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Women and Philanthropy Forum Provided Meaningful Information

Sarah Nathan, PhD
Keynote Speaker[/caption] The Twentieth Century Club of Reno hosted the 2019 Northern Nevada Women & Philanthropy Forum on Thursday, to engage and explore women’s philanthropy in the United States. More than 200 women attended the event at the Atlantis. Sarah Nathan, Ph.D., Associate Director of the Fund-Raising School at the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy at Indiana University, was the keynote speaker and along with the lunch and afternoon panelists, provided meaningful content and facilitated interaction. The full motto of the Twentieth Club is “The measure of the worth of an organization to its community, is bound in its ability to embrace opportunities for service.” The Women & Philanthropy Forum embodied their mission and brought new understanding to the impact that women have on philanthropy. During the Forum, myths about women’s charitable giving were debunked and practical ideas and strategies for engaging women were offered. I had the honor of facilitating the luncheon discussion, which explored subjects including women as cultivators of giving, how women are changing philanthropy, and how women impart charitable values to future generations. Reno is fortunate to have so many women who lead charitable organizations, who shape our future givers, and who, themselves, give generously. The clear message from the day’s conversations was that women, through their philanthropy, which translates to the “love of humankind,” make an incalculable impact. Here are a few takeaways from Dr. Sarah Nathan’s presentation:

  • 19 of the top 50 philanthropists in the U.S. are women, and the top three women on the “Million Dollar List” are women. The top three women on the Million Dollar list each gave more than $1 billion to charitable causes.
  • Younger women influence household charitable decisions more than their older counterparts.
  • Female-headed households are more likely to give to charity than male-headed households.
  • Women spread their giving more than men and on average, support seven organizations.
  • Women like to give collectively; a majority of women comprise 70% of giving circles. Women’s giving is strongly tied to social networks and trust in others. Women want to be connected and prefer to research causes and organizations thoroughly.

Women take chances with their giving, have an intense interest in achieving positive, measurable results, and their giving is based on empathy for others. We heard the call to action and will use the ideas shared to promote women’s philanthropy and to "activate generosity." I am grateful to the Twentieth Century Club for their superb leadership, for their commitment to the community, and for giving the Community Foundation of Western Nevada the opportunity to sponsor and help organize the event. We can’t wait for next year! To learn more about the Twentieth Century Club, and the Northern Nevada Women & Philanthropy Forum, check out their website. https://twentiethcenturyclub.org/ Powerful things happen when women and the Community Foundation work together. Chris Askin, President, and CEO