Announcing Women, Work & Wages Spotlight Report
Since the last Change The Story report in 2019, our world has shifted dramatically. From the upheaval of the pandemic to flood challenges and economic uncertainty, the need for timely, relevant data has never been greater. That’s Vermont Women’s Fund, Vermont Works for Women, and Vermont Commission on Women are back together to spotlight the status of women and girls in our state.
We are thrilled to announce the launch of the Women, Work, and Wages Spotlight Report - a powerful tool for understanding the economic realities facing women across our state.
About the Spotlight Report
Developed in collaboration with researchers and community leaders statewide, the spotlight report offers essential, Vermont-specific data provided by the Institute for Women’s Policy Research’s State Policy Action Lab (State PAL). The report underscores the indispensable role women play in driving Vermont’s economy and the strengthening our communities.
The Women, Work, and Wages Spotlight report highlights the Vermont gender wage gap – in 2023, Vermont women working fulltime earned just 86 cents for every dollar earned by men, resulting in women earning on average $9,000 less than man annually. Additional data points to the gender wage gap at different levels of educational attainment, the inequal economic impact of child rearing on women, and the cumulative impact of inequity on women’s retirement savings.
“Vermont Works for Women (VWW) has been working for decades to support women to build their confidence, skills, and career potential,” says Rhoni Basden, Executive Director of Vermont Works for Women. “These reports will provide essential data to continue to drive conversation and advocacy for women’s economic security across Vermont. Reliable, localized data is critical—not only to highlight disparities but to inform strategic investments, shape policy, and guide community efforts that ensure all Vermonters have equitable access to opportunity.”
Leveraging Policy, Program, and Philanthropy
This report is the product of thoughtful collaboration to bring together our organizations to leverage policy, program and philanthropy to shine a light on the essential role women play in helping drive Vermont’s economy.
“Behind every data point in this report is a real woman working hard to support her family, advance in her career, and build a life in Vermont. These numbers help us understand where the system is falling short and where our collective efforts can create meaningful change.”
~Emily Bush, Director, Vermont Women’s Fund
Join Us for the Launch Event (virtually)
We’d love for you to be part of this next chapter. Join us for a virtual preview when we’ll share highlights from the spotlight report and invite your insights, feedback, and ideas for how this data can be utilized.
December 3, 2025
11:00 am - 12:30 pm
In the spring, our partnership will host events throughout the state highlighting specific aspects of the report. A more comprehensive and expansive Women, Work, and Wages Report will launch in Summer 2026.