Our Research
Our research is community-centered and informed in collaboration with local experts. We conduct a combination of quantitative and qualitative analysis in our studies, and we make sure we get an accurate representation of the communities we serve. This work informs all of our initiatives, so it’s important that we’re thorough, fair, and equitable in the process.
Allen County Women and Girls Study
The success of women and girls is integral to the success of our community. Knowing that, in 2020—100 years after women received the right to vote—the Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne stepped back and asked, “What is the current state of women and girls’ well-being in Allen County?” We realized we couldn’t answer that meaningfully—the last time our community studied the economic health of women and girls in our county was in 1974. And we think more than 45 years is too long to go without assessing more than half of our population. That’s why we’ve committed to repeating this study every five years.
When the Community Foundation created the 2020 Allen County Women and Girls Study, it led to the establishment of the Women’s Fund of Greater Fort Wayne. As an organization, we engage and educate our community about opportunities to enhance the lives of women and girls by amplifying their voices and driving systems-level change in our region and state.
Key Factors Affecting Women’s Economic Self-Sufficiency
We encourage employers and community leaders to learn more about the Self-Sufficiency Standard here.
2025 Allen County Women and Girls Update
In 2025, the Women’s Fund of Greater Fort Wayne conducted a follow-up study to provide an updated assessment of the status of women and girls in Allen County. The study centered on the Fund’s three focus areas identified from the 2020 study: Economic Security, Personal Safety, and Young Women & Girls.
This work builds on insights from the original 2020 Allen County Women and Girls Study, which first examined the data and the “why” behind some of the biggest hardships and barriers women and girls face in our community.
The world women and girls live in today has shifted significantly over the last five years, and the injustices facing them persist.
Enter your name and email address below to receive the full 2025 Women’s Economic Security Survey Data report.
For a presentation of the research and data, please contact Cassie Beer, Women’s Fund Director.
Key Takeaways
We have actively worked in our three focus areas, deepening our understanding of what women and girls in our community need to succeed. Our approach to the 2025 follow-up study centered on each of the Women’s Fund’s focus areas. These are the key takeaways.
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We address employment issues that impede women and girls from reaching their full economic potential. Through our research, we’ve learned that Allen County workplaces could better meet the needs of women.
In Allen County:
74.7% of working-age women are in the workforce, with 70% of women who work full time needing to do so for financial reasons.
The pay gap increased from $14,691 in 2018 to $16,173 in 2023.
50% of working-age women can’t afford to save for retirement.
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We promote programs, policies, and systems that ensure the safety of women and girls. Our efforts reveal a harsh truth: sexual harassment, rape, and domestic violence are common in our community, and current policies need improvement.
In Allen County:
40% of women ages 18–64 have experienced sexual assault or rape.
45% of women ages 18–64 have experienced domestic or intimate partner violence.
FWPD Victims Assistance receives 10,000 calls per year on average regarding experiences of domestic violence.
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We listen to and amplify the voices of young women and girls, so they know they are supported and celebrated. Through our research, we’ve learned that communication is essential for the well-being of young women and girls.
In Allen County:
Middle and high school girls report feeling sad and hopeless.
30% of young women and girls experience anxiety, depression, and stress.
Young women and girls continue to express the need for safe, female-focused spaces in our community.
2020 Allen County Women and Girls Study
Our original study, which closed the 45-year research gap on women and girls in Allen County, revealed that we’re doing some things right as a community, but we still have work to do.
The Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne commissioned Purdue University Fort Wayne’s Community Research Institute (CRI) to conduct the 2020 Allen County Women and Girls Study. Through both quantitative data and qualitative insights from women and girls across urban and rural areas, this groundbreaking study laid the foundation for the creation of the Women’s Fund of Greater Fort Wayne.
Contact Cassie Beer, Women’s Fund Director, for the full 2020 report.
Additional Research on Women and Girls
Working toward gender equality is an ongoing mission—and understanding where we stand is key to making progress. Through continuous research and data-driven reports, we identify challenges, highlight progress, and inform action toward greater equity. Explore our key publications to learn more about the local landscape for women and girls.
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The Women in the Workplace Scorecard offers an annual snapshot of how Allen County employers are supporting women in the workforce. Each year, the Women’s Fund surveys local organizations to better understand leadership representation, pay equity, workplace benefits, and policies that impact women’s success. The Scorecard serves as a quick, actionable tool for understanding where we are—and where we can do better.
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The Women in the Workplace Report paints a picture of what it’s like to be a woman in the Allen County workforce. Every five years, the Women’s Fund publishes this in-depth report to measure progress and identify areas for continued growth. It examines key factors, such as women’s representation in leadership, equitable compensation, workplace benefits and policies, and hiring and retention practices. By tracking these indicators over time, the report helps community leaders and employers strengthen opportunities and build a more equitable workforce.
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When we completed our initial 2020 Allen County Women and Girls Study, we learned that girls perform well academically, earn more high school honors diplomas than boys, and are more than twice as likely to have a bachelor’s degree as their mothers and grandmothers. But we still have work to do. We needed to hear more from the 12–24 age group. We convened three focus groups to center their voices, elevate their experiences, and demonstrate to the next generation that we’re listening.
"If advocacy for women and girls is about giving voice to the voiceless - gathering and analyzing data is about making the invisible visible ... We cannot close the gender gap without closing the data gap."
—Melinda Gates