Women and Philanthropy: An Untapped Resource Big Brothers Big Sisters Mid-Large Agency Alliance CEO Networking & Learning Meeting Revving up your fundraising engines to win big for the kids! October 5, 2011 Debra Mesch, Ph.D. Professor and Director Women’s Philanthropy Institute Board Member, BBBS of Central Indiana Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University

Women’s Philanthropy Institute MISSION: to further the understanding of women’s philanthropy through research, education, and knowledge dissemination WOMEN GIVE 2010: Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University 550 W. North Street, Suite 301 Indianapolis, IN

Giving Circles Women’s Funds Initiatives in nonprofits Initiatives on campus Women are important to fundraisers.

are key to philanthropy in the 21 st century WOMEN

EDUCATION More education More advanced degrees For the first time ever, more Ph.D.s than men in Education > spouse increased from 20 to 28 percent INCOME Number of women in workforce increased from 29 to 59 percent from 1950 to 2007 Wives whose earnings > husbands’ increased 18 percentage points, from 4 to 22 percent from 1970 to 2007 Changing Role of Women in America

As of 2004, 43% of nation’s top 2.7 million wealth holders were women. Assets of these nearly 1.2 million women were valued at $4.6 trillion, or about 42% of the total wealth. 35% of the women in this group were ages Women Hold Wealth Boomers matter!

RESEARCH MATTERS Gender matters in philanthropy. Men and women have different philanthropic interests, different motivations, and different philanthropic patterns. 7

Frameworks for MOTIVATIONS Altruism – the principle or practice of unselfish concern for the welfare of others Differs between men and women Women socialized differently than men 8

MOTIVATIONS – Empathy & Caring 9 EMPATHY Concerned feelings for those less fortunate Feeling protective towards others who are taken advantage of Feeling pity for others who are treated unfairly CARING Willing to help others Assisting people in trouble Looking after others or being concerned about others

MOTIVATIONS – Empathy and Caring RESULTS Women scored significantly HIGHER than men on both motives. Women are significantly MORE LIKELY and GIVE HIGHER AMOUNTS to charity than comparable men—even when taking into account women’s higher empathy and care motives. NOTE: Research controls for factors that affect philanthropic behavior such as income, race, education, age, geographic region, marital status, # of children in the family, religious affiliation, and other factors 10

WOMEN GIVE 2010 For single headed households: Impact of income on giving Impact of marital status on giving WOMEN GIVE 2010:

WOMEN GIVE 2010 Likelihood of Giving (Predicted Values) Linear Probability Model (COPPS 2007) In every income group, female-headed households are MORE LIKELY TO GIVE to charity than male-headed households.

WOMEN GIVE 2010 Levels of Giving (predicted values) (COPPS 2007) In every income group except for one, women GIVE MORE than men. 13

WOMEN GIVE 2010 Likelihood of giving (predicted values) Linear Probability Model (COPPS 2007) Female headed households are MORE LIKELY TO GIVE than men in comparable households except for the widow/widower category. 14

WOMEN GIVE 2010 Levels of Giving (predicted values) Amount given Female headed households GIVE MORE than men in comparable households except for the widow/widower category. 15

[Religious Institutions, Combined purposes, help the Needy, Heath care/medical research, Education, Youth & family, Arts & culture, Community, Environmental, International, Other] Likelihood of Giving by Area Predicted Value

Women Give 2010 Causes Women Support Finding #2. The top five areas in which female-headed households are significantly more likely than their male counterparts to give are the international, community, religion, health care, and youth & family areas. 17 Percent by which females are more likely to give Cause 55%International 51%Community 42%Religious Institutions 38%Health Care 32%Youth or Family 31%Education 18%Helping People in Need 14%Combined purposes

Among U.S. households in which donating couples decide how much to give and to what causes, who is the primary decision maker? Sample: 2,971 households (married couples only) Husband decides: 12% Wife decides: 27% Jointly deciding couples: 50% Separately deciding couples: 11% Who Decides? 18

Factors That Positively Impact Household Giving Education Religious Attendance Income Wealth Length of marriage Number of children

The egalitarian: Wives tend to spread their giving across a greater number of charitable activities. The strategist: Men tend to respond more to strategic concerns, such as tax advantages. Do Wives & Husbands Think Differently About Giving?

What obstacles do you encounter working with women donors? Overcoming Barriers in Working with Women Donors

Barriers to Giving INTERNAL – Women do not think of themselves as philanthropists – Women are reluctant to talk about money. – Women do not feel ownership of the family money. – Women are afraid of outliving their resources. – Women have just made money and feel it might not be there tomorrow. – Women seek anonymity in their giving.

Barriers to Giving EXTERNAL – Women may take longer to cultivate as donors. – There is little organizational commitment to women as donors. – Fewer women are in major volunteer leadership positions. – A different communication style is required when working with women donors. – Women are not asked to give.

What will it take to create a community of fully engaged, active of fully engaged, active women philanthropists? women philanthropists? WOMEN are key to philanthropy in the 21 st century