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, […]

All Voices at the Table

The pandemic and resulting unstable economy have laid bare the inequities in our healthcare system and our society. Senseless killings and growing rage against social injustice have amplified the inequities and desire for real change. Among the many actions we can take to drive change in the philanthropic sector, one can accelerate change – having […]

What Do Women See When They Look At Your Organization?

Imagine the following scenario: A woman just heard about your organization for the first time. Perhaps a friend mentioned your work to her, or a piece from your recent marketing campaign made an impression. Your mission intrigues her. She wants to know more and – maybe – get involved. Like most of us these days, […]

Is It Harder to Fundraise from Women?

I recently asked a leader of advancement at a state college if she used different approaches in working with women versus men donors on her campus. This was not meant to be a trick question. I was very curious, as she had been a leader in sorority fundraising and had demonstrated an understanding of how […]

We Won’t Raise More Money Unless We Stop Acting Like All Donors Are White Men

Worrisome trends are emerging in U.S. philanthropy. Although overall charitable giving is growing, the share of Americans who give is declining, and the incidence of giving is down in most every age group. This giving gap opened because of complex reasons, but one thing is clear: We are seeing fewer Americans give because we are applying the […]