Logo for InfluenceWatch InfluenceWatch

Donate
Non-profit

National Women’s Law Center

Website:

www.nwlc.org
Location:

Washington, DC
Tax ID:

52-1213010
Tax-Exempt Status:

501(c)(3)

Budget (2019):

Revenue: $20,307,679
Expenses: $20,393,334
Assets: $68,367,643
Type:

Non-profit
Formation:

1981
President:

Fatima Goss Graves
Latest Tax Filing:

2020 Form 990

The National Women’s Law Center (NWLC) promotes left-of-center social policy through litigation and policy initiatives. The group supports, advocates for, and attempts to implement left-wing policy approaches, including government-funded abortion access, government-funded birth control, left-progressive tax and budgetary policy, expanded entitlement programs, and government-funded childcare programs.

Policy Advocacy

Employment and COVID-19

The National Women’s Law Center supports and advocates for increasing the federal minimum wage. 1

At the beginning of 2021, an NWLC report stated that all jobs lost due to the COVID-19 pandemic in December 2020 belonged to women. 2 NWLC used the report to advocate for larger federal subsidies for COVID-19 relief, including funding for paid family and sick leave and subsidies for childcare. 3

Emily Martin, vice president for education and workplace justice at NWLC, claimed that women were leaving the work force in high numbers due to the COVID-19 pandemic, arguing that the government should provide more aid to states and cities to help women get their jobs back. 4

Ms. Magazine published an article written by NWLC that encouraged United States lawmakers to make “large-scale and comprehensive public investments” into the market due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The article claimed that such investments were necessary to offset the impact of the pandemic on women and girls and advocated for left-of-center government programs to provide more social assistance to frontline workers, offer direct payments to American families, and bail out state governments struggling during the pandemic. 5

Health Care and Abortion

NWLC has claimed that the supposed “right” to abortion is in crisis due to the conservative shift of the United States Supreme Court. 6 The president and CEO of NWLC, Fatima Goss Graves, has accused former President Donald Trump and his administration of limiting access to government-funded abortions and birth control, making it difficult for sexual assault victims on campus to file complaints, and removing pay regulations that supposedly protected equal gender pay . 7

In January of 2018, NWLC and the Center for Reproductive Rights filed a Freedom of Information Act request for information pertaining to the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Civil Rights’ creation of a new division to focus exclusively on religious and moral exemption laws. NWLC claimed that the new department would deny healthcare and access to abortions on religious grounds. 8

NWLC supports the expansion of government-controlled health care programs and has encouraged the Biden administration to eliminate Medicaid work requirements. 9

LBGT Issues

NWLC threatened to retaliate with legal action against former President Trump and his administration after it proposed to change health care provisions established under the Affordable Care Act regarding healthcare for transgender people and women who have abortions. 10

On President Joe Biden’s first day in office, he signed an executive order to protect LGBT people from discrimination, signaling that his administration would follow the United States Supreme Court’s ruling last year that LGBT employees are covered by Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. NWLC supported the controversial executive order, which allows transgender athletes to participate in athletics programs in accordance with their adopted genders, claiming that it does not pose a threat to girls and women in sports. 11

NWLC has also supported President Biden’s controversial appointment of Pennsylvania Health Secretary Rachel Levine as Assistant Health Secretary. Levine is the first openly transgender federal official to be confirmed by the U.S. Senate. NWLC has claimed that transgender people face challenges in accessing health care and that Levine’s appointment will advance transgender interests in medicine. 12

Political Activism

Opposition to Former President Trump

At the beginning of 2021, NWLC was named as a supporter and joint signer of a letter to Congress in support of the removal of former President Trump from office. The letter, written and published by the left-of-center Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights (LCCHR) and signed by over 220 organizations, accused the former president of causing the riots at the United States Capitol on January 6, 2021 and alleged that he is white supremacist. 13

Sunu Chandy, legal director at NWLC, accused the Trump administration of siding with the “powerful” and claimed that the Biden administration will be “helpful to the people.” 14

Judicial Affairs

In May of 2020, NWLC co-authored and co-signed, as a co-chair of the Fair Courts Task Force, a letter to then-United States Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and then-Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham (R-SC) demanding that the Senate stop considering the question of lifetime judicial nominees until after the end of the COVID-19 pandemic. 15

NWLC also participated in sending letters opposing the confirmation of Stephen Vaden to the U.S. Court of International Trade,16 Toby Crouse to the U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas,17 and Kathryn Mizelle to the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida. 18 NWLC has co-signed a number of letters in opposition to right-of-center judicial nominees, including letters in opposition to Justin Walker to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, Cory Wilson to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, and David Dugan to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois. 19

NWLC, accompanied by over 220 other organizations, published a letter in February of 2019 condemning Neomi Rao, then-President Trump’s nominee for the Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. The letter, signed by then president and CEO of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights Vanita Gupta, claimed that Rao was biased against women’s rights and sexual assault victims, accused her of racism, and criticized her ideological affiliations. 20

NWLC president and CEO Fatima Goss Graves and the NWLC supported President Biden’s choice for the appointment of Kristen Clarke to the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division. Clarke would be the first African American woman to hold the position. 21

After the death of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, NWLC criticized President Trump, Sen. McConnell, and their supporters for their successful confirmation of Justice Amy Coney Barrett to the United States Supreme Court. 22

COVID-19

In June of 2020, NWLC’s sister organization, the National Women’s Law Center Fund, created the Legal Network for Gender Equity and expanded its services to include assisting eligible workers with receiving paid time compensation in relation to COVID-19. 23 The Network offered workers one free telephone conversation, then paid services if employees wanted to press charges against their employers. 24

Education

In June of 2020, NWLC filed a lawsuit against then-Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos and the United States Department of Education regarding changes to Title IX rules on behalf of several students claiming that they experienced sexual harassment and assault on campus. 25

In 2016, Gretchen Borchelt, vice president for reproductive rights and health at the NWLC, filed an amicus brief on behalf of 68 other organizations claiming that religious institutions, other than churches, should not be exempt from the mandate to provide employees with full contraception insurance imposed by the Affordable Care Act. 26 The case, Zubik v. Burwell, challenged whether an employer’s religious beliefs could determine women’s insurance coverage for birth control. 27 On May 16, 2016, the United States Supreme Court sent the case back down to the lower courts and did not hear the case. 28

Organizational Support

NWLC also runs the the National Women’s Law Center Fund and the National Women’s Law Center Action Fund. The National Women’s Law Center Fund is a legal defense fund with a total income in 2018 of over $7 million and total assets totaling over $15 million. The National Women’s Law Center Action Fund is the left-progressive 501(c)(4) arm of the NWLC, providing research, education, and advocacy in support of NWLC’s policy goals. 29

National Women’s Law Center has joined the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights and sits on its task forces. NWLC sits as a co-chair on the Education Task Force. NWLC is also a co-chair on the Fair Courts Task Force, which advocates for left-leaning judicial appointments. 30

History

NWLC was originally a program started by the Center for Law and Social Policy, a public interest law firm. In 1981, Nancy Duff Campbell and Marcia D. Greenberger established NWLC as an independent entity. 31 Both Campbell and Greenberger remained co-presidents until 2017, when Fatima Goss Graves took over as president and CEO. 32

In 1990, the Center broadened its scope and began to focus more on legislative work. 33

Financials and Support

NWLC supports left-leaning organizations that advocate for expanded abortion access. Previous NWLC grant recipients have included Access Reproductive Care-Southeast, the DC Abortion Fund, Feminist Women’s Health Center, and New Voices for Reproductive Justice. 34

Fatima Goss Graves received $410,135 in compensation in 2018 as the president and CEO of the National Women’s Law Center. 35

In 2018, National Women’s Law Center spent $497,626 on lobbying efforts36 and $160,004 on grassroots lobbying efforts. 37

Funders of the NWLC include labor unions like the National Education Association;38 liberal foundations including the Ford Foundation,39 the W.K. Kellogg Foundation,40 and the MacArthur Foundation;41 and advocacy groups including TSNE MissionWorks (formerly Third Sector New England)42 and National Academy of Social Insurance. 43

References

  1. Roberts, Lily and Olinsky, Ben. “Raising the Minimum Wage Would Boost the Economic Recovery – and Reduce Taxpayer Subsidization of Low-Wage Work.” Center for American Progress. January 27, 2021. Accessed February 7, 2021. https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/economy/news/2021/01/27/495163/raising-minimum-wage-boost-economic-recovery-reduce-taxpayer-subsidization-low-wage-work/
  2. Ewing-Nelson, Claire. “All of the Jobs Lost in December Were Women’s Jobs.” National Women’s Job Center. January 2021. Accessed February 7, 2021. https://nwlc.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/December-Jobs-Day.pdf
  3. Connley, Courtney. “A Year Ago, Women Outnumbered Men in the U.S. Workforce, Now They Account for 100% of the Jobs Lost in December.” CNBC Make It. January 11, 2021. Accessed January 24, 2021. https://www.cnbc.com/2021/01/11/women-account-for-100percent-of-jobs-lost-in-december-new-analysis.html
  4. Hartman, Mitchell. “Dem’s Family Agenda: Tax Credits, Child Care and School Aid, Paid Leave.” Marketplace. February 8, 2021. Accessed February 13, 2021. https://www.marketplace.org/2021/02/08/dems-family-agenda-tax-credits-child-care-and-school-aid-paid-leave/
  5. National Women’s Law Center. “What Do Women and Working Families Need to Face COVID-19?” Ms. Magazine. March 18, 2020. Accessed February 9, 2021. https://msmagazine.com/2020/03/18/what-do-women-and-working-families-need-to-face-covid-19/
  6. Atkins, Chloe. “’A Crisis Moment’: States, Advocates Brace for New Fight Over Abortion Rights.” NBC News. January 11, 2021. Accessed February 7, 2021. https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/crisis-moment-states-advocates-brace-new-fight-over-abortion-rights-n1253665
  7. Singer, Jenny. “The Biden-Harris White House Plans to ‘Restore America as a Champion for Women and Girls.’” Glamour. January 19, 2021. Accessed January 24, 2021. https://www.glamour.com/story/the-biden-harris-white-house-plans-to-restore-america-as-a-champion-for-women-and-girls
  8. Press Release. “Center for Reproductive Rights, National Women’s Law Center, File Freedom of Information Act Request to Investigate HHS Division Devoted to Promoting Health Care Discrimination.” Center for Reproductive Rights. January 26, 2018. Accessed February 12, 2021. https://www.reproductiverights.org/press-room/center-for-reproductive-rights-national-women%E2%80%99s-law-center-file-freedom-of-information-ac 
  9. Twitter. February 12, 2021. Accessed February 13, 2021. https://twitter.com/nwlc?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor
  10. Holden, Dominic. “Trump is Gutting Health Care Protections for Transgender People and Those Who Had Abortions.” Buzz Feed News. May 24, 2019. Accessed February 12, 2021. https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/dominicholden/trump-rule-transgender-abortion-healthcare-discrimination
  11. Schmidt, Samantha; Wax-Thibodeaux, Emily; and Balingit, Moriah. “Biden Calls for LBGQT Protections in Day 1 Executive Order, Angering Conservatives.” The Washington Post. January 21, 2021. Accessed February 7, 2021. https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2021/01/21/biden-executive-order-transgender-lgbtq/
  12. Ho, Justin. “Biden’s Nomination of Dr. Rachel Levine Sends Signal About LBGQT Health Protections.” Marketplace. January 20, 2021. Accessed February 7, 2021. https://www.marketplace.org/2021/01/20/bidens-nomination-of-dr-rachel-levine-sends-signal-about-lgbtq-health-protections/
  13. Letter. “Support Removal of President Trump From Office.” The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights. January 12, 2021. Accessed February 10, 2021. http://civilrightsdocs.info/pdf/policy/letters/2020/Impeachment_Letter_to_Hill_Jan_12_2021.pdf
  14. Baker, Carrie. “A New Era for Women: Biden’s Plan to Invest in Workers and Families.” Ms. Magazine. February 10, 2021. Accessed February 13, 2021. https://msmagazine.com/2021/02/10/biden-harris-workers-families-women-work-economy-child-care-family-paid-leave/
  15. Letter. The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights. May 4, 2020. Accessed February 10, 2021. http://civilrightsdocs.info/pdf/policy/letters/2020/Judicial-nominations-freeze-signon-letter-5.4.20.pdf
  16. Letter. “Oppose the Confirmation of Stephen Vaden to the U.S. Court of International Trade.” The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights. December 17, 2019. Accessed February 13, 2021. http://civilrightsdocs.info/pdf/policy/letters/2019/Letter-of-opposition-to-Stephen-Vaden-CIT.pdf
  17. Letter. “Oppose the Confirmation of Toby Crouse to the U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas.” The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights. September 16, 2020. Accessed February 13, 2021. http://civilrightsdocs.info/pdf/policy/letters/2020/Letter-of-opposition-to-Toby-Crouse-KS-9.16.20.pdf
  18. Letter. “Oppose the Confirmation of Kathryn Mizelle to the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida.” September 8, 2020. Accessed February 13, 2021. http://civilrightsdocs.info/pdf/policy/letters/2020/Letter-of-opposition-to-Kathryn-Mizelle-MDFL-9.8.20.pdf
  19. Category – Courts-Resources. National Women’s Law Center. Accessed February 13, 2021. https://civilrights.org/category/courts-resources/
  20. Letter. “Oppose the Confirmation of Neomi Rao to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.” The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights. February 1, 2019. Accessed February 8, 2021. http://civilrightsdocs.info/pdf/policy/letters/2019/Neomi-Rao-letter-of-opposition-2.1.19.pdf
  21. Harper, Averi. “DOJ Nominee Kristen Clarke Wants to Make the Promise of ‘Justice for All’ a Reality.” ABC News. January 26, 2021. Accessed February 7, 2021. https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/doj-nominee-kristen-clarke-make-promise-justice-reality/story?id=75476613
  22. Supreme Court. National Women’s Law Center. Accessed February 13, 2021. https://nwlcactionfund.org/supreme-court/
  23. Connley, Courtney. “National Women’s Law Center Expands Legal Services to Help Workers Secure Coronavirus-Related Paid Leave.” CNBC Make It. June 26, 2020. Accessed February 13, 2021. https://www.cnbc.com/2020/06/26/nwlc-expands-legal-services-to-help-workers-secure-covid-19-paid-leave.html
  24. Press Release. “NWLC Announces Legal Network for Gender Equity’s Expanded Services to Help Workers Secure COVID-19 Emergency Paid Leave.” June 22, 2021. Accessed February 13, 2021. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/nwlc-announces-legal-network-for-gender-equitys-expanded-services-to-help-workers-secure-covid-19-emergency-paid-leave-301081119.html
  25. Press Release. “Trial Begins in Case Challenging Betsey DeVos, Dept. of Education’s Rules Targeting Survivors of Sexual Violence.” National Women’s Law Center. November 12, 2020. Accessed February 12, 2021. https://nwlc.org/press-releases/trial-begins-in-case-challenging-betsy-devos-dept-of-educations-rules-targeting-survivors-of-sexual-violence/
  26. Topics – Author – Gretchen Borchelt. U.S. News and World Report. Accessed February 12, 2021. https://www.usnews.com/topics/author/gretchen_borchelt  
  27. Borchelt, Gretchen. “No More Barriers to Birth Control.” U.S. News and World Report. March 23, 2016. Accessed February 12, 2021. https://www.usnews.com/opinion/blogs/policy-dose/articles/2016-03-23/supreme-court-shouldnt-let-religious-freedom-trump-right-to-birth-control
  28. Issues – Birth Control – Zubik v. Burwell. Planned Parenthood. Accessed February 12, 2021. https://www.plannedparenthoodaction.org/issues/birth-control/zubik-v-burwell
  29. National Women’s Law Center, Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax (Form 990), 2018, Schedule R, Parts 1 and II. Accessed January 24, 2021. https://990s.foundationcenter.org/990_pdf_archive/521/521865575/521865575_201712_990.pdf
  30. About – Task Forces. The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights. Accessed February 10, 2021. https://civilrights.org/about/taskforces/
  31. “21 Leaders 2012 – Seven Who Leverage Power.” Women’s E News. December 30, 2011. Accessed January 31, 2021. https://womensenews.org/2011/12/21-leaders-2012-seven-who-leverage-power/
  32. About – NWLC Announces Leadership Transition. National Women’s Law Center. Accessed January 31, 2021. https://nwlc.org/about/nwlc-announces-leadership-transition/
  33. “21 Leaders 2012 – Seven Who Leverage Power.” Women’s E News. December 30, 2011. Accessed January 31, 2021. https://womensenews.org/2011/12/21-leaders-2012-seven-who-leverage-power/
  34. National Women’s Law Center, Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax (Form 990), 2018, Schedule I, Part II. Accessed January 24, 2021. https://990s.foundationcenter.org/990_pdf_archive/521/521865575/521865575_201712_990.pdf
  35. National Women’s Law Center, Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax (Form 990), 2018, Part VII, Line (23). Accessed January 24, 2021. https://990s.foundationcenter.org/990_pdf_archive/521/521865575/521865575_201712_990.pdf
  36. National Women’s Law Center, Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax (Form 990), 2018, Part II-A, Section 2, Line c. Accessed January 24, 2021. https://990s.foundationcenter.org/990_pdf_archive/521/521865575/521865575_201712_990.pdf
  37. National Women’s Law Center, Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax (Form 990), 2018, Part II-A, Section 2, Line f. Accessed January 24, 2021. https://990s.foundationcenter.org/990_pdf_archive/521/521865575/521865575_201712_990.pdf
  38. National Education Association, Annual Report of a Labor Organization (Form LM-2), 2020, Schedule 17. https://olmsapps.dol.gov/query/orgReport.do?rptId=737973&rptForm=LM2Form
  39. Ford Foundation, Return of a Private Foundation (Form 990-PF), 2017, Part XV Line 3. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/131684331/201803209349100025/IRS990PF
  40. W.K. Kellogg Foundation, Return of a Private Foundation (Form 990-PF), 2017, Part XV Line 3 https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/381359264/201901939349100620/IRS990PF
  41. MacArthur Foundation, Return of a Private Foundation (Form 990-PF), 2017, Part XV Line 3 https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/237093598/201813199349100836/IRS990PF
  42. Third Sector New England, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990), 2015, Schedule I https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/42261109/201620219349300017/IRS990ScheduleI
  43. National Academy of Social Insurance, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990), 2014, Schedule I https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/521451753/201521249349301207/IRS990ScheduleI
  See an error? Let us know!

Nonprofit Information

  • Accounting Period: June - May
  • Tax Exemption Received: April 1, 1981

    • Available Filings

    Period Form Type Total revenue Total functional expenses Total assets (EOY) Total liabilities (EOY) Unrelated business income? Total contributions Program service revenue Investment income Comp. of current officers, directors, etc. Form 990
    2019 Jun Form 990 $20,307,679 $20,393,334 $68,367,643 $4,829,817 N $19,447,340 $174,794 $970,864 $2,019,829 PDF
    2018 Jun Form 990 $27,437,954 $12,968,615 $65,524,413 $4,292,548 Y $26,731,251 $115,997 $562,303 $2,355,507 PDF
    2017 Jun Form 990 $12,117,525 $10,596,393 $47,449,286 $3,243,655 N $11,451,980 $88,550 $541,676 $2,190,298 PDF
    2016 Jun Form 990 $10,295,935 $9,557,778 $41,900,465 $3,206,123 N $9,373,746 $173,265 $635,690 $2,149,692
    2015 Jun Form 990 $5,761,673 $10,397,740 $41,248,858 $2,489,460 N $4,900,595 $180,455 $619,731 $2,120,969 PDF
    2014 Jun Form 990 $7,950,023 $10,819,522 $43,934,520 $1,419,286 N $7,241,022 $125,413 $532,541 $1,771,307 PDF
    2013 Jun Form 990 $20,609,751 $12,262,318 $42,751,571 $1,453,467 N $19,731,500 $203,709 $520,889 $2,279,361 PDF
    2012 Jun Form 990 $8,404,723 $9,426,241 $31,232,300 $1,227,853 N $7,880,723 $80,960 $515,161 $1,680,703 PDF
    2011 Jun Form 990 $10,906,725 $8,550,223 $32,574,850 $1,261,551 N $10,211,624 $152,442 $486,483 $1,122,702 PDF

    Additional Filings (PDFs)

    Map image for National Women’s Law Center

    National Women’s Law Center


    Washington, DC