| Name | Kim |
|---|---|
| Last Name | Shumpert |
| Home Address | 863 Canal St. #201 Chattanooga, TN 37402 United States |
| Organization Name | Chattanooga Women's Leadership Institute |
| Describe Your Role In The Organization | Chief Executive Officer |
| Organization Address | 811 Broad St. #300 Chattanooga, TN 37405 United States |
| Website | https://www.cwli.org |
| Best Phone Number To Reach You | 8708976227 |
| Alternate Phone Number | 4233948173 |
| Email Address | kim@cwli.org |
| Alternate Email Address | info@cwli.org |
| Please Describe Your Project In Detail | The Great REBUILD Initiative is a talent and business accelerator project designed to address the negative economic impact and disproportionate job losses experienced by women during the COVID-19 crisis. We seek to reverse trends of the Great Resignation that inequitably affect women as we recover from the pandemic. Additionally, we seek to be a resource to female entrepreneurs who are pivoting in their career due to the effects of COVID-19. Chattanooga is at a tipping point. Community leaders and stakeholders have invested heavily to build an infrastructure that attracts new industries and innovations. Without proper attention to the retention and development of our workforce, it will be difficult to sustain the growth Chattanooga has experienced or to achieve the One Chattanooga vision. CWLI supports women in leadership roles in our region through three pillars: Educate, Collaborate, and Elevate. We use each pillar as a separate lens to create and offer a suite of high-quality professional development tracts to assist women at various stages in their careers or small business growth cycles who seek to improve their leadership capabilities and economic mobility and connect with fellow female leaders and entrepreneurs. CWLI’s leadership training model is curated around evidence-based best practices for cultivating female leaders and elevating them into more decision-making spaces. Our services have proven results for improving the economic mobility of the women we serve, and, by extension, those they care for; especially children and elderly individuals who are among the most vulnerable in our community. The work we do at CWLI seeks to make the invisible visible, to excavate the unsaid. We work to advocate on behalf of women and equip them to advocate on their own behalf. As COVID-19 threatened our operations, we recognized an opportunity to become a stronger resource for women. Female workers need culturally appropriate support to access career ladder promotions and confidently pursue these opportunities. Chattanooga Women’s Leadership Institute (CWLI) provides the scaffolding needed to elevate women toward achieving leadership positions within their field while also accelerating their professional recovery in four specific ways through the The Great REBUILD Initiative. 1. Research - As an institute, it is important that our model be driven by research. We conduct internal and external research and collect from regional and national resources to inform our mission implementation. All objectives point back to evidence-based best practices for cultivating female leaders who shape culture. 2. Educate - Learn through training catered to a variety of career levels. Each quarter is designed to build out from a theme aligned with what women need to elevate their leadership and ecnomic status. We start each quarter with a Leadership Luncheon (LL) keynote speaker. Then we dive deeper into the topic through 3 tiered Leadership Studies (LS). Participants pick their comfort level with the topic (beginning (LS1), middle (LS2), advanced (LS3). If they're ready for something more intensive, they can discover one of our Leadership Tracks (LT) where they will be challenged with real-life leadership application. New for 2022, we offer employee resource groups catered to individual companies and their needs. We bridge the mnadates of the employer with the needs of their female workforce by working with a design team to curate curriculum. 3. Collaborate - Connect with female leaders throughout the region. We offer at least 4 quarterly networking opportunities annually in addition to our 2 major thought leadership events (Women's Symposium and IMPACT Speaker Address). These opportunitis present women with proximity to leaders with whom they many never intersect but for our platform. These gatherings increase their social capacity and ability to access needed resources. Additionally, we foster both formal and informal mentoring for participants. We facilitate 1:1 mentoring between emerging and existing female leaders and business owners. These offerings are diverse in nature as well as intergenerational. 4. Elevate - Advance more women in decision-making spaces. Nearly 21% of the women connected to CWLI are small business owners and entrepreneurs. Women as a group struggle to gain and leverage operating capital, realizing less than 3% of the available venture capital dispersed annually. The latest Bloomberg report indicates women secured just 2% of the available venture capital in 2021. It was the second year in a row that women’s percentage of venture capital shrank,making these business ideas more difficult to take to market and contribute to economic growth. As our economy recovers post-COVID19, the talents of these women will be needed to assist in a robust rebound. Our multi-faceted offerings provide fertile soil for female-owned businesses to grow. Futhermore, as we realize more women serving in higher positions among companies and on boards, companies and communites benefit. During the COVID-19 crisis, CWLI took steps to anticipate this effect and work to address root causes that prevent women from successful VC acquisition. We partnered with the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce to build a women’s institute and co-working laboratory housed inside the Chamber building. Along with new administrative offices, we opened a co-working space (CWLI Legacy Center) designed by women for women. The space offers more than 20 openings with a mix of dedicated offices, dedicated work stations and flexible work stations to accommodate the varied needs of clients. Our desire for this space will help professional women, especially female-owned businesses accelerate their impact and improve access to venture capital. Proximity is a strong indicator for successful outcomes. Placing these female entrepreneurs inside the Chamber ecosystem while improving their leadership skills will provide these vulnerable businesses the advantage they need to accelerate their work. As women re-imagine their professional priorities in light of the effects of COVID-19, we stand ready to provide the resources necessary for women to leverage this moment and increase their economic mobility by elevating their talents into higher paying jobs and leadership and accelerating their businesses. The Great REBUILD Initiative will deter further erosion of the female workforce while strengthening their capacity to improve their economic mobility during this unique juncture as our community experiences unprecedented growth. Housing and daily living expenses have far outpaced women’s capabilities to improve their economic standing. The Great REBUILD Initiative activates the talents of women, accelerating their progress toward regaining what was lost in COVID-19. This project has the ability to set Chattanooga apart from other municipalities and make Chattanooga the best place for women to work, simultaneously contributing to the attractiveness of Chattanooga for high-quality employers and the One Chattanooga vision. |
| Please explain how your project meets the requirements of the American Rescue Plan | When we accelerate the ability of women to increase their leadership capabilities and, by extension, their income potential, we improve outcomes for families and, especially, vulnerable children. The Covid19 crisis has revealed that, although women comprise more than 50% of the workforce, they are over-represented among the service-oriented sector. The loss of jobs in sectors dominated by women has had an overwhelming impact on income stability. The Institute for Women’s Policy Research (IWPR) posits that one in two of more than 30 million families in the U.S. with children under the age of 18 have a breadwinner mother, who contributes at least 40 percent of the earnings to the household. When these women were expected to halt production so they could pivot to feed and educate their children, the U.S. economy took an enormous hit. Recovery for our business sector will continue to lag if work isn’t done to accelerate the return of these women to the workforce. The Great REBUILD Initiative meets the federal guidelines by responding to the negative economic impact of COVID-19 on women. As the federal register explains, “Over the course of the pandemic, inequities manifested along gender lines as schools closed to in-person activities, leaving many working families without child care during the day”. Women absorbed the brunt of this impact, especially women of color. Additionally, as the register explains, “The pandemic has also severely impacted many small businesses…70 percent of small businesses reported that the pandemic has had a moderate or large negative effect on their business, and over a third expect that it will take over 6 months for their business to return to their normal level of operations” It follows that female owned businesses have experienced an exacerbated effect due to their statistically lower rate of access to social and venture capital. Much of the progress that has been made towards women’s parity in the workforce was recently threatened due to the unequal burden put on women during the COVID-19 pandemic. Senior level women have reported more burnout during the pandemic than senior level men. The pandemic has also placed an increased burden on mothers, who are more likely to take the brunt of responsibility for caregiving and earn less than fathers. One in three women are contemplating downshifting their careers or leaving the workforce, and one in three mothers are considering the same. This number is up from one in four from a year ago. One in five mothers do not live with a spouse or partner, are far more likely than other parents to do all the housework, and are compensated less than single fathers. Most single parents (81%) are women, and the difference is higher in black solo parents, 89% are women. Single mothers are much more likely to be in poverty than single fathers or married parents. Black single moms are almost twice as likely to be in poverty than single dads, and nearly half of all Black single mothers in Chattanooga live at or below the poverty level, more than twice the rate of white single moms.v This is especially problematic in Chattanooga (TN), where increases in housing and rent prices have outpaced increases in earning over the past three years, and housing costs have soared to unprecedented heights over the course of the pandemic. Currently, in order to not be considered housing-burdened (paying 30% or more of income on housing), a single woman in Chattanooga must earn $48,000 annually to afford the average rent cost of a two-bedroom apartment, which has risen 17.6% in the past year. This means that women must have a graduate or professional degree to earn enough to afford a two-bedroom apartment. In Hamilton County, women with graduate or professional degrees earn less on average than men with just a bachelor’s degree. We have a chance to increase the capacity of an existing platform that demonstrates proven results for improving economic outcomes for women. The Great REBUILD Initiative satisfies the intent of the ARP by addressing systemic barriers that heightened the negative ecnomic impact to women in the first place. By embracing this platform, we signal to women that we recognize their value in our community and will work to not only "pandemic proof" their lives but work to see their value not just recovered, but elevated. |
| Where would your project take place? | Greater Chattanooga Region |
| How much will your project cost in total? | 399950 |
| Do you have any matching funding sources from other local governments, private entities, non-profits, or philanthropic entities for your project? | Yes |
| Please describe the source and list amounts of any other funding. | Corporate Partnerships 41.3% Membership Dues 25.5% Fundraising 15% Other 1.5% Program Revenue 4.3% Rental Income 6.2% Restricted Donations 4.5% Investments 1.7% |
| What portion of the project are you asking the city to fund? | $25,000 |
| If funded, when would your project start? | January 1, 2022 |
| How long would your project take to complete? | 12 Months |
| What milestones would you use to measure your project’s progress? | Following are the goals, objectives, outcomes and measurements of The Great REBUILD Initiative. Goal: Women will elevate their leadership skills, economic mobility, and regain job losses from COVID-19. Objective: Provide at least 40 leadership training and mentoring opportunities with varied levels of depth of knowledge and catered to entry, mid, and advanced career levels. Objective: Develop and implement at least 4 women’s resource groups inside local companies (2 already existing with one being simulcast to a satellite location in Memphis). Outcome: At least 70% of participants will indicate that they have increased their confidence as a leader in their career or community. Outcome: At least 70% of participants will demonstrate that they have identified and leveraged an opportunity to increase their economic status. Outcome: At least 50% of participants will indicate they have received a promotion in their career in the last 12 months. Outcome: At least 80% of participants will indicate they have received a raise in salary in the last 12 months. Measurement: Annual participant survey, training surveys, employer reporting, local unemployment reporting Goal: Participants will increase their social capital through intergenerational and multi-level career exposure. Objective: Provide at least 4 Quarterly Connect networking opportunities. Objective: Host first annual Chattanooga Women’s Symposium exploring social, economic, and policy issues related to women post-COVID-19 with intentional networking provided. Objective: Implement and facilitate 1:1 mentoring between emerging and existing female leaders Outcome: At least 80% of participants will indicate they have increased their social capital and community contacts. Measurement; Annual participant survey, Symposium attendance records and feedback, 1:1 mentoring reporting. Goal: Female entrepreneurs will grow their businesses. Objective: Launch CWLI Legacy Center co-working space for women. Objective: Provide at least 4 Leadership Study workshops catered to female entrepreneurs with topics such as business finance and venture capital acquisition. Objective: Provide 1:1 mentoring between emerging and existing female small business owners and entrepreneurs. Outcome: The CWLI Legacy Center will have at least 80% occupancy within 12 months of the project start date. Outcome: At least 50% of Legacy Center users will indicate they have increased their revenue or venture capital raise within 12 months of the project start date. Measurement: Annual participant survey |
| How would you ensure accountability and transparency throughout the project lifecycle? | As a 501C3, we adhere to strict rules of accountability through our governance and financial oversight processes. We have formalized operating Financial Policies and Investment Policy Statement. Our board meets monthly to review and vote on prior month's financials. Our CEO publishes an in depth monthly report updating on progress toward goals. We file a 990 annually. Furthermore, we have an extensive online presence and a solid 25 year reputation in the community for fidelity. We have experience managing grants and grant reporting with expertise. |
| If successful, how would your project benefit the community? | Through The Great REBUILD Initiative, our community will capitalize on the extensive talents that women bring to the workforce. We will regain what was lost during COVID-19 and will see more women, who serve as a social and ecnomic nucleus for our society, stronger then before the pandemic. By elevating their leaderhsip, accelerating their economic mobility, and resourcing their small businesses, the Greater Chattanooga region will become a flagship for attracting and retaining high-quality female talent. The time has never been more right for us to address the systemic issues that historically have prevented women from being full participants in their own outcomes. By strengthening the CWLI platform, we will see more women thrive. When women thrive, companies and communities thrive. |
| How will you attract community buy-in for your project? | We partner with more than 100 for profit and nonprofit organizations thorugh our various networks. We are active members of the Downtown Chattanooga Rotary, the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce, and the Chattanooga Nonprofit Alliance. We partner with such entities as the Mayor's Council for Women, the Women's Fund of Greater Chattnaooga, the Community Foundation of Greater Chattanooga, Millioin Women Mentors, and many more to achieve our ambitious curriculum goals and outcomes. Additionally, we will advertise our partnership with the City of Chattanooga across our various digital platforms and educaitonal offerings. We will attend community fairs and presnet on our project whenever the opportunity presents itself. We will spotlight successes in real time through strategic social media campaigns and at our larger thought leadership events. Finally, we will demonstrate our success through evidence. CWLI has an enduring reputation for successful outcomes. The Great REBUILD Initiative will accelerate these outcomes setting Chattanooga apart from other municipalities. This innovative approach will achieve the intent of ARP while strengthening the ecnomic engine fuleled by female talent. |
| Is there anything else you would like us to know about your project? | While not formalized as a partnership yet, we anticipate working with CoLab, the Enterprise Center, and the Business INCubator to envision a referral stream for the CWLI Legacy Center. We will work toward achieving a collaboration that will benefit the women involved in these agencies. |