F.A.Q.
Frequently Asked Questions
* What is NOW?
* When and how was NOW founded?
* What does NOW do?
* How many members does NOW currently have?
* What are NOW’s official priorities?
* Is NOW funded in any way by the federal government?
* Is NOW affiliated with any one political party?
* What is NOW/PAC?
* How is NOW organized?
* What are the membership dues for NOW?
* What is included in the NOW membership?
* Does NOW have a volunteer/intern program?
* What kind of services are provided by NOW?
* Where can I find a list of abortion providers?
* Does NOW offer health insurance to its members?
* How can I order products from the NOW store?
* How can I contact NOW?
1. What is NOW?
NOW stands for the National Organization for Women. NOW is dedicated to
making legal, political, social and economic change in our society in
order to achieve our goal, which is to eliminate sexism and end all
oppression.
2. When and how was NOW founded?
NOW was established on June 30, 1966 in Washington, D.C., by people
attending the Third National Conference of the Commission on the Status of
Women. Among NOW’s 28 founders was its first president, Betty Friedan,
author of The Feminine Mystique (1963). Another founder, the late Rev.
Pauli Murray, the first African-American woman Episcopal priest,
co-authored NOW’s original Statement of Purpose which begins:
The purpose of NOW is to take action to bring women into full
participation in the mainstream of American society now, exercising
all privileges and responsibilities thereof in truly equal partnership
with men.
3. What does NOW do?
NOW strives to:
o eliminate discrimination and harassment in the workplace,
schools, the justice system, and all other sectors of society;
o secure abortion, birth control and reproductive rights for all
women;
o end all forms of violence against women;
o eradicate racism, sexism, and homophobia;
o promote equality and justice in our society.
NOW achieves its goals through direct mass actions (including
marches, rallies, pickets, counter-demonstrations, non-violent civil
disobedience) intensive lobbying, grassroots political organizing
and litigation (including class-action lawsuits.)
4. How many members does NOW currently have?
NOW is the largest feminist organization in the nation, with more than
500,000 contributing members. NOW has more than 500 local and campus
affiliates in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. These affiliates
include chapters and Campus Action Networks.
5. What are NOW’s official priorities?
NOW’s official priorities are pressing for an amendment to the U.S.
Constitution that will guarantee equal rights for women; achieving
economic equality for women; championing abortion rights, reproductive
freedom and other women’s health issues; supporting civil rights for all
and opposing racism; opposing bigotry against lesbians and gays; and
ending violence against women.
6. Is NOW funded in any way by the federal government?
No, NOW is a non-profit organization which receives all its operating
funds from private donations and membership dues.
7. Is NOW affiliated with any one political party?
No, NOW is a non-partisan organization. Candidates of all political
parties are eligible for endorsement by NOW/PAC and by state and local NOW
Political Action Committee.
8. What is NOW/PAC?
NOW’s Political Action Committee, or NOW/PAC, supports candidates in
federal elections (for Congress and the Presidency.) You must be a member
of NOW to contribute to NOW/PAC. NOW/PAC is the only part of the national
organization that can endorse federal political candidates.
NOW Equality PAC (NEP) supports candidates for state, county and city
offices, from governors to school board members. Many state and local NOW
chapters have political action committees which can endorse candidates for
governor, the state legislature, and local offices.
9. How is NOW organized?
The membership, meeting yearly in Conference, is the supreme governing
body of NOW. NOWdraws its broad grassroots strength from a nationwide
network of local chapters, which are chartered by national NOW and which
engage in a wide variety of action programs in their communities.
State organizations serve to develop chapters, coordinate statewide
activities and provide resources to the chapters.
There are nine regions which, in Conference, elect members to the National
Board of Directors, the body which governs the organization between
national conferences.
The national level of the organization is led by four elected national
officers, by the national Board of Directors, and by national issues
committees. These national leaders are responsible for implementing policy
as formulated by the annual National Conference, for coordinating national
actions, and for providing membership services.
10. What are the membership dues for NOW?
Current membership fees are as follows:
Regular Dues $35 covers national, state, and local dues
($40 for residents of AZ, CA, CT, NY, IL, IN and MI)
Reduced Dues A sliding scale is available from $15 to $34 (for
any reason)
2-Year Membership $65 ($75 in states listed above)
3-Year Membership $95 ($110 in states listed above)
Lifetime Membership $1,000
11. What is included in the NOW membership?
Included in your NOW membership are:
* Membership at local, state, and national levels
* Access to local NOW chapter activities
* A subscription to the National NOW Times (NNT), mailed four times a
year
* Any information or national alerts from NOW
* E-mail action alert network (by request)
You can join online !
12. Does NOW have a volunteer/intern program?
NOW offers volunteer/ internship opportunities (both full and part time)
throughout the year. College credit can be arranged.
13. What kind of services are provided by NOW?
Our focus is on making broad legal, political, social and economic change
in order to eliminate sexism in our society.
Unfortunately, we do not have the resources to provide individuals with
specific legal advice or counseling services, nor do we have a library or
research department to assist individuals with projects. We can refer you
to other organizations that may be able to provide these services, though.
You will need to provide a snail-mail address.
14. Where can I find a list of abortion providers?
Local phone directories list providers, and Planned Parenthood and the
National Abortion Federation can make referrals. Also see Ann Rose’s
Abortion Clinics OnLine
15. Does NOW offer health insurance to its members?
No. There once was a health insurance plan for NOW members, but it is
currently not open.
16. How can I order products from the NOW store?
You can order NOW products through our online catalog or request a free
catalog by filling out our form or calling 1-800-507-7007 from 10 a.m. to
6 p.m. Eastern Time Monday through Friday. Credit card orders may be faxed
to (202) 785-8576. All proceeds benefit action programs of NOW.
17. How can I contact NOW?
Mailing address: 1100 H St NW, 3rd floor, Washington, D.C. 20005
Phone Number: (202) 628-8NOW (8669)
Fax Number: (202) 785-8576
E-mail Address: now@now.org or use our comments page.
Web Address: http://www.now.org
(In any e-mail messages, include a postal address and phone number, as
many of our materials are not available for e-mail transmission.)