New Central Ohio report finds childcare, housing and job quality hinder women's ability to build wealth

A panel at the Columbus Metropolitan Club on Wednesday discussed a new report, “Making Women Wealthy and Free,” that finds childcare costs, housing affordability and job quality are central barriers to women’s ability to build wealth in Central Ohio.

Courtney Filato, vice president and program officer of global philanthropy at JPMorgan Chase, opened the forum by reading from the report's executive summary: “Moving beyond survival and stability and toward a life of financial abundance is not just about money or income.” Filato moderated the panel and said the research covers factors that help women build wealth, the conditions that prevent it and results of having wealth.

The Center for Community Solutions conducted the research, and Alex Dorman, a research fellow there, told the audience the project combined a regionwide survey and focus groups. “We heard from over 3,000 women in a survey,” Dorman said, and added the team deliberately prioritized qualitative methods and supported focus-group participants with childcare and meals so they would “feel valued” and be more candid: “When your participants feel like they are valued,…