Key Takeaways
- • The Center for American Women and Politics (CAWP) at Rutgers University operates the Founders Fund, a legacy giving initiative honoring co-founders Ruth B. Mandel and Ida F.S. Schmertz, designed to advance women's political participation and representation in American politics through endowed giving structures.
- • CAWP administers multiple grant and award programs, including the Ruth B. Mandel Dissertation Research Awards, which provide $8,500 to PhD students for research expenses and $1,500 to dissertation advisors, with 2026 applications now open.
- • The organization operates flagship leadership programs including Ready To Run® (campaign training), NEW Leadership®, and Teach a Girl to Lead®, alongside the Senator Wynona Lipman Chair and recent initiatives including Ready to Run® New Jersey 2026.
- • CAWP recently received grant funding from the Crimsonbridge Foundation to strengthen leadership and civic engagement programs focused on empowering women in political participation.
- • The organization functions as a national research hub publishing peer-reviewed analysis on gender in U.S. politics, including recent reports on Black Women in American Politics (2025) and Women in Election 2024: Stalled Progress.
Summary
The Center for American Women and Politics (CAWP), housed within Rutgers University, administers the Founders Fund as a permanent legacy initiative honoring Ruth B. Mandel and Ida F.S. Schmertz, the organization's founding co-directors. The fund structure enables donors to establish legacy gifts through outright contributions, bequests, or multi-year pledges, positioning CAWP as a sustained institutional vehicle for advancing women's political leadership and representation across the United States.
CAWP's operational model combines research, training, and grantmaking across multiple complementary programs. The Ruth B. Mandel Dissertation Research Awards, currently soliciting 2026 applications, allocate $8,500 directly to doctoral candidates conducting gender-focused political research, with an additional $1,500 directed to supervising faculty. Leadership development programs—including the nonpartisan Ready To Run® campaign training initiative, NEW Leadership®, and Teach a Girl to Lead®—provide practical pathway development for women entering electoral politics. The organization recently expanded its New Jersey-focused programming with Ready to Run® New Jersey 2026, while maintaining national reach through the Senator Wynona Lipman Chair and related institutional partnerships.
The organization's research output addresses critical gaps in gender and politics scholarship. Recent publications include Black Women in American Politics 2025, Women in Election 2024: Stalled Progress, the CAWP Women, Money, and Politics Series, and the From Data to Diversity Project examining demographic patterns among New Jersey public officials. CAWP's research infrastructure supports scholarly advancement through competitive grants, awards, curated datasets, and an institutional book series translated for both academic and general audiences.
Recent institutional support has expanded CAWP's capacity. The organization received funding from the Crimsonbridge Foundation designated specifically for strengthening leadership and civic engagement programming. This external validation reflects recognition of CAWP's role as the nationally leading research institution on gender dynamics in American electoral politics, positioning the organization as a critical knowledge and training hub for the women's political participation sector.
CAWP's operational model combines research, training, and grantmaking across multiple complementary programs. The Ruth B. Mandel Dissertation Research Awards, currently soliciting 2026 applications, allocate $8,500 directly to doctoral candidates conducting gender-focused political research, with an additional $1,500 directed to supervising faculty. Leadership development programs—including the nonpartisan Ready To Run® campaign training initiative, NEW Leadership®, and Teach a Girl to Lead®—provide practical pathway development for women entering electoral politics. The organization recently expanded its New Jersey-focused programming with Ready to Run® New Jersey 2026, while maintaining national reach through the Senator Wynona Lipman Chair and related institutional partnerships.
The organization's research output addresses critical gaps in gender and politics scholarship. Recent publications include Black Women in American Politics 2025, Women in Election 2024: Stalled Progress, the CAWP Women, Money, and Politics Series, and the From Data to Diversity Project examining demographic patterns among New Jersey public officials. CAWP's research infrastructure supports scholarly advancement through competitive grants, awards, curated datasets, and an institutional book series translated for both academic and general audiences.
Recent institutional support has expanded CAWP's capacity. The organization received funding from the Crimsonbridge Foundation designated specifically for strengthening leadership and civic engagement programming. This external validation reflects recognition of CAWP's role as the nationally leading research institution on gender dynamics in American electoral politics, positioning the organization as a critical knowledge and training hub for the women's political participation sector.
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