Every Number Tells a Story. Choose Yours.
Our giving levels reflect real data from IWPR’s research—because evidence shapes not just our work, but how we invite you to support it.
Our Mission
As the leading national think tank working to eliminate barriers at the intersection of racism and gender inequity, we build evidence to shape policies that grow the power and influence of women and gender-expansive people. In service to this critical mission, we advance solutions that close structural gaps, improve the economic well-being of families, and promote the full participation of working people in society.
Illuminating gender in policy debates for nearly 40 years.
IWPR was founded in 1987 by feminist economist Dr. Heidi Hartmann, who recognized the need for an organization whose distinct purpose was to develop comprehensive, women-focused, policy-oriented research. By conducting rigorous analyses using federal data, the social scientists at IWPR shook the gendered and racialized assumptions underpinning public debate.
In 1990, IWPR’s groundbreaking publication, Unnecessary Losses: Costs to Americans of the Lack of Family and Medical Leave, revealed the true economic cost of caregiving and sparked a movement to secure job-protected leave for millions of working women.
For nearly 40 years, IWPR has produced widely respected research on a variety of topics that speak to women’s experiences and challenges—including the gender wage gap, employment and job discrimination, the value of unpaid care work, and the economic impact of abortion restrictions—and helped shape policies that impact women’s lives. With a diverse team of seasoned experts across fields, we examine the intersections of race, class, age, and geography to paint a comprehensive picture of women’s economic well-being.
At IWPR, we don’t just study problems—we craft solutions, drive meaningful change, and pave the way toward a future where economic equity is not just a dream but a reality for all women and families.
“I began to realize, amid a modernizing economy and a changing workforce, that public policies were not changing quickly enough to address the needs of the rapidly growing numbers of working women.”