Women donors have emerged as a power in philanthropy. How NPOs can benefit.

Former SUN Secretary General Boutros Boutros Ghali once said to me that any country that marginalizes half of its people can not succeed financially, culturally, or politically.  If you look around the world, you will see that every single country that suffers a cycle of  unending poverty, constant f fighting and a medieval culture excludes women from leadership, economic activity and even, in some cases, humanity.

NPOs have know this for years and have responded with micro loan programs aimed at women, grants for women, and services for women.  And women are moving into the vanguard of donating to these efforts and starting new organizations ranging from the tiny but very effective grant maker, Spark, started in 2005 and now funding six projects in four countries including the US,  to the Global Fund for Women, founded in 1987 and now the top donor to women's causes around the world.

Fueling these organizations are thousands of women donors ranging from Oprah Winfrey and Jennifer Buffet to the formerly homeless teen  Shardy Camargo who raised $2000 for other homeless women. There are approximately 150 women's funds, up from one in 1972 and most affiliated with the Women's Funding Network (WFN).  Added to this are hundreds, if not thousands, of "giving circles" of women who meet to plan and  donate, many  members of the Women's Donor Network or the Giving Circle Network.

Women's giving is growing in amount and power.  According to a study on the role of women's funds by the Foundation Center and WFN, the member funds of WFN have assets of $465 million and give an estimated $60 million a year and leverage millions more through networks and relationships. The US IRS reported that 43% of people with assets over $1.5 million  in the US are now women. The Women Moving Millions campaign to raise $150 million exceeded it goal by $30 million.   Plus, because the majority of women engaged in giving also volunteer and engage in social action, their power is even greater than their money implies.  So how do NPO's win a share of this growing philanthropy?

1.  Focus on women-oriented issues and on women.  The overwhelming majority of the funds and giving circles give only to women and to organizations helping women.

2.  Focus on the leverage in society that women bring.  The women donors and funds not only seek to stop persecution and discrimination against women, but they seek to use the power and skills of women to rebuild societies, as women like Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf have done. Saving women is necessary to save the planet.

3.  Understand how women give.  A study by the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University found that men give to plug immediate holes in government or foundation giving or to get their names on things, while women give for deeper  reasons, combining emotional response and personal obligation with an understanding of the transformative power of their philanthropy. Women also see philanthropy more as a democratic, collaborative activity organized around shared values – hence the rise of giving circles.

 4.  Keep it small.  While women donors and funds do give large grants, the study found that majority of  grants given by the women's funds studied were under $10,000 and focused on grass roots organizations.

5.  Stress human rights.  Human rights, particularity the rights of women, especially in countries where women's status is a combination of livestock and slavery, accounted for the largest share of women's giving.  Unless and until women stand equal to men around the world, humanity cannot progress " financially, culturally, or politically."

6.  Encourage giving circles.  They can be a way to turn your female members into donors.

7.  Create new solutions, make a difference, utilize networks and collaboration, emphasize women in control, connect donors to recipients, and be courageous – challenge the old ways of doing things.