Equipping Women to Build Economic Independence
iCare Foundation is building a gender-responsive Women's Empowerment Program designed specifically for the economic realities women in Greater Tampa Bay face. Single mothers navigating poverty. Women returning to the workforce after caregiving breaks. Women escaping financially abusive relationships. Women who are working but cannot get ahead. These women are not lacking in strength — they are lacking in access.
Our program will combine career readiness, financial literacy, peer cohorts, and leadership development — creating a comprehensive pathway to economic independence. Grounded in the Two-Generation (2Gen) model, every woman who gains economic stability creates a more secure future for her children.
Women in Greater Tampa Bay Face Compounding Economic Barriers
In Hillsborough County, nearly 3 in 10 single-mother households live below the poverty line — and the majority of women in poverty are already working. The problem is not effort. It is a combination of wage gaps, caregiving responsibilities, limited access to training, and a workforce system not designed with women's real lives in mind.
Generic workforce programs often fail women because they do not account for childcare barriers, trauma-informed needs, or the specific industries and advancement pathways where women in Greater Tampa Bay have the most opportunity. iCare's gender-responsive model is built around how women actually live and what they actually need to succeed.
Why Funders Prioritize Women's Economic Empowerment
Bank of America's Women's Economic Empowerment initiative, the Ms. Foundation for Women, and the U.S. Department of Labor's Women's Bureau all identify gender-responsive workforce programs as a high-priority funding category. The Institute for Women's Policy Research (IWPR) documents Tampa Bay's persistent wage gap and workforce barriers as a documented, fundable regional need.
How the Women's Empowerment Program Will Work
Career Readiness & Workforce Skills
Participants will build the professional skills, credentials, and workplace readiness strategies needed to enter or advance in higher-wage industries — with a focus on sectors where women are underrepresented but where opportunities are growing.
Financial Literacy & Independence
Women will gain practical financial tools — budgeting, credit building, savings strategies, and benefit navigation — to build stability that does not depend on any single employer, partner, or public program.
Peer Cohorts & Community
Participants move through the program together — building the social networks, peer accountability, and community of support that research identifies as a critical buffer against poverty re-entry for women and families.
Leadership Development
Beyond employment, our program will cultivate leadership — helping women identify and leverage their strengths, build confidence, advocate for themselves professionally, and become role models for the next generation in their communities.
What Research Shows Gender-Responsive Programs Achieve
Sources: Institute for Women's Policy Research (IWPR), Aspen Institute, Urban Institute
Women in gender-responsive programs achieve employment within 6 months
IWPR
More likely to remain employed at 1 year with peer support cohort
Aspen Institute
Average income increase for single mothers completing workforce programs
Urban Institute
Improved housing stability for women completing economic empowerment programs
IWPR
Three Ways to Make This Program a Reality
Fund the Program
Your donation builds the curriculum, staffing, and wraparound support infrastructure needed to launch this program and serve women across Greater Tampa Bay — many of whom are one opportunity away from a turning point.
Donate NowBecome an Employer Partner
Companies that value diversity and economic equity can partner with iCare to hire program graduates, provide internship and job shadowing opportunities, or send professionals to lead workshops.
Explore PartnershipsVolunteer Your Expertise
Women professionals, HR leaders, financial advisors, and career coaches can volunteer as mentors, workshop facilitators, or guest speakers — investing their experience in the next generation of economic leaders.
Get InvolvedHelp Women in Greater Tampa Bay Build the Future They Deserve
The barriers are real. The need is documented. iCare Foundation is building a program that meets women where they are — and walks with them toward economic independence. We need your support to make it happen.
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