The National Women's Political Caucus (NWPC) was founded in 1971 by Bella Abzug, Gloria Steinem, Shirley Chisholm, and Betty Friedan. Originally the group was organized as a response to the lack of women both in public office and as political appointees. The NWPC started out as a local grassroots organization focused on getting women elected to public office at every level. In 1973, the NWPC became one of the first organizations to open a Washington, D.C., office with the idea of lobbying Congress and promoting the election of women. Initial lobbying efforts focused on the Equal Rights Amendment. Subsequently, the group began to focus on other women's issues.

The NWPC defined its objectives early on when it decided not to endorse Shirley Chisholm in 1972 for ...