Dear Colleagues,
Across Women’s Funding Network, members use data to understand their communities, direct resources, and advocate for change. That work is rooted in local knowledge but depends on large data systems that no single organization can shape alone. For example, the proposed changes to the U.S. 2030 Census bring that connection into focus – with public comments open to anyone regardless of nationality or residency through November 2.
The proposal would prohibit questions about race, ethnicity, and sexual orientation, introduce a regulatory definition of biological sex, and change how populations are counted for congressional representation. Together, they would reduce the visibility of communities already underrepresented in national data, make disparities harder to identify, and put at risk the evidence communities rely on to advocate for resources and representation.
Our network of global members brings a wide range of expertise to this moment. Some produce research on the status of women, girls, and LGBTQIA+ community members. In some regions, their research is the only resource specifically tracking outcomes for women of color. Because U.S. census data is used guide strategy and policy, members’ work to add community wisdom to the picture is essential in revealing what statistics alone miss.
From shared knowledge to shared infrastructure
WFN is exploring how members can turn that expertise into shared infrastructure. By combining national data with local research and community knowledge, we’re identifying opportunities for shared tools that reflect local needs while drawing on the collective expertise of the network.
Continuing the conversation at the Summit
On October 27, the WFN Summit will bring members, partners, and leaders together to explore how AI and economic transformation are reshaping labor, capital, and power. A common question runs through this work: How can communities build the knowledge and resources to shape the decisions that affect their lives?
This is the power of a network. It’s connecting what members know, identifying what they can build together, and creating the conditions for collective action. When local knowledge becomes shared knowledge, communities can make themselves visible and shape their futures on their own terms.
Bring your expertise to the public record
Join the many women’s funds who have already commented on the proposed rule change. Public comments are open through November 2. Your firsthand experience is especially valuable: how your organization uses Census data, what it has helped your community see, and what that knowledge makes possible. Note that comments are posted publicly.
Submit your comment on Docket USBC-2026-0628 by November 2 →
Sincerely,
Elizabeth Barajas-Román
Women’s Funding Network
President & CEO