Women’s commission funding in jeopardy

The Indiana Commission for Women has been advocating for women since 1996. (Illustration from ICW website)

In its mission statement, the Indiana Commission for Women says it “strives to elevate the well-being of women in Indiana by understanding their needs and supporting their active involvement in all areas of society.”

Cutting government is all the rage in Washington D.C. and here in Indiana right now. One of the cuts in the state budget got me curious, though: the Indiana Commission for Women (ICW).

There are several commissions like this operating under the Civil Rights Commission.

In the 2023 budget, they included the Commission on the Social Status of Black Males, the Native American Indian Affairs Commission, the Commission on Hispanic/Latino Affairs, the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday Commission and the Commission for Women.

Gov. Mike Braun’s submitted budget reduced funding for the Civil Rights Commission by 15% and eliminated individual line items for ICW and the Native American Indian Affairs Commission.

An amendment in the House Ways and Means Committee restored funding for the civil rights and native groups, but not the ICW.

Now it’s the only one taking a hit — losing its entire $113,601 budget.

The Braun administration says it doesn’t want to end any of the commissions. Instead, it plans to streamline costs by merging them into an overarching Cultural Commission with subcommittees. Staffing would drop from four directors to one director and an assistant. The MLK Commission would remain separate.

But that language isn’t in the budget. It simply eliminates funding for only the ICW and the optics are bad.

Governor’s budget would trim 5% across agencies

I decided to learn a little bit about the group that is being targeted when others remain. I used public records because the ICW didn’t return calls seeking comment.

It was created in 1996 to assess the “needs of Indiana women and their families and promote full participation of Indiana women in all aspects of society.”

There are 14 other duties in statute, such as advocating for the removal of legal and social barriers for women; combating discrimination against women; recognizing contributions made by women to their community, state and nation; improving quality of life for women; and monitoring legislation and legal developments to make recommendations to lawmakers and the governor.

The 15-member commission includes members of the Indiana General Assembly and other appointments by the governor, House and Senate. They meet a handful of times a year. According to meeting minutes, there is a full-time director and most of the commission’s budget goes to salary, technology and general office expenditures.

Programming

Only about $5,600 goes to programming. The group used to have about $30,000 for programming, according to meeting minutes, but for years, lawmakers have held its budget flat even as costs have increased.

Some of that programming includes the International Women’s Day Event that drew more than 530 attendees last year. The 2025 event is scheduled for March 4 and includes panels on health, education and economic opportunities as well as building pathways for girls. Several government leaders will speak alongside women in business, higher education and sports.

Other events include seminars on maternal mortality and pay equity, Hoosier Women Speak event, Women’s Day at the Statehouse, and the annual Torchbearer awards.

The Torchbearer Awards are the most high-profile of the events and did stir controversy in 2023 when the group wanted to give the award to Dr. Caitlin Bernard, an abortion doctor who has received national attention in the fight for access to reproductive care but was found to have violated patient privacy laws. Gov. Eric Holcomb blocked the move.

The ICW also provides sponsorships to events – usually under $500 — including for the Northwest Indiana Influential Women Association, Hoosier Women at Work, and the YWCA Evansville’s Women’s Equality Day Luncheon.

The group seems worthwhile to me, though I admit the administrative/programming costs breakdown is concerning. I think it’s very fair to think that some consolidation might help streamline costs and therefore free up more for events.

But as the budget sits currently, the IWC is the only entity being singled out to lose funding when women have faced inequality and barriers like the other groups of people served by these commissions.