.Women’s.Forum,.a.

conservative.think.tank,.said.Fiorina’s.

absence.from.the.main.stage.will.be.felt..

“From.the.perspective.of.women.voters,.i.

think.it’s.really.disappointing,”.she.said..

Schaeffer.said.Fiorina.would.bring.to.

the.debate.“the.ability.to.talk.about.

workplace.regulations.and.challenges.

that.women.and.their.families.are.facing.

in.a.way.the.other.candidates.can’t.”

She.added,.“i.think.that.overall.it’s.

important.to.have.someone.on.the.right.

capable.of.talking.about.pay.equity.and.

paid.leave.mandates.and.child.care,.and.

she’s.able.to.do.that.very.effectively..

Without.her.voice.up.there,.they.won’t.

have.as.robust.a.conversation.about.

those.issues.”.

Dailymail.com July 10, 2015.

independent.Women’s.Forum,.a.501(c)3.

non-profit.organization,.will.spend.the.

2016.election.cycle.talking.‘to.women.

about.how.a.smaller,.less.intrusive.

government.provides.women.and.their.

families.with.the.freedom.to.make.the.

choices.that.make.the.most.sense.for.

them.—.whether.in.education,.healthcare,.

the.workplace,.or.at.home.’

“Our.research.shows.that.when.we.give.

women.the.facts.they.recognize.that.

more.one-size-fits-all.solutions.are.not.

the.answer,”.said.Sabrina.Schaeffer,.

executive.director.of.iWF..

Schaeffer.said,.“it’s.exciting.to.see.a.

woman.with.the.right.policies.working.

to.reach.the.White.House”.and.

that.“Fiorina’s.business.experience,.

commitment.to.individual.liberty.and.

free-market.policies,.and.confidence.in.

all.Americans.is.a.stark.contrast.to.Hillary.

Clinton’s.identity.politics.and.her.stale,.

top-down..government.solutions.”.

new York Times July 25, 2015.

On.the.other.side.of.the.political.

spectrum,.Sabrina.Schaeffer,.the.

executive.director.of.the.conservative.

independent.Women’s.Forum,.a.

Washington-based.research.group.

with.an.economic.focus,.applauds.the.

women’s.movement’s.emphasis.on.

economic.issues..She.says.the.move.is.

smart.and.timely.and.that..she.fears.it.

will.catch.conservatives.“flat-footed.”

Conservatives.are.stuck.on.wedge.issues.

like.abortion.and.gay.marriage,.she.

told.me..“Those.issues.are.outdated..

We.should.be.ready.to.talk.about.paid.

leave,.those.issues.that.affect.women,.

especially.single.women..republicans.

need.to.be.able.to.offer.alternative.ideas..

They.need.to.understand.the.issues..They.

need.to.engage.”

Our.reach.is.growing,.however,.and.we’re.reaching.into.

many.more.non-political.outlets..For.instance,.iWF.has.

previously.appeared.in.Cosmopolitan,.one.of.the.largest.

fashion.and.culture.magazines.geared.toward.younger.

women;.but.in.2015.Cosmopolitan.featured.iWF’s.Lean

Together book.among.its.top.20.political.books.every.

woman.should.read..The.must-read.list.included.books.

written.by.Senator.Kirsten.Gillibrand,.Melissa.Harris-

Perry,.Lilly.Ledbetter,.and.Peggy.noonan..We.were.very.

pleased.to.be.included.in.this.prominent.and.popular.list!.

in.September,.Mashable,.

a.leading.digital.culture.

publication.for.the.“Connected.

Generation,”.interviewed.iWF.

about.the.personal.attacks.

toward.Carly.Fiorina,.the.sole.

woman.GOP.presidential.

candidate..Similarly,.part.of.

Carrie.Lukas’.article.on.gender-

based.expectations.ran.in.the.

December.2015.issue.of.Elle,.

the.world’s.best-selling.fashion.

magazine.

And.iWF.staff.continues.to.write,.with.a.total.of.309.

op-eds.in.national.and.local.papers..This.year.iWF.also.

joined.a.syndicated.network.that.provides.content.to.

more.than.300.newspapers.worldwide,.allowing.us.to.

reach.an.even.wider.audience.

Many.staff.members.secured.regular.columns.this.year,.

including.Forbes,.National Review,.Townhall,.Red Alert

Politics,.The Blaze,.Acculturated,.American Spectator,.

New Boston Post,.and.newly.launched.LifeZette and.PJ

Media Parenting...Additionally,.iWF.op-eds.appeared.

in.TIME,.New York Post,.USA.Today,.New Boston

Times,.CNN.com,.Huffington Post,.Roll Call,.The Hill,.

the.Weekly Standard,.Washington Times,.U.S. News &

World Report,.The Federalist,.The Daily News,.Bismarck

Tribune,.Charlotte Observer,.Sacramento Bee,.Santa Cruz

Sentinel,.Hot Air,.among.others..iWF.opeds.have.been.

featured.numerous.times.on.The DRUDGe RePoRT,.Real

Clear Politics and Policy,.instapundit,.HotAir.and.more..

http://CNN.comhttp://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2015/08/09/amid-trump-flap-gop-candidates-make-appeal-to-women/https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/the-first-gop-debate-is-missing-the-races-only-woman-does-that-matter/2015/08/05/6f9373a2-36ce-11e5-9d0f-7865a67390ee_story.htmlhttp://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3156216/Hillary-share-60-MILLION-cash-bonanza-pro-abortion-campaigners-launch-massive-effort-turn-Washington-female-pro-choice.htmlhttp://nytlive.nytimes.com/womenintheworld/2015/06/25/2-trends-driving-todays-womens-movement-men-and-money/http://www.cosmopolitan.com/politics/a45639/political-books-every-woman-should-read/http://www.cosmopolitan.com/politics/a45639/political-books-every-woman-should-read/http://iwf.org/news/2798267/ABC%E2%80%99s-sordid-prostitution-of-the-once-sweet-Muppetshttp://nypost.com/2015/06/17/the-toxic-lies-behind-jessica-albas-booming-baby-business/http://nypost.com/2015/10/26/theres-a-feminist-civil-war-brewing-over-caitlyn-jenner/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/john-murray/conservatives-plan-to-grow-the-economy-middle-class_b_8403432.htmlhttp://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/jun/16/conservatives-obama-ban-trans-fats-american-freedom?CMP=share_btn_fbhttp://www.cosmopolitan.com/politics/a45639/political-books-every-woman-should-read/http://www.cosmopolitan.com/politics/a45639/political-books-every-woman-should-read/


Social.media.remains.a.powerful.tool.to.reach.our.target.

audience..research.continues.to.show.that.people.trust.

and.exchange.information.with.family.and.friends..iWF.

used.a.variety.of.social.media.platforms.to.reach.women,.

specifically.to.expand.our.reach.to.women.who.may.not.

be.politically.engaged.but.ought.to.be.sympathetic.to.

our.free-market.message..

Through.our.growing.social.media.network.—.with.a.

combined.following.of.more.than.141,000.on.Facebook,.

Twitter,.youTube,.instagram,.Pinterest.and.Linkedin.

—.we.expand.and.strengthen.our.reach.by.applying.

popular.hashtags.(used.to.identify.messages.on.a.

specific.topic).to.our.posts..Hashtags.help.generate.

a.higher.volume.of.social.media.activity.that.reaches.

beyond.our.115,000.social.media.following..For.example,.

anyone.who.searches.#wagegap,.#paidleave.or.

#womenintheworkplace.will.find.iWF’s.unique.sharable.

graphics.and.pithy.posts.

On.a.daily.basis.iWF.creates.memes,.visual.

representations.of.ideas.and.messages,.to.introduce.

our.social.media.audiences.to.iWF’s.pro-liberty.ideas..in.

2015.iWF.designed over 400 thought-provoking, eye-

catching, informative graphics to bring issues alive..

For.example,.iWF.released.a.series.of.graphics.about.

the.so-called.wage.gap.bracketing.“Equal.Pay.Day.”.

These.graphics.explained.why.the.wage.gap.is.much.

smaller.than.liberal.feminists.claim.and.how.widespread.

discrimination.is.not.to.blame.for.the.slight.gap.between.

men.and.women’s.pay...

in.2015.iWF’s.youTube.became.a.verified.account,.

activating.many.of.the.most.useful.youTube.features.

like.custom.thumbnails,.external.annotations.(creating.

hyperlinks.within.a.video.—.example.at.the.end.of.our.

Meet.Beth.videos),.longer.videos,.and.hosting.live.

streaming.events.via.youTube.(a.feature.that.allows.

anyone.across.the.country.to.view.our.events.

without.being.in.the.room)..

A.strong.presence.on.social.media.provides.iWF.the.

opportunity.to.counter.the.progressive.message.at.

anytime,.steer.the.conversation.on.key.issues,.and.

reach.audiences.we.may.not.have.otherwise.(like.

Cosmopolitan Magazine.and.pop.icon.and.actress.

One.of.the.key.functions.of.iWF’s.blog.is.to.

provide.rapid-fire.responses.to.important.

events..When.a.report.based.on.erroneous.

“facts”.is.issued,.or.maybe.a.politician.or.

Hollywood.star.says.something.wildly.

misleading.about.the.wage.gap.or.campus.

rape.statistics,.we.are.there.to.set.the.record.

straight--accurately.and.instantly..The.inkwell.

blog.is.often.feisty.and.fun.to.read..The.1,211

blog posts in 2015 ranged.from.policy.to.

entertainment.

in.the.last.few.years,.we.have.achieved.

one.of.our.longstanding.goals.for.the.blog:.

creation.of.a.diverse.stable.of.lively,.engaging.

writers.able.to.present.an.iWF.perspective.

on.whatever.happens.in.the.public.arena..if.

increased.traffic.to.the.blog.is.any.indication.

—.25,000.visitors.each.month.—.we.have.

succeeded..it.is.essential.that.the.iWF.take.

on.policy.and.culture.be.presented.in.a.

readable.format.and,.just.as.important,.in.a.

daily.format..in.addition.to.its.intrinsic.value,.

the.blog.leads.to.media.mentions.and.TV.

and.radio.appearances.(where.of.course.we.

continue.to.set.the.record.straight)..

meDIa outreaCH: Social media

IWF BLoG

Stacey.Dash). Cosmopolitan retweeted.iWF’s.announcement.that.Lean Together was.featured.as.one.of.Cosmo’s.top.20.political.books.for.women.to.their.

1.38.million.Twitter.followers..That tweet made 51,980

impressions! .And.following.her.appearance.on.nBC’s.

Meredith.Vieira.Show,.actress.Stacey.Dash.pointed.to.

iWF.for.facts.about.the.so-called.wage.gap.in.a.tweet.to.

her.494,000.followers.

http://iwf.org/straight-talk-about-health-carehttp://iwf.org/straight-talk-about-health-carehttps://twitter.com/REALStaceyDash/status/594256797478694912http://iwf.org/http://iwf.org/https://twitter.com/IWF/status/639106114752086016


IWF’s Donation Sources

IWF FunDraISInG

Thanks.to.our.generous.supporters,.iWF.exceeded.its.

annual.fundraising.goal.in.2015.raising.nearly.$1.4.million...

We.brought.on.five.new.foundations.and.over.50.new.

individual.donors..Major.Foundations.to.support.iWF.in.

2015.included.The.Lynde.and.Harry.Bradley.Foundation,.

The.Smith.Family.Foundation,.The.Coors.Foundation,.

The.Diana.Davis.Spencer.Foundation,.the.Wheeler.

Foundation,.the.Holman.Foundation,.and.the.John.

William.Pope.Foundation.

in.2016,.we.are.making.a.concerted.effort.via.personal.

meetings,.direct.mail,.and.online.appeals.to.expand.

our.individual.base.of.support.to.better.diversify.our.

donation.revenue.sources....

l Business l Boardl Foundationl Individual

17%InC

re

aS

e

2014à2015in donation revenue from

iWF.supports.universal.principles.for.all.Americans,.but.we.also.recognize.that.men.

and.women.bring.different.experiences.and.preferences.to.the.table..That’s.why.

moving.forward.iWF.will.continue.to.reach.out.to.women.with.a.message.of.limited.

government.and.liberty.that.resonates.with.them..And.with.your.support.we.will.

continue.to.be.successful.and.change.the.conversation.about.women.and.politics.in.

America.today..

We hope you will continue to support IWF and #WomenWin.if.you.have.any.questions.or.would.like.more.information.about.this.report.or.

our.upcoming.plans,.please.contact.iWF’s.Executive.Director,.Sabrina.Schaeffer.

([email protected],.703-225-8797),.iWF’s.Director.of.Foundations.and.

Donor.relations,.Whitney.Athayde.([email protected]..

703-507-2282),.or.iWF’s.Director.of.Outreach,.Amber

Schwartz.([email protected]).

LookInG ForWarD

Thankyou!

Sincerely,.

Sabrina, Carrie, Victoria,

Whitney, Amber, Julie,

Michele, Celia, Ashley,

Hadley, and Charlotte

mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]

www.iwf.org/donateindependent.Women’s.Forum

1875.i.Street.nW,.Suite.500

Washington,.DC.20006

IWF's mission is to improve the lives of Americans by increasing the number of women who value free markets and personal liberty.

http://www.iwf.org/donate

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2015 Year In Reviewpdf.iwf.org/IWF_AnnualReport_2015.pdf · Charlotte Hays Director of Cultural Programs Ashley B. Carter Grassroots Director Amber Schwartz Director of Outreach Celia

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