Research

In 2022, Women’s Foundation of Alabama released its latest research endeavor, Clearing the Path: Galvanizing the Economic Impact of Women. This report spotlights the substantial role women play in Alabama’s economy and the tremendous opportunity for growth if, and only if, barriers are addressed that preclude women’s full participation in the workforce. The report outlines Alabama’s current economic landscape, provides tangible solutions to strengthen women’s economic impact, and includes statewide and county-level data to ensure state and local leaders have relevant information to address the most pressing barriers within their regions.

Clearing the Path highlighted four key strategies to eliminating these barriers, which would have an immediate and tangible impact on the state’s workforce and economy:

1. Close the gender pay gap.

2. Pave the way for women to participate in the workforce.

3. Create fair access to occupations.

4. Close the wealth gap between men and women.

Findings from Clearing the Path: Galvanizing the Economic Impact for Women were instrumental in justifying the creation of the Alabama Workforce and Wage Gap Task Force and helped inform policy recommendations put forth by the Task Force.

If Alabama closed the gender pay gap the state would see almost 59,000 new jobs, $15 billion in new income, and the state’s overall economy would grow by almost $22 billion.