Maryland's SHERO Awards

Women's Giving

Women's Philanthropy Overview
For centuries, women have focused efforts and fortunes into bringing about significant social change.

Regional Snapshot of Women's Collaborative Giving
There has been tremendous growth of women's philanthropy in our region in the last 5 years. In particular, the synergistic growth of women's collaborative giving.

Women's Philanthropy Resources
A list of links to publications, articles, and local and national organizations.

A Plan of One's Own: A Woman's Guide to Philanthropy
Practical advice on how women from all age groups and economic backgrounds can create a charitable giving plan and use their financial resources to effect lasting social change.

For centuries, women have focused efforts and fortunes into bringing about significant social change. The role of "volunteer" and "giver" is a traditional one for women, yet few people have thought of women as philanthropists. Until recent years, philanthropy remained somewhat uncharted territory for many women.

But this has begun to change.

Women now have a significant capacity to give. As leaders in all areas of society, women are understanding their full potential as philanthropists, and as shapers of society. In other words, how to use their money for change.

As we begin the 21st century, women in the U.S. are in a position of unprecedented wealth and economic power. Today, women control more individual, family, shared and inherited wealth than ever before.

For example:

We make up 53% of the workforce and are increasingly moving into higherpaying professional careers.
We make up 2.5 million of the top wealth holders in the U.S., with a combined net worth of over $4.2 trillion.
10.6 million firms are at least 50% owned by women, employing almost 19.1 million people and generating over $2.5 trillion in sales.
70% of women business owners are philanthropically active
     * 70% volunteer at least once per month
     * 31% contribute $5,000 or more to charity annually
      * 15% give $10,000 or more
Women will end up in charge of much of the $41 to $136 trillion dollars that are expected to pass from generation to generation over the next fifty years

And, research has found that women have unique giving patterns and don't give in the same way that men do. Grounded in a tradition of volunteerism and sharing, women are bringing a new voice to giving that is based on partnership and engagement.

The 6 C's of Why Women Give:

Sondra Shaw-Hardy and Martha Taylor, co-founders of the Women's Philanthropy Institute, identify six recurring themes:

Create: Women want to create new solutions to old problems.
Change: Women give to bring about social change.
Connect: Women like to see the human face their gift affects.
Collaborate: Women prefer to work with others as part of a larger effort.
Commit: Women often volunteer and give to the causes they care about over the long-haul.
Celebrate: Women like to celebrate their accomplishments and have fun with philanthropy.