Women who work in male-dominated fields like finance, tech, engineering, medicine, and many others know just how important it is to connect with other women and to see examples of women in leadership roles.
No matter where you are in your career, joining a women’s organization with the right support can help you connect with wider communities, receive support via a mentorship or internship, and open you up to positions or areas of your field you didn’t know existed. These organizations host networking events and conferences to network and learn more about what’s going on in your industry. They may give you access to scholarships if you’re a student or capital if you’re starting a business. They may just help you get your voice heard and volunteer in your community to amplify issues you care about.
Fortunately, there are many associations and nonprofits all over the country with chapters near you. Here are 12 women’s groups that will offer you all kinds of resources, whether you’re looking for a job or are interested in expanding your network or skillset.
12 women’s groups to join when you need support
1. Women Who Code
Women Who Code is a national organization supporting women in tech, hoping to one day see equal representation in industries historically dominated by men. Half of the organization’s members are engineers, and others are data scientists, executives, and many other tech roles. Women Who Code offers professional development and coding resources, scholarships, trainings, job boards, and much more to its community. The organization is run by a diverse team of women with networks all over the nation and the world.
2. Built by Girls
Both women and non-binary professionals can join the Built by Girls community to ease their transition into tech work-life. Community members can take advantage of mentorships and networking opportunities so they can start their tech careers with extra guidance. Built by Girls’ mentorship program, WAVE, supports students with an experienced professional who can help them learn the ropes, identify new career paths, or get an internship.
3. National Asian Pacific American Women's Forum
With seven chapters across the country, the National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum was established in 1996 for AAPI girls and women. The organization focuses on inciting change through action and advocacy initiatives, bolstering the interests of this long-overlooked community, and helping them amplify their unique stories.
4. Black Girl Ventures
Black Girl Ventures is the largest pitch program for Black and brown women across the globe, serving more than 5,000 women and funding over 130 women. Support is provided through coaching, leadership development, networking, and capital and capacity building for underrepresented founders and entrepreneurs. Black Girl Ventures has many programs, including the BGV Connect incubator, an online community where women-identifying founders can connect, gain access to startup resources, and take advantage of referrals and coaching.
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5. National Organization for Women (NOW)
Founded in 1966, the National Organization for Women (NOW) is a feminist organization with chapters in every U.S. state. NOW focuses on women’s rights via intersectional grassroots activism and aims to protect equal rights in all aspects of society. NOW’s Young Feminist Task Force (YFTF) promotes and sustains diversity so that NOW creates more accessible, inclusive environments for feminists. The organization focuses on reproductive rights, economic justice, ending violence, racial justice, and more.
6. Association for Women in Communication
The Association for Women in Communications (AWC) is a national organization supporting women’s advancement in communications-related careers. AWC has been around since 1909, and members receive networking benefits, leadership opportunities, professional development resources, job search tools, and much more. There are chapters in 10 states and the District of Columbia, with additional sections just for women students.
7. Black Girls Code
Women are already underrepresented in the STEM fields, and women of color even more so. Black Girls Code was created to address this discrepancy, supporting and empowering young girls of color from ages 7 to 17 to succeed in STEM careers. The organization focuses on leadership opportunities and providing the skills these girls need to succeed.
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8. National Council of Jewish Women
The National Council of Jewish Women was founded in 1893 to lift up Jewish women, children, and families. They have over 180,000 members with communities in both the U.S. and Israel, and the organization focuses on feminist advocacy and creating better educational and economic opportunities for women. They work in partnership with other community groups and also focus on expanding access to abortion and contraception.
9. Financial Women’s Association
Financial leaders and professionals have been coming together for 63 years through the Financial Women’s Association, which provides programs, networking opportunities, and meaningful memberships to support women working in the financial industry. Programs help members develop skills and stay in the know about current industry news and trends. They also offer financial literacy and mentorship programs. Certain memberships are only open to women living within 100 miles of New York City, but others are open to all.
10. National Association for Female Executives
The National Association for Female Executives was founded in 1972 and supports women professionals and business owners. The organization focuses on diversity, equity, and inclusion in its work and aims to advance women through networking, advocacy, and education resources to help them achieve personal and professional success. The organization no longer offers memberships, but they continue to hold conferences and events for their communities each year.
11. American Medical Women’s Association
Women working in the health care fields can take advantage of the American Medical Women’s Association. The organization helps women advance in medicine and promotes advocacy for equity in the field. Members gain access to mentorships, educational resources, scholarships and grants, and professional development resources.
12. Women in Technology International
Women in Technology International provides many different resources for women working in the business and tech fields. They ensure women and minorities have access to inclusive workplaces by working with companies of all shapes and sizes to improve their approach to inclusion, whether in recruitment or PR. The professional network helps women working in these fields access career resources and networking opportunities to help them succeed.
