WomenCount Electing Women Alliance

About EWA

Harnessing the Collective Power of Women

What EWA is all about

The Electing Women Alliance is a national network of local giving groups that bring women together as a community to support women candidates. Our goal is to inspire intentional, informed giving to increase women’s political leadership and close the political gender giving gap.

How are we changing the political landscape?

We do things differently

How are we changing the political landscape?

Some women’s political organizations recruit. Others train. We fund. But we do it differently, and our unique value is building local communities of informed, educated donors. Electing Women works to close the political gender giving gap by creating vibrant local communities of donors who come together in support of Democratic women running for elected office. Our events are small gatherings that allow candidates – incumbents and non-incumbents – to engage in substantive, lively conversation about policy and politics.

This work matters

Women lead and legislate differently because they bring their life experiences to the role. Countries and states with more women in office have stronger economies, better health care, and better outcomes overall for families, women, and children.

Yet progress has been too slow and the US continues to lag dramatically behind other countries in women’s political leadership. The number of women in Congress has been stagnant for the last three cycles. There are currently only two Black women in the Senate and there has never been a Black women governor. We must do better.

Women make up only 31 percent of political donors — despite making over 85 percent of purchasing decisions in the US.

1996

WomenCount was first launched as a women’s voter turnout effort during Bill Clinton’s re-election. The campaign slogan? “They used to say women couldn’t vote. Now they say we won’t.” Among the founders: San Francisco entrepreneur Susie Tompkins Buell and then-Alameda County District Attorney Kamala Harris.

Women make up 11 percent of Congress and 2 percent of governorships.

2000

The first Electing Women giving group is founded in Denver by businesswoman Judith Wagner and former Colorado Lt. Gov. Gail Schoettler, who believed that women candidates needed more financial support and women donors needed more meaningful ways to get involved.

Women make up 12 percent of Congress and 6 percent of governorships.

2008

WomenCount, long dormant, re-activates as an online organizing effort, grabbing headlines with its “Not So Fast” ad campaign, which called for an end to the pressure being placed on Hillary Clinton to bow out of the presidential primary campaign. Petition drives and other political activism followed, helping WomenCount build a national audience and a powerful mobilization list.

Women make up 16 percent of Congress and 14 percent of governorships.

Our Story

2015

After years of success for Electing Women Denver, the national Electing Women Alliance is formed as an umbrella network to leverage activities of several in-person giving groups. Founding groups include Boston, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Silicon Valley, and Los Angeles.

2015

WomenCount, continuing to innovate with the times, relaunches as a crowdfunding donation platform based on two trends from the world of finance and politics: Women candidates’ disproportionate reliance, compared to men, on smaller, individual donations; and crowdfunding’s emergence as a multi-billion dollar industry.

2016

One year after the Electing Women Alliance’s initial expansion, a new giving group was launched in Vail, CO, less than 100 miles from Electing Women’s founding group in Denver.

Women make up 19 percent of Congress and 12 percent of governorships.

2018

The EWA network continues to expand, adding groups in Austin, Chicago, New Mexico, New York, and Washington, DC.

2022

WomenCount and Electing Women Alliance, which long shared overlapping members of the team as well as shared mission and vision, officially integrated operations. Giving groups are also launched in Seattle and St. Louis.

Women make up 27 percent of Congress and 14 percent of governorships.

2024

Michigan, Wisconsin, and Nevada officially launch giving groups.

2025

Electing Women and WomenCount have raised a combined total of $30 million for women candidates.

Women make up 28 percent of Congress and 24 percent of governorships.

More About Electing WomenMore About WomenCount

Now more than ever, we need to fund women running for office and close the political gender giving gap.

Get Involved

More than the money raised

Beyond focusing on educated, impactful giving, the Electing Women Alliance works to build strong donor communities in cities across the country.

We take pride in the bonds we create through thoughtful conversations at our fundraisers and on monthly calls with candidates and political experts. Through our giving groups, members have the opportunity to hear directly from candidates on the issues that matter to them most. We also work to help donors leverage their influence and direct conversations with policymakers on important Democratic issues.

Informed Impactful Strategic

Incumbents and non-incumbent candidates rely on Electing Women fundraising events when they launch their campaigns, knowing our national network will step up to help them show strength and support.

Women candidates count on our support.

Join us in this work

  • HARNESSING THE COLLECTIVE POWER OF WOMEN TO SUPPORT WOMEN.