Assessment of Technical Projects for American Red Cross

1
The Power of the PurseWomens Philanthropy in
Action
Nancy Alexander Emma Willard School Troy, New
YorkCommunity Fund for Women and Girls New
Haven, Connecticut The Association of
Independent Schools of Greater Washington 12
February 2007
2
Overview

• History of Womens Giving
• Womens Giving Today
• Making an Impact
• Inspiring Women to Give

3
Overview

• The History of Womens Giving
• Womens Giving Today
• Making an Impact
• Inspiring Women to Give

4
How Have Women Given in the Past?

• Charity vs. philanthropy
• Extending the domestic into the public realm
• Time ? ? Money
• Collective giving

Image from Hull House
5
Examples of Autonomous Giving
6
Overview

• The History of Womens Giving
• Womens Giving Today
• Making an Impact
• Inspiring Women to Give

7
Characteristics of Todays Women Givers

• Intergenerational wealth 41 trillion
• Higher education, employment
• Financial knowledge, autonomy
• Inheritance and property rights

• Women have unprecedented power to make change.

8
How Women Use Power

• By giving differently, and more
• As opposed to mens giving (loyalty, tradition,
  gender status quo)
• Commitment to a better world

9
Giving in Communities of Color

• Community as extension of family
• Immigrant generations assimilate
• Strategic giving within community

10
Using The Money

• Spending
• Inheritance
• Charity Relief

Compassion may itself be a substitute for
justice.Compassion always signifies
inequality.The compassionate intend no justice,
for justice might disrupt current power
relationships.Hannah Arendt
11
The 6 Cs of Womens Giving

• Change
• Create
• Connect
• Commit
• Collaborate
• Celebrate

12
Overview

• The History of Womens Giving
• Womens Giving Today
• Making an Impact
• Inspiring Women to Give

13
What Approaches Will Work?

• Identify root problems and causes
• Address current need and long-term solutions
• Self-audit
• Connect to personal beliefs, passions and values
• Fund womens causes (5-8)
• Pool resources

14
Womens Causes

• Start, change, support
• Global Fund for Women
• Women girls funds
• Giving circles
• Girls philanthropy
• Supporting women candidates
• Get politically involved to find solutions

15
Overview

• The History of Womens Giving
• Womens Giving Today
• Making an Impact
• Inspiring Women to Give

16
Inspiring Giving Strategies

• Focus on the cause, not the politics
• Accommodate small-scale, targeted interests
• Abandon Lady Bountiful and Us vs. Them
  approach
• Build diverse, collaborative networks
• Treat women as independent decision-makers
• Honor gifts of all sizes
• Mission, not competition

17
Inspiring Giving Tactics

• Involve women first as stakeholders and
  volunteers
• Provide opportunity for personal plans
• Create an individual vision, mission statement
• Balance compassion and social change
• Consider micro and macro
• Give more to fewer organizations
• Make money, time, talent, and connections part of
  philanthropic portfolio
• Give more lifetime gifts
• Tailor opportunities to interests
• Educate husbands towards independence
• Woman will always be dependent until she holds a
  purse of her own. Elizabeth Cady Stanton
• Encourage visible gifts

18
Conclusion

• Recognize philanthropy as the next, enormous
  vehicle for the exercise of womens power,
  directed thoughtfully towards systemic,
  structural change.