
Take Action 
Ready to be part of the A Bolder Way Forward initiative to help make a difference for girls, women, and families in Utah? Whether you have 5 minutes or 500 hours, we've outlined specific actions that organizations, groups, and communities can take to help move the needle. Get started by visiting spoke webpages, and see the resource library for additional resources in each spoke area. You can also Get Engaged with UWLP, find out How You Can Make a Difference, or participate in Movement-Wide Awareness Campaigns on specific topics. Change happens when we all show up, and there’s a place for everyone in this work!
To connect with others in your community doing this important work, fill out this interest survey, visit your county webpage, or email the UWLP Community Connector (Amy) at amy.z.anderson@usu.edu.
What You Can Do
Expand the categories below to see what you can do as individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.
Individuals & Families
Finance (Spoke & Resource Kit)
- Download the free 2026 Finance Calendar and complete an action item each month and encourage others to do the same. Access other free research-based resources on this Utah State University website too.
- Share Utah’s Finance in the Classroom website with teachers at your local school and encourage them to incorporate finance education in their curriculum. This includes resources for educators, students, and the community.
- Participate in the annual Women in the Money conference and online workshops from Empowering Financial Wellness and encourage friends to join you.
Higher Education Attainment (Spoke & Resource Kit)
- Talk to the prospective students you know – and their families – about their perceptions of and plans for college. Gauge their interest, share information about college options and resources, and dispel myths you hear about higher education.
- Encourage FAFSA completion; talk to the prospective college students and families you know about FAFSA and offer to help them complete it.
- Expose the young people you know to real-world occupations by connecting them with the working professionals you know. These professionals might be able to engage in conversation, offer mentorship, or provide job shadowing opportunities aligned with the student’s academic and career interests.
K-12 Initiatives (Spoke & Resource Kit)
- Talk to at least 5 people per month in your area to raise awareness that girls can and should do well in math. Dispel the myths among all stakeholders and share ways that girls are getting the message that they are not good at math.
- Make daily reading a shared habit with children in your home and community, and encourage others to join in building strong early literacy foundations.
- Encourage school administrators and other local and state organizations to implement reputable mentorship programs for high school students to increase graduation rates.
Groups, Organizations & Communities
Finance (Spoke & Resource Kit)
- Advertise USU Financial Wellness Course in your community and encourage at least 10 women to attend.
- Ask at least 5 constituents to reach out to legislators and ask them to support the Utah Retirement Plan Exchange (HB 250).
Higher Education Attainment (Spoke & Resource Kit)
- Collect and highlight success stories from individuals in your community who have attained college degrees.
- Connect with at least 5 education leaders (e.g., school administrators, board members, counselors, PTA presidents) to discuss the broad benefits of higher education attainment (see The Value of Higher Education brief).
- Talk to your local high school to see when it offers FAFSA completion events and ask how you can best help spread the word and encourage attendance.
K-12 Initiatives (Spoke & Resource Kit)
- Work with each of your K-12 schools to join the Utah State Board of Education’s “Every Day Counts” statewide attendance challenge.
- Identify at least 3 people in your community to become Attendance Ambassadors.
Individuals & Families
Political & Civic Representation (Spoke & Resource Kit)
- Participate in trainings and workshops focused on civic engagement and advocacy. Share these opportunities with women you know, and help them discover their advocacy passions.
- Nominate qualified women to serve on municipal, county, and state boards, commissions, and committees. Review the Utah Women & Leadership Project’s Utah Boards and Commissions webpage to find links to potential opportunities.
- Encourage women within your spheres of influence to run for public elected office at the local or state levels. Share resources, including the UWLP Resource Kit and the Utah Women Run webpage, as well as the Women’s Leadership Institute’s Political Development Series.
Groups, Organizations & Communities
Political & Civic Representation (Spoke & Resource Kit)
- Help raise awareness about neighborhood caucuses held in mid-March and encourage women to serve as delegates.
- Create and share social media posts to raise awareness of upcoming civic events and efforts.
- Encourage at least 10 women to identify a Utah state or local board, commission, committee, or council that interests them, attend a meeting, and apply for a seat (if available).
Individuals & Families
Childcare & Pre-K Programs (Spoke & Resource Kit)
- Share resources about childcare solutions with Utah employers and employees. See Childcare Solutions for Employers [Spanish] and Working Parent Childcare Resources [Spanish].
- Learn and share information about the importance of early childhood learning and development. See resources from the Office of Early Childhood Utah, Voices for Utah Children, and Envision Utah.
- Talk to your legislators about supporting research-based public policy related to expanding childcare and early childhood education programs.
Entrepreneurship (Spoke & Resource Kit)
- Share Utah resources with women you know who are considering starting a business or interested in growing their existing business, such as Startup State, Women’s Business Center of Utah, and this resource kit.
- Get girls and young women excited about the opportunities they could have to start their own businesses. Share resources that will help them prepare.
- Encourage elementary, middle, and high school teachers to invite women business owners to speak to students about their experiences. Find women business owners here.
Gender Pay Gap (Spoke & Resource Kit)
- Encourage your company or organization to conduct an annual pay equity audit. If needed, share resources that could be helpful.
- Complete a salary negotiation training (four-part series or AAUW) and encourage others to do so.
- Seek a deeper understanding of the gender pay gap by reading and reviewing reports and resources. Share what you've learned with others. Include the impacts of socialization and occupational segregation in your exploration.
Leadership Development (Spoke & Resource Kit)
- Encourage women of all ages to participate in an interactive course titled “Exploring Your Purpose: Talents, Callings, and Influence.” Host a group of 3-5 women in a 4-part series of engaging discussions and activities.
- Talk to girls and young women in your life about what they are doing to prepare to become leaders. Help them understand what leadership is and how they can lead in various settings from home and family to business, government, and beyond.
- Encourage men of all ages to participate in an interactive course titled “Male Allyship: A New Conversation.” Host a group of 3-5 men in a 5-part series of engaging discussions and activities.
Organizational Strategies & Workplace Culture (Spoke & Resource Kit)
- Get a commitment from your organization to participate in the ElevateHer challenge. Learn more about the Challenge and recommend areas your organization can focus on.
- Encourage all organizations within your sphere of influence to adopt family-friendly and flexible workplace policies, conduct pay disparity analyses, and engage in equitable recruiting, hiring, and promotion practices. See available Utah resources for ideas and examples.
- Encourage business leaders to set goals and implement strategies, as applicable, to increase or strengthen the representation of women in leadership at all levels. This can include efforts around recruiting, hiring, development, and advancement from supervisory to C-suite and board positions.
STEM Fields (Spoke & Resource Kit)
- Highlight and recognize women you know working in STEM and other nontraditional female fields on social media.
- Engage girls and young women in conversations about the wide range of STEM career opportunities available to them (see the resource kit for ideas).
- Encourage Utah women currently employed in STEM fields to pursue advancement opportunities within their organizations.
Workforce Development (Spoke & Resource Kit)
- Encourage and support women around you to engage with mentorship programs that strengthen their skills, networks, and career pathways.
- Regularly share workforce development resources with women to expand their awareness of training, education, and career advancement opportunities.
- Educate yourself on the purpose and value of returnship programs and share this knowledge with women around you.
Groups, Organizations & Communities
Childcare & Pre-K Programs (Spoke & Resource Kit)
- Raise awareness about the recently expanded 45F Childcare Tax Expansion by sharing this flyer with at least 10 businesses or HR professionals in your community and this flyer with at least 5 childcare providers and encourage them to share with parents.
- Invite at least 5 individuals to read the Utah Childcare Solutions and Workplace Productivity Plan and share three things they learned with others.
- Gather stories from at least 5 families in your community related to childcare needs and challenges and share them with your state representative(s) and senator(s)(see contact list).
Entrepreneurship (Spoke & Resource Kit)
- Find at least 5 business and/or government leaders to sign the Utah Proclamation for Women's Entrepreneurial Empowerment.
- Hang the Utah Proclamation for Women's Entrepreneurial Empowerment flyer in 5 local businesses.
Gender Pay Gap (Spoke & Resource Kit)
- Host a 4-part series “Salary Negotiation Training” module in your organization or community, in-person or virtually (contact amy.z.anderson@usu.edu for details).
- Collect 5-6 pay inequity stories from women in your community and share on social media. Encourage them to share their pay stories here.
- Host an Equal Pay Day event in your community and invite individuals, employers, and local leaders to learn about the economic benefits of pay equality practices and other women-friendly workplace strategies.
Leadership Development (Spoke & Resource Kit)
- Find 3 organizations in your community to hold small group sessions of the “Exploring Your Purpose: Talents, Callings, and Influence” interactive course.
- Share girls’ and women’s leadership development opportunities throughout your community.
- Find 3 organizations or groups in your community to hold small group sessions of the “Male Allyship: A New Conversation" interactive course.
Organizational Strategies & Workplace Culture (Spoke & Resource Kit)
- Get businesses in your community to commit to the ElevateHer Challenge and set 1 or more goals in areas of the challenge.
- Host an event to share workplace best practices and policies that elevate women and families (see UWLP brief for resources).
- Engage in conversations with business leaders, employers, and others in your community about the importance of more women leaders in Utah (see handout and conversation guide).
STEM Fields (Spoke & Resource Kit)
- Highlight and celebrate women working in STEM and other nontraditional fields through storytelling and social media campaigns.
- Meet with an administrator of every middle and high school in your community to explore opportunities for girls to attend the SheTech Explorer Day.
- Educate leaders in STEM-related organizations about the value of women in entry-level, supervisory, management, and top leadership roles.
Workforce Development (Spoke & Resource Kit)
- Talk to employers in your community about the importance and benefits of offering flexible, part-time opportunities for women, families, and employers.
- Help plan and promote at least 2 women’s career development workshops in your community.
- Share the Reskilling & Retraining Resources handout with women in your community who are considering re-entering the workforce.
Individuals & Families
Child Sexual Abuse (Spoke & Resource Kit)
- Explore information and resources on child sexual abuse in Utah. Share these with others and encourage them to do the same.
- Participate in the April Child Abuse Prevention Month by sharing information and resources with others. Help raise awareness through social media posts.
- Reach out to a counselor at your elementary school and encourage child sexual abuse prevention education curricula in their school.
Domestic Violence (Spoke & Resource Kit)
- Participate in domestic violence awareness events throughout the year, and especially in October for National Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
- Learn more about domestic violence by reading and reviewing this resource kit. Share this information with others and encourage them to do the same.
- Discover where you can find domestic violence resources and support in your community and share this information with others.
Poverty & Homelessness (Spoke & Resource Kit)
- Learn about the root causes of poverty and homelessness and share this knowledge with others. Understand and use appropriate language when discussing these challenges.
- Contact developers and community decision makers to raise awareness of the challenges around housing and ensure more attainable housing is available.
- Learn about and share nutrition education and food resources available in your community.
Sexual Assault (Spoke & Resource Kit)
- Learn more about how sexual assault is a significant social, criminal justice, and healthcare issue in Utah.
- Educate yourself about the importance of believing and supporting sexual assault survivors by checking out Utah’s Start by Believing campaign.
- Take the Start by Believing Pledge to join the movement and support survivors. Encourage others to share their commitment as well.
Sexual Harassment & Gender-Based Discrimination (Spoke & Resource Kit)
- Educate yourself and others about sexual harassment and gender-based discrimination in Utah, including effective response techniques.
- Say something when you see or experience any form of sexual harassment and gender-based discrimination.
- Identify and share policies and practices that can be implemented to help your organization create a culture where all employees can thrive.
Groups, Organizations & Communities
Child Sexual Abuse (Spoke & Resource Kit)
- Reach out to all K-6 elementary school counselors in your communities and encourage child sexual abuse prevention education curricula in their school. Inquire if their school has provided child sexual abuse prevention to students before and share the current list of USBE approved providers that are available to provide this.
- Contact 5 local groups or organizations and introduce them to the SAFE Coalition via Kathy Vegge (KVegge@saprea.org). Provide the What Utahns Need to Know handout and encourage leadership to participate in the April Child Abuse Prevention Month by sharing about at least one resource from this webpage with their audience via social media post or newsletter.
Domestic Violence (Spoke & Resource Kit)
- Advertise and market the Dear Utah campaign at events within your community using the QR code and graphics.
- Raise awareness of the Utah Domestic Violence Coalition (UDVC) resources available for individuals, families, and organizations.
Poverty & Homelessness(Spoke & Resource Kit)
- Reach out to 5 community leaders about the importance of identifying and listening to cost-burdened renters and homeowners so that effective solutions can be found.
- Encourage people in your community to learn more about and volunteer with the Create Better Health program.
Sexual Assault (Spoke & Resource Kit)
- Get 5 individuals to take the Start By Believing Pledge and 3 organizations to sign the Start By Believing Proclamation to support survivors of sexual assault.
- Download and use the Start By Believing Toolkit to promote the campaign and Start By Believing Day within your community.
- Share your commitment to Start by Believing by posting a monthly social media graphic with #SBBUtah, #bwfutah, and #bwfsexualassault and encourage others to do the same.
Sexual Harassment & Gender-Based Discrimination (Spoke & Resource Kit)
- Gather stories from at least 5 women in your community about their experiences with sexual harassment and/or gender-based discrimination; share them with local decision makers.
- Organize a community event to help individuals and organizations learn about gender-based discrimination prevention.
- Encourage community members to access and utilize resources on sexual harassment in the workplace.
Individuals & Families
Health Across the Lifespan (Spoke & Resource Kit)
- Educate yourself and others on the health risks of unhealthy relationships and intimate partner violence. Share one resource on your social media channel weekly or with a friend or family member.
- Encourage all women you know aged 40 or older to schedule an annual mammogram. Share the following resources: What to Know if You’re Nervous about Mammograms and Breast Health.
- Initiate candid conversations with girls and young women about issues that impact their health and wellbeing. These can include topics such as maturation, physical and mental health, body image, social media, disordered eating, and substance use disorder.
Home & Family (Spoke & Resource Kit)
- Encourage your local school administrators and staff to offer healthy relationship workshops for high school students. See the resource kit for ideas.
- Encourage couples and parents in your spheres of influence to participate in free research-based workshops on healthy relationships. Healthy Relationships Utah provides courses and other resources on couples/dating, stepfamilies, parents, and self improvement.
- Learn and share information about balanced distribution of domestic labor, care work, and emotional work. For example, resources on this page can be shared with family members, friends, neighbors, co-workers, religious leaders, and on social media.
Groups, Organizations & Communities
Health Across the Lifespan (Spoke & Resource Kit)
- Find creative ways to encourage women in your community aged 40 or older to schedule an annual mammogram.
- Host 3 or more small group discussions about Utah Women and Perimenopause/Menopause using the Living Room Conversation Guide.
- Encourage families to utilize the Family Tool Kit to empower adolescents as they transition and take on the responsibilities of becoming a healthy adult.
Home & Family (Spoke & Resource Kit)
- Encourage couples and parents in your spheres of influence to participate in research-based workshops and webinars on healthy relationships.
- Host at least one community conversation about shared domestic labor, caregiving, and emotional work at home using the Living Room Conversation Guide.