UWLP Blog - Finances

The Utah Women & Leadership Project has released a research snapshot that examines factors affecting Utah women and their finances, some of which are continuations of trends dating back 75 years. Some include growth in women’s workforce participation, shifts in rates and ages for marriage and childbearing, and new factors, including the global pandemic and current economic challenges.

Utah Women & Leadership Project has released the fourth of six white papers that share the results of a comprehensive statewide study conducted in the fall of 2024.

Researchers conducted a study to establish a baseline of public perceptions about the awareness, understanding, and attitudes around challenges Utah women and girls face. This summary includes health across the lifespan, entrepreneurship, and finance.

Did you miss this Spring Workshop? Don't worry! You can read about it and watch the full recording here.

Did you miss this Fall Workshop? Don't worry! You can read about it and watch the full recording here.

Did you miss this Fall Workshop? Don't worry! You can read about it and watch the full recording here.

Did you miss this Spring Women's Leadership Forum event? Don't worry! You can read about it and watch the full recording here.

Speaking up against sexism can be a powerful force for reducing gender inequity, as it can help others challenge their own biases and model more equitable forms of communication. Further, being prepared to respond to everyday sexism can help women feel more confident in their interactions with others.

National and global reports have argued that women's employment and careers have been disproportionately impacted during the COVID-19 pandemic. Learn about how this has impacted the women of Utah.

Did you miss this workshop? Learn more and watch the recording here!

How does Utah fare in comparison to the rest of the nation? Utah is home to 287,803 small businesses that have 572,888 employees—46.2% of Utah’s workforce. In 2016, Utah was ranked 8th for women-owned businesses, 11th in growth by number of firms, 4th in growth by revenue, and 30th in growth by employment.

Throughout much of history, women have been seen as an extension of their male relatives when it comes to finances; American women were not allowed to own property in their names until the mid-1800s, overt pay discrimination was legal until 1963, and women could not access credit on their own until 1974.

In September of 2019, the Utah Women and Leadership Project along with the YWCA of Utah brought a group of financial experts together to identify current resources/strengths, challenges, and potential interventions that would help Utah women financially. What follows are their recommendations organized by category.

In March 2017, the Utah Women and Leadership Project along with the YWCA of Utah brought a group of experts together to identify current resources/strengths, challenges, and potential interventions that would help Utahans have access to child care. What follows are their recommendations organized by category.

In December of 2016, the Utah Women and Leadership Project along with the YWCA of Utah brought a group of experts together to identify current resources/strengths, challenges, and potential interventions that would help Utah increase women's participation in the labor force. What follows are their recommendations organized by category.

Over the last 50 years the presence of Utah women in the labor force has slowly increased at about 8% per year. Utah women are unique in that they are less likely to full time, year round. Many factors contribute to this including marital status, and family status. More than 40% of Utah women work in just two occupational groups.

A series of recent studies has shown that organizations that have more women in management and on boards, on average, attain better financial results than do other organizations. Companies with the most women board directors out performed those with the least on return on sales.

Research has shown that most managers and top leadership teams do not fully realize the value of having women in key positions, and this is the case across all sectors, including business, government, political, nonprofit, K-12 and higher education, religious, and community. Depending on the entity, this may include women in both paid and unpaid roles ranging from positions such as supervisor, coordinator, and manager, to school principal, council member, CEO, and board director.

In August of 2016, the Utah Women and Leadership Project along with the YWCA of Utah brought a group of experts together to identify current resources/strengths, challenges, and potential interventions that would help increase Utah's female political representation. What follows are their recommendations organized by category.

Think of an important young girl in your life. Maybe she’s your teenage granddaughter, your niece in first grade, or your toddler. No matter her age, chances are she’s already forming her view of college. How do you show her that earning a college degree is an exciting challenge that will add great benefits to her life?

Utah’s tech jobs pay 57% more than the state’s average wage, and the top 10 bachelor-degree majors with the highest median earnings are all in STEM fields. Dr. Cheryl Hanewicz, technology management department chair at UVU says, “There are not a lot of women in the fields, but these are the high-paying fields.”

Most women will work during some stage of their lives – whether by choice or by circumstance. The greater a woman’s tools to succeed, the greater her options for work that is both meaningful and that allows her to make more money – increasing her chances of living above the poverty line.