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The 19th News
Will pouring money into statehouse races help America reach gender parity?
The Ascend Fund is investing more than half a million dollars into groups that plan to recruit and train women to run for statehouse seats in Michigan, Mississippi and Washington.
The 19th News
What it takes to build a nonpartisan pipeline for women candidates
In a space dominated by Democratic groups, the LBJ Women’s Campaign School highlights its nonpartisan approach in trying to help more women get elected to office.
Inside Philanthropy
Off the Sidelines: The Fund Propelling Women Into Office
A record number of women ran for and won elected offices in 2018, and women make up more than half of the U.S. population. But they represent less than 30% of Congress, state legislators and statewide executives.
WLBT
Pilot program announced aimed at increasing number of women in Mississippi legislature. The Ascend Fund is launching this pilot program in three states, including Mississippi.
Mississippi has 174 state legislators and only 16 percent of those are women. However, a national group is hoping to help change that.
Reuters
Philanthropist fund backs women to run in U.S. elections
A new philanthropic fund to support more women running for elected office in the United States was launched on Tuesday, organizers said, amid intense public debate over politics ahead of the November presidential election.
MPB News
Fund offers grants to recruit women to run for Miss. legislative seats
Mississippi ranks 48th in the nation for the number of women in its legislative ranks according to The Ascend Fund. The non-partisan, organization out of Seattle, announced its providing grants to recruit women to run for state legislative seats, in 2022.
NBC News
New grant fund looks to power gender parity in elected office
Panorama Global, a nonprofit group, is sponsoring recruitment and training programs for women running for elected office across the country. The group received its seed money from Pivotal Ventures.
Press releases
October 19, 2021
The Ascend Fund Invests Over Half a Million in 13 Organizations Working to Elect Women to State Legislatures
Today, The Ascend Fund announced $600,000 in grants to 13 organizations in MI, MS, and WA as part of a project designed to increase the number of women serving in state legislatures.
September 15, 2020
Ascend Fund Announces Bipartisan Advisory Committee of Formerly Elected Women
The Ascend Fund announced their nine-member Advisory Committee, comprised of formerly elected women from both sides of the political aisle and all levels of political office.
June 15, 2021
The Ascend Fund Announces Funding for Pilot Initiative Focused on Electing Women to State Legislatures
The Ascend Fund announced $540,000 in available grant funding to organizations in MI, MS, and WA state to increase the number of women in the states’ legislatures.
January 14, 2020
Panorama Global Launches The Ascend Fund to Achieve Equal Representation for Women in U.S. Politics
Today, Panorama Global announced the formal launch of The Ascend Fund, a collaborative fund dedicated to accelerating the pace of change towards gender parity in U.S. politics
March 9, 2021
The Ascend Fund Awards Half a Million Dollars in Grants to Accelerate Gender Parity in U.S. Politics
Today, The Ascend Fund awarded $550,000 in grants to four nonpartisan, nonprofit organizations to further the goal of gender parity in elected office.
March 3, 2020
The Ascend Fund Awards $850,000 in Grants to Advance Gender Equity in U.S. Politics
Today, The Ascend Fund awarded $850,000 in general operating grants to 10 nonpartisan, nonprofit organizations to further the goal of gender equality in elected office.
NewsLEtters
October 19, 2021
On Parity: Fall 2021 Newsletter
This month, we announced $600,000 in grant funding to organizations in MI, MS, and WA. In reviewing the proposals submitted, we were struck by the pervasive funding gap faced by organizations working to build pathways to public office for women.
November 7, 2020
On Parity: Post Election Analysis
What. A. Week. While Americans fretted over the presidency, women across the country and up and down the ballot made history and broke records. The United States has elected its first female Vice President, Kamala Harris.
June 15, 2021
On Parity: Summer 2021 Newsletter
To date, we’ve invested almost $6 million in national organizations that share our commitment to electing more women. I’m excited to announce that this summer we will invest more than $500,000 in state-based organizations.
March 16, 2021
On Parity: Spring 2021 Newsletter
Our twelve partner organizations are accelerating the pace of parity by empowering women to see themselves as leaders and equipping women with the skills to run and win. In 2020 alone they trained more than 36,000 women.