Giving to Women and Girls

What do the findings of Giving to Women and Girls mean for you?

Gender matters in philanthropy. WPI’s latest research offers groundbreaking insight into what motivates donors to give to women’s and girls’ causes. These findings have implications for donors, nonprofit organizations, fundraisers, and
wealth managers alike.

Donors to these causes:

Give for a variety of reasons, including personal experiences, both positive and negative; a desire for gender equality in society; serving on a board or volunteering for an organization; and a belief that investing in women and girls is an effective way to influence widespread societal change.

Giving to Women and Girls research — Giving to Women and Girls findings

Include both men and women, though women are more likely to give, and give more, to these goals.

Have patterns of giving that vary based on factors such as age and wealth. Older and wealthier donors, for example, are more likely to give to women’s and girls’ causes.

Trust women’s funds because they find these organizations to be a locus of expertise in their communities, effective at vetting nonprofits, and capable of achieving both local and systemic change.

A deeper look

Engaging women donors is critical to nonprofits’ success, and the motivations behind women’s giving are broadly relevant to many working in philanthropy.

What can donors do with this research?

Consider your philanthropic passions. If you care about, or are motivated by, the empowerment of women and girls, direct your giving to groups that work in pursuit of those causes.
Create a giving plan for your philanthropic donations and assess your giving as you would any other investment you make.
Explore opportunities to leverage your giving by joining a women’s donor network or giving circle.

How can fundraisers use this research?

Consider who gives to women’s and girls’ causes and, importantly, why they give.
Draw upon the motivations of donors who give to women and girls and use them to craft effective fundraising appeals and proposals.
Tailor your fundraising messages to make each appropriate for the intended audience, including language that will appeal to groups like men and younger women.

How can advisors use WPI research with their clients?

Talk to your clients about philanthropy – and inquire how charitable giving fits within their larger financial plans.
Discuss your clients’ visions for their philanthropy, particularly the causes they are passionate about and the motivations that shape their giving.
Learn more about women’s and girls’ causes as a potential area of giving for your clients.
Consider providing clients with a list of women’s funds and other organizations advancing women’s and girls’ causes.

How can nonprofit organizations integrate these findings into their work?

Share the power and importance of your mission with prospective donors, including the personal experiences that motivate and inform your work.
Understand that donors give to what they know and consider how potential donors have heard about, think about, or relate to your work.
Develop ways for women and their families to engage with your work beyond giving, such as volunteering as a family, special programs for families, or board membership.
Organizations working to empower women and girls bring the work to life by demonstrating the impact you are making, sharing concrete examples of how investing in women benefits everyone in society.