Women’s Philanthropy Can Feel Messy – but It Works!

messy

“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 […]

Celebrating and Reflecting on Women’s Philanthropy

As 2022 begins, I have a special gift for you.  It’s not something you can find in stores or online. Nor is it a gift you’ll want to return. Rather, after more than 25 years of working in and growing women’s philanthropy, I want to give you a state of the field. I write not […]

Your Data Will Reveal Untold Stories of Women’s Philanthropy

I’ve just returned from a vacation in New Mexico. My soul was replenished with the big blue skies and hikes in the mountains, as well as the dozens of untold stories of strong women who helped make the southwest. Tears came to me when I learned at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center in Alburquerque about […]

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

grows donations

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

Women Leadership Champion Philanthropy

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 […]

Deep Listening Will Grow Women’s Support

grow women's support

The second of six key principles that make women’s philanthropy work is “Women’s Input is Key.” Furman University (a mid-sized liberal arts university in South Carolina) took this to heart and has had extraordinary early results. They invited 21 accomplished women for an initial conversation about growing women’s support for Furman and have since increased […]

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 […]

What Is Uniquely Mine to Do?

Focus on women's philanthropy and inclusion

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, […]