About Us:

Maine Business and Professional Women (BPW/ME) is an organization which supports working women and whose vision advocates for successful work environments that are equitable and provide work-life balance for all women. Its mission is to empower working women to achieve their full potential through advocacy, information and education.

BPW/ME is affiliated with BPW Foundation at the national level and is comprised of local organizations across the state whose members decide locally how to support working women. Local programs and activities provide opportunities for individual women to grow professionally, personally, and politically to ensure change that will benefit themselves and their families.

BPW also provides networking opportunities and scholarship programs, both at the local and state levels. Scholarships are provided at the state level through its sister organization, BPW Maine Futurama Foundation. Scholarships are provided not only to high school graduates, but to women in continuing education, or returning to college for career development.

BPW/ME Projects:

• Recognize National/Maine Business Women’s Week during the third week in October
• Honor a “Woman of the Year” who is outstanding in her work or helping other women
• Observe Equal Pay Day in April
• Endorse a BPW/ME Legislative Platform
• Provide statewide workshops for members
• Hold annual Convention

Our Legacy:

BPW/Maine was formerly known as the Maine Federation of Business and Professional Women; it was part of the national organization, which was founded in 1919 as a nonpartisan, nonsectarian, and nonprofit organization of more than 3,000 local organizations across the United States. BPW/ME and BPW Foundation are still nonpartisan, nonsectarian, and nonprofit, and continue to support and advocate for legislation that will bring improvement and equality to the lives of women and their families.

BPW Foundation continues the legacy and vision to create successful workplaces for women, their families and employers. It is a research and educational organization. Its mission empowers working women to achieve their full potential and partners with employers to build successful workplaces through education, research, knowledge, and policy. It offers a Career Center, resources for young professionals, online courses, and programs that focus on women veterans and the green economy.

BPW/Maine has a sister organization, BPW/Maine Futurama Foundation, which is the non profit organization which offers scholarships at the state level and promotes and supports the Maine Women’s Hall of Fame.

BPW/Maine maintains membership to the Coalition for Maine Women, consisting of more than 30 groups ensuring that perspectives and needs of Maine’s women and girls are heard at the State House.

BPW/Maine Affiliations:

• BPW Foundation
• BPW/Maine Futurama Foundation
• Coalition for Maine Women