The Economic Realities of Colorado Women

WFCO Examines the Cost of Failing to Invest in Women

This 2020 report aims to develop an initial understanding of the economic security of women in Colorado—what economic security means, why it is significant, what are the barriers deterring its achievement, and how to promote it.

The objectives of this research study are to create a better understanding of women’s economic realities in Colorado—backed by relevant literature and current data—and to develop a research framework to answer the following questions in regard to women’s economic security:

• What are the impacts/returns of investing in women?
• What are the costs of failing to invest in women?
• What are the most effective levers for propelling more Colorado women to economic security?
• What is the magnitude of the wealth gap for Colorado women? What is the wealth gap for women of
  color and considering other intersections of identity? What key factors contribute to or mitigate the
  wealth gap?
• What do we need to know about various sectors of the economy/workforce particularly relevant to
  women’s economic security?
• What do we need to know about women’s economic security at different stages of life and factors
  that contribute to or detract from women’s well-being and well building?
• While many of the barriers impacting a women’s path to economic security are known, are there
  other less-known barriers?

Furthermore, the measures used in this report have been disaggregated by race and ethnicity to
demonstrate that women are not a monolith. 

Read the Full Report

Read the Executive Summary