Why it matters that women give more than men

Every once in a while, a statistic gives you goose bumps.

The latest research findings on philanthropy did just that, showing that women are more likely to give and give more than men. Yes. That’s right. Women give more than men: when we hold constant income, age, education and all other factors that influence giving.

After analyzing a nationally representative data set of 8,000 households in which we controlled for factors that affect giving, my colleagues and I at the Women’s Philanthropy Institute found two significant results. First, women are more likely to give to charity than their male counterparts at all income levels. And second, that when they do give, they give more.

That’s big news. News that may bring valuable resources – both human and financial – to the nonprofit community and news that may boost women’s confidence – at all income levels – to continue giving.

As fundraising professionals realize how changing demographics in the United States favor women – especially in education and income – they will seek innovative ways to fully engage women in their work as volunteer leaders and as donors. Today, women control more than half (51.3 percent) of all personal wealth in the U.S. and make 83 percent of all household-purchasing decisions. Yet, women are asked less, if asked at all, to give. This research encourages leaders to engage women as donors because not only do women have more wealth to give, they want to give more. They are philanthropists.

The Women Give 2010 report, and other research studies from around the world, finds that gender matters in philanthropy. Today’s women are philanthropists. Knowing that should energize our communities.

You can read more about the report here or follow the discussion on Twitter (#WomenGive2010).

Guest blogger Dr. Debra Mesch is Director of the Women’s Philanthropy Institute at the Center on Philanthropy, Professor of Public and Nonprofit Management in the School of Public and Environmental Affairs at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis as well as Professor of Philanthropic Studies at Indiana University. Debra’s primary focus at WPI is on expanding the research about women’s philanthropy.