It’s a girl thing
Last week I attended a research discussion hosted by Indiana University’s Lilly Family School of Philanthropy. The focus? Philanthropy directed to organizations who primarily serve women and girls. One of the calls to action from the event was to share this information with a broader audience.
So here is the research and here is some context around what was discussed:
Philanthropy to this sector accounts for $10.2 Billion which represents barely 2% of all philanthropy. This figure underscores the underfunding of a sector that plays a critical role in addressing gender-specific issues.
Data is valuable but how do we use it. This includes revenue from over 54,000 organizations across the country and of varying sizes. It is important understand the scale of these numbers in the context of your community and its’ needs.
This data only includes numbers to 2021 - before the overturn of Roe v. Wade. Given that a significant portion of these donations are directed towards reproductive health organizations, we can anticipate a sharp increase in support when 2022 figures become available.
Women are leading in discussions about philanthropy. One of the panelists spoke about how women are the ones make family decisions around philanthropy. Further research shows how women dominate the decision making for their households.
Why does this matter, and why should we study it?
The most valuable piece of information from this research - is the research. It is the sum total of all the efforts and analysis to make this product available to audiences to consider, discuss, and engage.
The broader message is clear: Women’s influence in philanthropy is powerful, and their role should never be underestimated.