National Women's Political Caucus (U.S.)

The National Women's Political Caucus (NWPC), or the Caucus, describes itself as a multi-partisan grassroots organization in the United States dedicated to recruiting, training, and supporting women who seek elected and appointed offices at all levels of government. The Caucus offers training, technical assistance, and advice for political candidates, campaign managers, and trainers, with state and local chapters providing support to candidates running at state and local levels by helping raise money and providing hands-on volunteer assistance.[1] An Organizing Convention for the NWPC was hosted in Washington, D.C. from July 10 to 11, 1971. Approximately 324 women were in attendance, representing 27 states and the District of Columbia; attendees included Bella Abzug, Shirley Chisholm, Betty Friedan, Fannie Lou Hamer, LaDonna Harris, Mildred Jeffrey, Florynce Kennedy, Jill Ruckelshaus, and Gloria Steinem.

The National Women's Political Caucus was formed in 1971 as a multiparty organization seeking to gain an equal voice and place for women in the political process at the local, state and national levels. The Caucus and its state affiliates support women candidates for elective and appointive offices and seek to ensure that women hold policy-making positions in the Democratic and Republican political parties. They have lobbied in state legislatures for the Equal Rights Amendment, women's reproductive rights, and other measures to promote women's equality.

The Caucus was organized in 1971 in an effort to get women elected as delegates to the national political conventions of 1972.