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 […]

What Is Uniquely Mine to Do?

I’m deeply worried and feeling overwhelmed. The COVID-19 variants keeps me second guessing any in-person visits, the fires, heat and flooding underscore that climate change affects us all but particularly those most impoverished, and the chasms in our economic recovery continue to affect women, especially women of color, more severely and disproportionately. How do I, […]

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 […]

Women’s Philanthropy: A Sector-Wide Journey to Inclusion

The movement to grow women’s philanthropy is not meant to focus only on one profile of women who give. Women’s philanthropy includes ALL those who identify as women. It is intended to be inclusive. Yet current language and actions by those who identify as white cisgender women leaders in this movement – including myself – […]

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 […]