The Women's Fund of Mississippi

As a statewide public foundation dedicated to using women's philanthropy to create social change, we recognize that policy change at the state level is one of our most effective strategies. This strategy is particularly powerful when it is maximized by a broad coalition of citizens who take the time to correspond with lawmakers. Experience shows us that lawmakers do indeed listen. You, too, can join this movement!

How You Can Support Better Public Policies for Women and Girls

Interested in participating in our advocacy work? We'll be hosting informational sessions this fall for women and men interested in supporting our public education and policy work. Sign up to receive advocacy alerts via email and to learn more about these informational sessions.

Note: even if we have your email address, you will need to click on the link above and specifically select "Advocacy Alerts" when prompted.

Mississippians for Fair Lending

The Women's Fund understands that economic self-sufficiency for women and families means they have the knowledge, skills and ability to make sound financial decisions on a long term basis. Women are able to plan for the future, pay their bills on time, and take out short and long-term loans with low interest rates. However, many women and their families live paycheck to paycheck and do not have the resources that most of us take for granted. When they want to take out a small loan, they get trapped in the debt trap of payday lending.

The Women's Fund is committed to raising public awareness about the devastating impact payday lending has on Mississippians. We are working in partnership with other organizations—the Mississippi Center for Justice, the Mississippi Economic Policy Center, the Center for Responsible Lending, to name a few—to address this issue at the local and state level. This coalition, Mississippians for Fair Lending, is committed to bringing about policy changes at the state level that would cap the interest rate for payday loans at 36%. The current interest rate for a short-term, payday loan in Mississippi is 574%. This is one of the highest interest rates in the country.

Cost of Bad Lending in Mississippi

Payday Lending Harmful to Women

Payday Lending in Mississippi Issue Brief

Op-Ed: "Easy Money: Should the State Tighten Regulations on 'payday' lenders?"

What You Can Do

Educate yourself and others about the impact of payday lending in Mississippi. An APR of 574% is too high for Mississippi families. Click here to find your elected officials.

Attend a Coalition community meeting to learn more about payday lending in your town and what you can do to help. These meetings will occur around the state in the fall of 2010. Please email or call us if you have friends or colleagues in these towns who might be interested in attending a meeting.
Sign up for advocacy alerts from the Women's Fund to learn more about the Coalition's advocacy efforts in the 2011 Mississippi Legislature.

Funding Advocacy Through Grantmaking

Funding advocacy through grantmaking is one of our most effective strategies for promoting long-term social change. One example of this strategy’s success is our multi-year partnership with the Mississippi Low Income Child Care Initiative (MLICCI), led by Carol Burnett. Through policy advocacy, research, and direct services, MLICCI works to ensure that low income women and their families have access to safe, affordable child care, thereby increasing their economic security and self-sufficiency. MLICCI’S advocacy “wins” include:

Affordable child care was identified in the “Self Sufficiency Standard Report” for Mississippi as the work support that makes the greatest positive difference in moving a low income family to self sufficiency.
Mobilized over 600 child care centers to work with parents to promote reforms of the child care subsidy system. As a result, the Mississippi Department of Human Services committed an additional $36 million to child care subsidies.
Educated policymakers and pushed for specific recommendations to reform the state’s child care system. DHS increased the amount of child care funds by $6 million and directed over $30 million in federal child care stimulus funds to expand the supply of child care subsidies to an additional 600 children.

The Women’s Fund is proud to fund MLICCI because we know that women closest to the problem have the best solutions. The Women’s Fund makes grants to fund the advocacy of our grantees, such as MLICCI, so that women are equipped with the resources, knowledge, and skills to enact policy change for their families, communities, and our state.

Do You Know Your Elected Officials?

Knowledge is power! Click here to find your elected officials.

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