Women and Do It Yourself Foreign Aid

Check out the recent (October 24) New York Times Magazine.  It's all about women including an interview with Melinda Gates and an great article about women creating their own foreign aid through their philanthropy.

Women Give More Than Men to Charity Study Shows

Dr. Debra Mesch

Women across nearly every income level gave significantly more to charity than men, nearly twice as much in some cases, according to a study, Women Give 2010, by the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University.

Nonprofits have long suspected that women were the driving forces behind many of the gifts they receive, but they haven't had much proof. But the results of this study are so decisive and consistent, they can stop wondering, said Debra Mesch, director of the university's Women's Philanthropy Institute.

The study offered several factors the researchers thought contributed to the growing generosity of women: More women are working and their incomes have grown, more have college degrees that yield greater earning power, and the percentage of women who make more money than their working husbands is now about 26 percent.

The study released Thursday found women give more in every income bracket except one: Those with incomes of between $23,509 and $43,500.

The data used for the study was not broken down by gender, so researchers looked solely at households headed by single men or single women, including adults who have been divorced, widowed or never married. They looked at the donating patterns of about 8,000 American households.

Previous research has shown that women encourage their husbands to give to charity and that women seem to be making a lot of charitable decisions in married households, but it's difficult to get hard data on those trends.

"I think the general assumption is that women might be more likely to give, but that they give less money," Mesch said.

That assumption is only half true, according to the analysis of data from a 2007 Center on Philanthropy study. Women gave more often than men and spread out their giving to different charities, but they also give more in total dollars, Mesch said.

"It's going to be a wake-up call that I better pay attention to women," Mesch said.

Where Are The Men?

Buffy Beaudoin-Schwartz

In researching articles about women's philanthropy for our book, Women and Philanthropy: Boldly Shaping a Better World, it became very clear that the super majority of articles were penned by women.  And the tradition continues.  For example, the articles in the publication, Woman to Woman, featuring Buffy (co-author of our book) and giving by women in Howard County, MD, were written by Laura Linley.  Another recent article from the Baltimore area, "Charitable Giving: Women's Philanthropy Emerges as a Force," for The Daily Record, was also written by a woman: Betsy Nelson. 

I think back to Anne Matthews writing that seminal article in the New York Times Magazine in 1991, "Alma Maters Court Their Daughters; Holly Hall's numerous articles, beginning with "Cultivating Philanthropy by Women," for the Chronicle of Philanthropy; Erin Strout's article about courting and reaching female donors in the Chronicle of Higher Education; the People magazine article in 1998 about the Washington Women's Foundation that motivated so many of us to start giving circles; and Joanna Krotz many articles for the annual issue of Town&Country.

On the one hand I mightily applaud all the women in the media who have brought women's philanthropy to the forefront.  But I also greatly lament the lack of men in the media who have written about women's philanthropy.  Where are you?  There are a few "good men" but many more are needed to give validity to a very valid subject impacting all of human kind: women's philanthropy and how it is reshaping not only philanthropy, but the world as well.

Power, Politics and Philanthropy

I thought it interesting that, in an interview by Jeff Zucker with Nancy Pelosi this morning, she said, ”I never intended to be involved in politics.  I saw it as an extension of being a mother.  What drives my engine in the morning are the one in four children who live in poverty.  I’m motivated by family.  To answer your question, being Speaker is an incredible, historic honor, but it’s nothing like a newborn baby or grandbaby.  Women can be a unifying force in our country.  It’s important not to have the debate be venomous.  There’s so much at stake.  We have to honor our responsibility to make the future better for our children.  Increasing communication among women will power the future.  Know your power."

Women in politics and women in philanthropy share the same values: children, family, honor, unifying, responsibility, a better future, communication.  And they share the same one of the same methods: understand and know your power.  Go Nancy.

The Asian American Women's Giving Circle and Hali Lee

Although I have not personally met Hali Lee, I feel she is a good friend as I interviewed her for the book, Women’s Giving Circles: Reflections From the Founders, published by the Women’s Philanthropy Institute in August 2009 and we became fast phone friends.  Hali is shown here with her family on their trip to Korea this past summer in celebration of her dad’s 90^th birthday.

Hali is the founder of the Asian Women’s Giving Circle (AWGC) and they are having a big event on Wednesday, September 29 at the Museum of Chinese in America, 215 Center Street, New York City.

The Asian Women’s Giving Circle is a group of Asian American women pooling their money to fund other Asian women in NYC who, according to Hali, “Use their tools of art to further a social equity goal.  We work together to raise resources to support Asian American women-led social change organizations in New York City’s under served community.  We raise resources and philanthropists.  Every donor helps decide which projects are funded.”

At the event on the 29^th, there will be “works in progress” such as a film that examines stereotypes of Asian American women in the media, a music video that raises awareness about sex-trafficking, a documentary about mental illness and suicide in the Asian American community, a multi-media summer workshop for low-income immigrant girls who lives with the legacy of war, and a multi-media art project that features interviews with laundromat customers to show the shifting demographics in NYC neighborhoods.

In its fifth year of raising resources and philanthropists, the AWGC has raised and distributed over $350,000 for thirty-nine projects of individual artists and community-based organizations.  Their goal this year is to raise $100,000.

I applaud Hali and all the women who are part of this fantastic circle of women givers.

Bella and the Book

Well, UPS delivered our new book two weeks after we welcomed our new puppy, Bella, a toy poodle.  Life is pretty exciting and someone, after seeing the picture said there should be one of Bella chewing the book.  Why not, she chews everything else.  But she is darling and we are so excited about seeing the book in its entirety.  We thank everyone who helped make it possible and hope to hear from you.  Do let us know what you liked or would want to hear more about.

The Center on Philanthropy and Patrick Rooney Discuss the Importance of Women's Philanthropy

Patrick Rooney

In the Center on Philanthropy's recent publication of Philanthropy Matters, I was delighted to see a piece hailing the future of women's philanthropy by the Center's executive director, Patrick Rooney. The Women's Philanthropy Institute and women everywhere are so very fortunate to have a great university like the Center at the University of Indiana, do much needed academic research into women's giving and how to change the ways people think about women's philanthropy. The Center and the Women's Philanthropy Institute are involved in two upcoming conferences about women's philanthropy and are are listed on the right side of this blog.

Here is just the beginning of all the important and credible things Patrick had to say.  You can read the rest of the editorial by going to the current issue of Philanthropy Matters.


What Matters: Philanthropy's Tipping Point

Dated: Aug 24, 2010
If I had a crystal ball, I’d say women’s philanthropy is likely to be one of the prevailing issues of the 21st century for the nonprofit sector. Despite greater awareness and the fact that the trajectory of women’s philanthropy is escalating exponentially, we haven’t reached the tipping point or begun to realize the benefits of women’s giving capacity, participation and leadership. The research unquestionably shows that women have the desire, drive and capacity to give, but society and nonprofit professional practice have yet to catch up.
Women’s philanthropic clout is clear. Women are driving social change, and changing philanthropy in the process.