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:
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 half a million contributing members. NOW has more than 550 chapters in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
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:
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 |
