Since we gathered in DC last month, much has happened: Women won big on Election Day, the government shutdown ended, and redistricting fallout continues to impact the makeup of House races for 2026.
For those who were able to join us, we hope you’ve taken some time to reflect on what we learned during convening, and cement some fun memories of our time together.
And if you couldn’t make it this year, or simply want to take a few more minutes to marvel at what we’ve accomplished, we’ve got some highlights from convening below.
First, you can check out our photo gallery.
And here’s an overview of the content and learnings from our conversations:
Keynote: Sen. Angela Alsobrooks
Sen. Alsobrooks kicked off our day with an emotional keynote about the power of women who break barriers holding the door open for other women.
“After you’ve experienced how hard the road is to get there, how tough it is to kick the door open, and you see that more of us need to be inside that room, you then understand the obligation to turn around and open the door for someone else.”
She made clear that includes financial assistance to female candidates, and thanked the Electing Women Alliance for being a leader in this lane.
EWA gave me more than financial support. You gave me words of inspiration. You sent your love. You were the wind in my sails. It’s something that we understand intimately, how words matter.
Power in Numbers: Women, Wealth, and Political Giving
A conversation around women and how they use their financial power—economically, philanthropically and politically
Electing Women has been shining a spotlight on the role of women as donors, with more data coming out about the importance of women donors, the wealth transfer, and the role of community. Debbie Walsh from the Center for American Women and Politics presented data on women donors, the overdependence of women candidates on women donors, and trends we have witnessed over time. Heidi Nel with New Theory Ventures discussed the opportunities for philanthropy and political giving around the coming wealth transfer; women are projected to control $30 trillion by 2035, an increase of $20 trillion in just 10 years. Hali Lee, author of The Big We and co-founder of the Donors of Color Network, discussed the importance of giving circles and building a sense of belonging for our donor communities. This is particularly true for political giving, which can feel lonely. Our network is the answer.
Attorneys General: The First Line of Defense in Trump 2.0
A conversation with the rising stars holding the line against the administration
Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes, Nevada Senate Majority Leader Nicole Cannizzaro and Oakland County Michigan Prosecutor Karen McDonald showed us just how tough women in law enforcement are! Each of these women are already leading the way in their states, with AG Mayes running for re-election and state Sen. Cannizzarro and Prosecutor McDonald seeking the AG office in each of their states next year.
AG Kris Mayes shared more about her lawsuit to force Speaker Mike Johnson to seat Rep. Adelita Grijalva, and her work to take on the drug cartels. State Sen. Cannizzarro told us about her work prosecuting gangs during her time in the Clark County District Attorney’s office. And Prosecutor McDonald told us how she demonstrates her leadership as a woman in law enforcement. Their conversation reminded us that there are truly badass women stepping up to take on the biggest legal fights today.
Beyond the Bias: Voter Views on Electability
Presentation of research by Gretchen Barton, principal and founder of Worthy Strategy Group
Gretchen Barton shared compelling research about the key characteristics voters find electable and their impact on women candidates. Namely, male participants were more likely to choose non-gender specific characters, like a dog, rather than female characters as their image of an ideal leader. Americans also have an unconscious checklist of qualities for their ideal leader including: strong, stable, visible, nurturer, fundamentally American, challenger, innovator, and ‘meets the moment.’
Building the Pipeline: Local Power, National Impact
A dynamic conversation on how women are transforming state legislatures and shaping the future pipeline of national leadership
This panel brought together two state legislators—Pennsylvania House Speaker Joanna McClinton (HD-191) and Virginia state Del. Briana Sewell (HD-25)—and a former state legislator now serving in Congress, US Rep. Kristen McDonald Rivet (MI-08). Speaker McClinton and Del. Sewell, two Black women, underscored that the fundraising landscape is different for women—and significantly more challenging for women of color—who are often expected to raise at higher levels than previous leadership or their peers, making strong donor networks essential. They noted that state legislatures are where real power begins, and when women lead these chambers, policy priorities shift, communities are better represented and the path to national leadership becomes more accessible. The panel demonstrated that funding women at every level isn’t just strategic, it’s essential—especially for women of color—to strengthen our democracy and secure long-term wins.
The Next 10 Years: How We Win from Now to 2036
The long-view and trends that will help shape the next decade
Our panel featured Hillary Anderson (Catalist), Cathy Duvall (Democracy Ascent Advisors), and Meg Robinson (Regional States Initiative). Hillary discussed demographic changes including 2024 and 2025 data and how these changes will upend the electoral college. Cathy gave a real-time update on mid-decade redistricting, the impact of the 2030 census, and redistricting and realignment for the next 10 years. Meg discussed how we expand the map into red states and districts, including the role of down-ballot races and how these present opportunities to elect more women.
On the homefront: Looking ahead for EWA
Our Convening followed an arc. First, kicking off with a welcome reception on Wednesday night where we celebrated our remarkable accomplishments of the last 10 years and heard directly from each of the senators we have supported during that time. Since our founding in 2015, we have raised $44 million for women candidates and now have groups in 17 locations around the country. We hope you feel proud! On Thursday, we took a moment to look ahead by announcing the launch of our 10th Anniversary Sustainability fundraising campaign, which will allow us to fund our operations for the next 10 years and beyond. We also shared the exciting news that in Q1 of 2026 we will be forming the first-ever Electing Women Alliance National Advisory Board, which will be chaired by Jamie Van Horne Robinson, the founder and group leader of Electing Women Seattle. Stay tuned for more details on both of these efforts!