Women’s Tech Groups Need More Than Just Inspiration to Succeed.
Organizations dedicated to supporting women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) are facing significant challenges as corporate budgets tighten and cultural shifts push diversity initiatives to the sidelines. The financial strain has become increasingly evident, threatening the very existence of these vital groups.
One such initiative, Ada Lovelace Day, which celebrates women in STEM globally, is now operating on borrowed time. Established in 2009 by Suw Charman-Anderson, this day honors the legacy of a 19th-century mathematician. Charman-Anderson, who graduated with a science degree, felt out of place as one of only three women in her class, and her experiences at tech conferences, where women were often absent from the stage, motivated her to create this celebration.
Charman-Anderson has recently expressed concerns about the initiative’s dwindling funds, recalling a near financial collapse two years ago. “We’ve basically limped on since then,” she explains, highlighting the unsustainable nature of the current situation. She emphasizes that the financial sacrifices she has made cannot continue indefinitely.
The operation of Ada Lovelace Day is not extravagant; at its peak, it secured £55,000 in sponsorship for a year. However, in subsequent years, funding has often fallen to less than half that amount, despite high attendance at events. This discrepancy raises questions about the sustainability of initiatives aimed at promoting women in STEM.
While many in the tech community praise Ada Lovelace Day as inspirational, Charman-Anderson notes that such admiration rarely translates into necessary financial support. “Organizations can’t run on inspiration alone,” she asserts, emphasizing the persistent struggle for funding faced by those in the Women in STEM sector. This issue has always been present, but it appears to have worsened recently.
A brief online search reveals numerous women in STEM social media accounts that have gone silent for months, indicating a broader trend of disengagement and financial instability. This lack of activity signals that many organizations are grappling with similar challenges.
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The year has seen the abrupt closure of Women Who Code, a prominent US-based charity with a membership of 145,000. In June, the organization announced its decision to shut down, citing factors that significantly impacted its funding sources as the primary reason for its closure.
Similarly, the non-profit organization Girls in Tech, which had been operational for 17 years, also ceased its activities in July. Founder Adriana Gascoigne highlighted the lack of funding as the main driver behind this difficult decision, reflecting a troubling reality for many organizations in the sector.
These closures underscore the urgent need for sustainable funding and support for initiatives aimed at promoting women in STEM. Without adequate financial resources, the progress made in fostering diversity and inclusion within these fields may be jeopardized.
As the challenges mount, it becomes increasingly clear that without a concerted effort to secure funding and support, the future of organizations dedicated to empowering women in STEM remains uncertain. The fight for representation and equality in these fields must continue, but it requires a robust foundation of financial backing to thrive.
