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.
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)…. Read more »
What does NOW do?
NOW strives to: eliminate discrimination and harassment in the workplace, schools, the justice system, and all other sectors of society; secure abortion, birth control and reproductive rights for all women; end all forms of violence against women; erad… Read more »
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; suppo… Read more »
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.
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 Ne… Read more »
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.
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 feder… Read more »
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 pro… Read more »
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 Any information or national alerts from NOW
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, MI, MO, PA and TX) Reduced Dues: A sliding scale is available from $15 to $34 (for any reason) 2-Year Members… Read more »
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… Read more »
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
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.
How can I order products from the NOW store?
Find great, NOW branded items through our Printfection storefront. Get everything you need — t-shirts, mugs, tote bags, water bottles — even an infant onesie! You can also support NOW by shopping at Amazon! Use this link to enter Amazon and NOW will… Read more »
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.
Do you ever accept high school students to your internship program?
Unfortunately, NOW does not accept high school students to its internship program. However, we do encourage people of all ages to support NOW. If you are in high school and would like to support NOW, sign up as a volunteer!
Do I have to be a college student to apply for an internship?
No. While most of the people who apply to our program are actively enrolled in college, graduate school, or law school, you do not have to be a student to be considered for an internship at NOW.
Do you accept men to your internship program?
Yes, we do. We recognize that men can be important allies in the struggle for women’s equality, and we encourage them to work with us toward this goal through all areas of the organization, including our internship program.
Do you accept international students to your internship program?
Yes, we do. It is easy for us to accept international students to our program as long as they are already in the country on a student visa. If you want to come to the U.S. for our internship program and you are not a student, you must first apply for a… Read more »
Do I have to have NOW experience to apply?
No, it is not essential to have prior experience with NOW to apply for an internship. In fact, most applicants do not have prior experience with NOW. That being said, some of our best interns have come to the internship having previously belonged to or… Read more »
Should I even bother applying for an internship if I can’t be there the whole semester?
There are many factors that go into our decision of whether or not we accept a particular applicant. One of these factors is the applicant’s availability. We insist that any interns accepted to our program be available at least three days per week, and… Read more »
My school is on the quarter system. Do you accept interns whose school schedule doesn’t follow the same fall, spring, and summer semesters as other schools?
We are very accommodating to students whose availability does not follow the traditional semester. On the web application form, there is an option for you to select which semester you’re applying for, but we also ask you to identify your preferred star… Read more »
How flexible are you on internship start and end dates?
We are very flexible on start and end dates for interns. Once you’re accepted to the program, you can work with the Intern/Volunteer Coordinator to identify the best dates for you to start and end your internship.
How do I make my internship application outstanding?
Because the focus of our organization is on women’s rights and grassroots organizing, the most outstanding applicants exhibit a strong commitment to and/or experience in one or both of these areas. Some things that might boost an application above othe… Read more »