She Means Impact: Inside the World of Women’s Philanthropy

When we think about philanthropic giving, the narrative has often been dominated by big names and hefty wallets, historically tied to men. Think Andrew Carnegie, John D. Rockefeller, Bill Gates, and Warren Buffett. These names have shaped the perception of what large-scale philanthropy looks like. But we know philanthropy operates on small scales too and we also know it’s not just men giving. Women play a significant role in charitable giving. Even dating back to the ministry of Jesus, we see women supporting his ministry through financial means (Luke 1:3). Not only are women generous givers like their counterparts, but women give differently than men. 

Women are deliberate and innovative in their giving, redefining what bold, strategic and values-driven philanthropy looks like. They’re also community-focused and adaptive to new technologies in the midst of challenging economic times. Here’s a quick dive into the trends, nuances, and power of women’s philanthropic giving.

Do Women Really Give Differently Than Men? 

Giving is giving, right? Yes, but the context in how one gives can vary between women and men. According to the Women’s Philanthropy Institute from the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy at Indiana University, women are more likely to factor trust and transparency into their giving decisions than men. The same study also found that women are more likely to give locally or to grassroots organizations where they are able to see the direct impact of their contributions.

Women’s giving patterns also stand out for their resilience and adaptability. Despite a general decline in the number of individual donors in the United States over the past decade, single women have shown remarkable resilience. The "declining donors" phenomenon has affected both men and women, but the decline started later and was less pronounced for single women compared to single men. This resilience is particularly evident among Christian women, who often cite their faith as the motivation behind their generosity.

Historically Overlooked: The Gender Gap in Fundraising

Historically, nonprofits haven’t exactly rolled out the red carpet for women donors. The default approach often prioritized men as the primary breadwinners and decision-makers. Seeing as women didn’t significantly enter the workforce in the United States until the 1960’s and peaked in the 1980’s, this makes sense in light of the culture. As times have changed, nonprofits are recognizing the major influence women hold in giving, whether through personal donations or as shared decision-makers in their households. Yet according to this study despite women’s active engagement in philanthropy, they remain underrepresented on nonprofit governance boards, with just 16% of affluent women compared to 30% of affluent men holding board positions.

Women as Influential Household Philanthropists

Women aren’t just passive participants in household giving. A recent report from the Women’s Philanthropy Institute found that 61.5% of couples make decisions together, and when one partner is the decision maker, women are slightly more likely to decide. Another study shows that 85 percent of affluent households’ charitable giving decisions are made or influenced by women.

Research shows that households where women are active in decision-making tend to focus on causes tied to education, health, and community well-being. For single women, their giving further reflects deeply personal convictions, often leaning toward building stronger communities or addressing social issues they resonate with.

Faith-Based Giving: A Beacon of Resilience

Faith communities have long been known for their generosity. According to the Giving in Faith report, more than 95% of people of faith reported donating in 2023. Christian women are no exception. For example, during the pandemic while many households cut back on donations, Christian women bucked the trend by increasing the average amount they gave.

Their impact isn’t just tied to their church communities. While Christian women do often give to their place of worship, they also donate to registered nonprofits, mutual aid groups, and directly to those in need. Their faith inspires them to give generously, both within and outside their church communities. 

In an interview with Marissa Newby, Senior Philanthropy Advisor for Wycliffe, she shared this story of a female donor who helped expand her family’s ideas of what giving can look like:

“I have a particular donor where her father started a business and she and her brothers were all involved in the business. Their father was so busy building the business in the family that they didn’t do a lot more than giving than giving to their church, that was kind of as far as he thought in terms of tithing. It wasn’t until there was this big transfer of wealth to her and her brothers that she looked around the table at her brothers and said, ‘We could do so much more–like our churches are good. They all have fresh pews and kindles; I think they’re good! We could use this money other places.’

It was this interesting process that opened this whole conversation about the ministry side of fundraising and got right into the ministry of what it means to be generous and what does tithing look like? It was so wonderful to see her open up her brothers’ eyes to this idea that the thing they’re passionate about is the thing they should also be giving to.” 

The Big Picture: Women’s Growing Influence in Philanthropy

From being overlooked to becoming highly influential, women’s impact in philanthropy continues growing. They’ve gone from being seen as “secondary” decision-makers to sharing the stage.  Their growing voice in giving—from the household to larger societal causes—is transforming how nonprofits engage donors, prioritize causes, and innovate fundraising.

Whether through faith, the household, or unique resilience during economic shifts, women are impacting the nature of charitable giving one donation at a time. They’ve made it clear: donating isn’t just a financial act—it’s a deeply personal, powerful way to create change. Are you paying attention yet? Because the statistics show women are reshaping charitable giving.