Our Mission
To create a growing pool of donors in support of women candidates running for President, Senate, and governorships with the goal of increasing the number of women in elected office.
About Us
Electing Women Bay Area is a community of like-minded donors who come together in support of Democratic women running for President, US Senate, and governorships. We have giving circles in San Francisco, Silicon Valley, the East Bay, and Wine Country.
Our goal is to support women candidates while creating intention and community around individual political giving. Members gather regularly to meet with women candidates – incumbents and non-incumbents – in small, intimate settings to discuss politics and policy and to exchange ideas.
As it currently stands, women make up 27 percent of Congress and 18 percent of governorships. With Vice President Kamala Harris’s entrance to the White House and departure from the Senate, there are only three women of color and no Black women in the Senate. There has never been a Black woman governor in US history. Clearly we have a lot of work to do, and we’re dedicated to improving these statistics.
EWBA is a part of the Electing Women Alliance, a national network of giving circles in cities around the country, including Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, DC, Denver, Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Santa Fe, Seattle, Silicon Valley, Sonoma and Vail. Circles are forming in Cleveland, Houston, Las Vegas, Miami, and Phoenix, among others.
Our History
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2000
The Beginning
The first Electing Women giving circle was launched in 2000 in Denver, Colo., by two visionary businesswomen who believed that women candidates needed more support and women donors needed more meaningful ways to get involved.
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2000-2014
The Next Years
Electing Women Denver grew and expanded and became practically a mandatory stop on any candidate’s fundraising schedule. Over the years, members of the giving circle built relationships not only with each other but with the candidates they supported.
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2015
Kirsten Gillibrand
Beginning in 2015, with the support and encouragement of New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, the Denver model was replicated in cities around the country. Electing Women San Francisco and Electing Women Silicon Valley were among the earliest new giving circles, along with Boston, Philadelphia, Vail, and Los Angeles.
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2016
The 2016 Election Cycle
Our national network, the Electing Women Alliance, was officially launched. In the 2016 election cycle, EWA raised over $1 million for candidates around the country. More than 25 Senate candidates and incumbents attended a rousing EWA event in Philadelphia during the Democratic National Convention.
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2018
Electing Women Bay Area
Electing Women San Francisco and Electing Women Silicon Valley merged into Electing Women Bay Area, combining our operations into one PAC. We also added two groups in the East Bay and Wine Country. Members join EWBA and have the option to attend events in any of our four locations.
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2020
The 2020 Election Cycle
Electing Women Bay Area raised record amounts during the historic 2020 election cycle, despite the pivot to virtual events as a result of COVID-19. EWA hosted its first-ever national events for various candidates, most notably VP nominee Kamala Harris.