Women’s Philanthropy Can Feel Messy – but It Works!
“Messy.” In my work of women’s philanthropy, lately this is the word that keeps coming up over and over again, so I know there is a deeper idea emerging. I saw this happen with the word “grapple,” and now fundraisers echo that word back to me when they are dealing with challenging issues. So, I’m […]
Mighty Oaks from Little Acorns Grow
I remember presenting about women’s philanthropy at a general fundraising conference in 2012. I felt deflated after the session ended. First – there were only 20 people in the room set for 75, when other tracks had people spilling out the doors. This was an analog version of Facebook “likes” and my topic clearly wasn’t […]
Focus groups accelerate women’s giving
Why did Tufts University conduct 9 focus groups of women stakeholders this year, while Bowdoin College did 5 early this summer, Furman University did 6 last year and Elon University is about to conduct 4 this fall? They know the power of deeply listening to women’s feedback to learn what resonates with all those who […]
Significant Resources Grow from Women’s Philanthropy
I recently caught up with a well-known fundraising consultant who has been in business for three decades or more. He asked about my work with women’s philanthropy. When I mentioned the significant increase in the number of organizations wanting to learn how to grow support from women, he quickly dismissed the efforts and said: I […]
The Fifth Principle grows donations and engagement in surprising ways
In early 2006, right after an unprecedented response to Hurricane Katrina, a change in leadership, and deep budget concerns, the chair of the American Red Cross Board, Bonnie McElveen-Hunter, proposed a bold idea to begin an annual women’s giving program with an ask of $10,000 per year. This proposal was met with incredulity – how […]
The Power of
Leadership Champions
The President of a large Midwest state university recently called his Vice President of Advancement. “Tell me more about our focus on women’s philanthropy. It sure has our Board chair excited.” It turns out that the Board chair had cornered the President at a meeting and was sharing his enthusiasm about the potential of engaging […]
How to Stop Frustrating Our Women Donors
Recently the CEO of a national company shared with a colleague that his wife makes the contribution to a local nonprofit, but he keeps getting the thank-you letter. He said, “They keep on doing this and they keep on making her mad. There’s no doubt this will make us stop giving.” In the same week, […]
The Principles of Successful Women’s Philanthropy
The New York Times has called it: Women are changing the philanthropy game. They have always been givers, but now women’s influence as philanthropists is being given its rightful place in the national discourse. Thanks to extensive research from the Women’s Philanthropy Institute, and the growing volume of examples of impactful women’s philanthropy, fundraisers no […]
As Women Surge in Leadership and Philanthropy, Are They Among Your Top Fundraising Priorities?
With the election drawn to a close, it is undeniable that women were pivotal in this critical moment in our democracy. We now have the first woman, and a woman of color, for the second highest position in our country. The Ms. Foundation put together a list of historic victories for women on the local, state and national level. […]
From Commitment to Action: Applying an Inclusive Lens to Advancement
As fundraisers, we are well practiced in repeating specific actions to raise money successfully each year. These practices work well – we raise billions. As a result, we have reinforcement of our behaviors and keep turning to them. However, what happens when our world changes and our practices no longer fit? How do we cultivate […]