Women in Leadership Foundation

Published purpose

Through this 33-month systemic change project, Women in Leadership Foundation (WIL) will scale the Bridge to Gender Equality Project, to advance women’s representation in leadership and decision-making roles. It will scale to the democratic, civic, public, and private sectors working with stakeholders including BIPOC communities. The project will identify and address gender bias norms in hiring practices and build an inclusive human resource framework to support more women in applying and to be considered for leadership roles. To do so, Women in Leadership will design and facilitate pathways for employers to place future leadership opportunities with women candidates including women from the BIPOC communities across the country. This includes a dedicated Indigenous Lead (community leader) working with employers with a reconciliation lens. The project will engage employers to sign the Transforming the Workplace Pledge and provide pledge signatories with consultation on identifying and addressing their workplace policy and culture gaps. With the supplemental funds and extension provided in early 2026, the Women in Leadership Foundation will design and develop a data dashboard to support standardized reporting and help employers track progress in advancing gender equality through the Pathways to Placement Employer Program. The organization will also develop an online learning management system based on the Pathways to Placement Blueprints, including training modules, webinars, and AI-supported learning tools to expand access to resources on mentorship, inclusive hiring, workplace culture, wellness, and reporting. In addition, the foundation will provide practical tools and learning opportunities for employers, including an Inclusive HR AI Coach for managers, the delivery of two inclusive hiring workshops, and the creation of an interactive online employer network to support collaboration and knowledge sharing. Through these activities, the organization will further advance gender equality.