The N.A.W.A. Permanent Collection was established under the leadership of Liana Moonie, in 1991.

Housed at the Jane Voorhees Zimmerli Art Museum at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey, the N.A.W.A. collection contains the work of artists dating from the organization's early days to the present.

Some of the collection is always on view at the museum, and special exhibitions have been created under the guidance of Senior Curator Jeffrey Wechsler. These include A View of One's Own; The Enduring Figure 1890s-1970s: Sixteen Sculptors from the National Association of Women Artists; and the N.A.W.A. Collection at Rutgers: Selections, at Fairfield University in Connecticut.

Growing annually, the collection is available to scholars.

NAWA members have the opportunity to submit artwork for consideration for inclusion in the Zimmerli Collection. However, until further notice the submissions for the Zimmerli Collection are on hold.