Last week, seeing the story of the African American Women’s Giving Circle gave me such a professional high.  Nothing I had been involved in to date had been deemed so newsworthy as to grace the front page of The Washington Post!  So I was thrilled to be connected to this. 

As I read the story, I was enthralled with the description of the circle gathering place, the spirit of sisterhood shared by the participants, the commitment to community, and the excitement of nurturing their own philanthropic spirits.

I was thrilled with the tone and appreciation of the article, but couldn’t help but find myself wishing that all 20 of the amazing women in the circle could have shared the spotlight.  I know that a newspaper has limited real estate and that not everyone could be pictured or quoted, but knowing all of the dynamic and wonderful women who make up this group, I really wished that we could somehow reflect that collective spirit more clearly.

Then I glanced at The Women’s Foundation logo with our tagline, The Power of Giving Together.  And it made me wonder: Where is the power in “giving together”?

In the first few months that I was at The Women’s Foundation, I saw very clearly the power of the multiplier factor in giving together.  In a flash, a single contribution of $1,000 could be turned into $1 million! 

That is pretty darned powerful!

But as I reflect on the African American Women’s Giving Circle and the Rainmakers Giving Circle, and indeed all giving circles, I am struck by something else. A deeper, more subtle power…the qualitative power of the collective.

In North American, there is a lot of focus on individualism.  It seems that our entire culture is built on it. So I did a little research on the subject of individualism and found this:  "Individualism stands for a society in which the ties between individuals are loose: everyone is expected to look after himself or herself and his or her immediate family only."*

Individualistic cultures like the United States (highest score = 1st rank) and France (10th rank) emphasize mostly their individual goals. People from individualistic cultures tend to think of themselves as individuals and as "I," distinctive from other people and emphasize their success/achievements in job or private wealth and aiming up to reach more and/or a better job position.

Now clearly this is not the sum total of the North American experience or values. But the basic elements are undeniable. Looking specifically in the world of philanthropy, some of the oldest and most established foundations derived from the wealth of an individual or of a single family.  When we traditionally look at donors, we tend to look at the individual.

From this perspective alone, I can understand why the draw is to identify with a single person or a few people. But a giving circle is really the antithesis to that.  It is about the collective, not the individual.

That is what makes giving circles so powerful and unique. And in fact, we can generalize that even more to say that The Women’s Foundation is really the antithesis to that with our overarching emphasis on collective giving and our inherent belief in The Power of Giving Together, whether through the giving circles, the 1K Club or Washington 100.

I think that most of us can recognize that power from a fiscal perspective, but perhaps not as much from a cultural and philosophical perspective.

Looking at the definition from the same source on the collective, or collectivism, I found this.  Collectivism "stands for a society in which people from birth onwards are integrated into strong cohesive groups, which throughout people’s lifetime continue to protect them in exchange for unquestioning loyalty."*

Collectivistic cultures have a great emphasis on groups and think more in terms of "we".

The sociologist in me is fascinated by this juxtaposition of the social pull in our culture to the individual and the increasing popularity of giving circles that exists only as a collective. But more importantly, the humanist in me is really heartened that we are redefining philanthropy in such an amazing way. There is no question that the sense of individualism is a critical part of what has made North America what it is today.

But, to me, there is always room for the “we,” and if we are to move forward, truly move forward in a way that supports the “global village” that we are creating, we are going to need to find the balance between the individual and the collective.

But for today, I am thrilled to work with women who put the “we” back in philanthropy.

Nicole Cozier is Philanthropic Education Officer at The Women’s Foundation.

Source: "Cultures and Organizations - Intercultural Cooperation and its importance for survival" Hofstede, Geert (1994)

What makes women’s philanthropy different from general philanthropy?  This is something we often discuss here at The Women’s Foundation, informally, in giving circle meetings, at Philanthropy 101 sessions.

So what fun to see an article today really try to break it down.  Michael A. MacDowell wrote a guest column yesterday for the Press & Sun Bulletin in New York called "Women to take on more responsibility through philanthropy."

In  his column, MacDowell explains how it has come to be that philanthropy is largely, and increasingly, dominated by women.   He writes, "Today, the odds are good that the majority of the people in the United States with altruistic intentions are women…Simply stated, there are 6 million more women than men in the country. Plus, more women hold an undergraduate degree or a higher diploma than their counterparts, and 57 percent of today’s enrollment in institutions of higher education are female…In 2005…46.3 percent of the nation’s wealthiest people were women…With combined assets of $6.3 trillion, their wealth has increased 50 percent in seven years."

Not to mention that over the next 50 years, women will control most of the $41 trillion expected to pass from generation to generation.

That sounds like some pretty serious money to me.

So that tells us where the influence of women in philanthropy is coming from.  But do women really give differently?  According to MacDowell, yes.

First of all, he says, women tend to listen to other women philanthropists more for advice about their giving.  Whether on a large scale–i.e. being influenced by Oprah or Maya Angelou, or on a small scale, such as what we see here at The Women’s Foundation with women meeting, networking and talking about their giving through giving circles, Washington 100, the 1K Club, Philanthropy 101s or the other avenues that encourage women not only to give–but to give smart.

And, according to the Center for Philanthropy at Indiana University, women do think differently about their giving:

•  Women tend to be more cautious in their contributions, researching organizations more carefully than do men;
• Women emphasize giving to individuals, rather than brick-and-mortar projects, as a result of a deeply held belief that individuals make a difference;
• Women’s political and economic views are as diverse as men’s, but they tend to make decisions based more on anecdotal information and intuitive knowledge; and,
• Women tend to be more "tactile" in their giving patterns. They like to see, and in some ways, participate, in the philanthropic activities which they support.

As with any generalizations made about any group of people, one could analyze, dissect and discuss whether these trends are an accurate reflection of  the diversity of women’s giving.

But perhaps the more important question around women’s giving is whether women will not only continue to establish themselves as a philanthropic force, but whether they will focus their giving on investments in other women. 

The success of the Women Moving Millions campaign, as well as of local women’s foundations and the organizations they support, will be very telling in this regard.

We can only hope that as women continue to carry an increasing portion of the burden in philanthropy on their shoulders that women and girls in local communities and around the world will find themselves being lifted up.

I’m so thrilled to welcome Phyllis as the next leader of The Women’s Foundation!

Phyllis and I share a number of common grounds, from careers in the banking industry, to long-time residency in the Washington metropolitan area, and our personal dedication to the women and girls of our region.

That’s why we’re so proud to welcome her as our new leader!  Success in this role requires talent, experience and expertise—which Phyllis has in abundance.  With more than 20 years of professional experience in sales and management and a decade of focus on community development and housing initiatives in low and moderate- income communities, Phyllis is the perfect fit to lead The Women’s Foundation.

Moreover, Phyllis has that crucial spark that defines The Women’s Foundation: passion.

Her membership in Washington 100 predates her appointment to President, as does her long-standing history with personal philanthropy and dedication to social change.

Phyllis gets it. She understands giving, our community, and the importance of investing in women and girls. Her passion, combined with her knowledge and expertise of how to bring partners together and generate community investments that build long-term social change, are sure to inspire us all!

Welcome, Phyllis! We all look forward to working with you to change the lives of women and girls, our community, and ourselves!

Deb Gandy is the chair of The Women’s Foundation’s board of directors and a director with Citi Private Bank.

The Board of Directors and Staff of Washington Area Women’s Foundation are pleased to announce Phyllis Caldwell as our new President.

Phyllis comes to us from Bank of America where she was President of Community Development Banking. She has broad professional experience in creating pathways of opportunity for low-income people and communities.

A philanthropist in her own right, Phyllis is a member of the Washington 100 and shares our fundamental belief in the Power of Giving Together.

View our press release to learn more about Phyllis’ background and her personal commitment to investing in women and girls.

Please join us in welcoming Phyllis as The Women’s Foundation enters our tenth anniversary year!

Mighty hearts indeed.  The title Capitol File chose for their November profile on the launch of Washington 100 couldn’t be more a propos.

Washington 100 is certainly a network of philanthropic leaders with the mightiest of hearts–with many giving not only of their treasure, but of their time and their talent to truly learn about, dig into and understand their philanthropic commitment to the women and girls of the Washington metropolitan region.

As a result, their impact is exponential, much like the strategy behind their giving.

100 people giving $10,000 over two years=$1 million.  The embodiment of The Power of Giving Together.

Co-chaired by Doreen Gentzler and Barbara Strom Thompson, this philanthropic network is, as Doreen notes in her letter in Capitol File, making a real difference.

"Together," Doreen writes, "we’re helping women get training for better paying jobs, helping them learn how to get out of debt and even buy their own homes, helping girls get better educations and learn how to plan for their futures."

Washington 100–truly mighty hearts making a mighty impact.

To learn more about Washington 100 and how you can get involved with the Washington region’s premier network of philanthropic leaders changing the lives of women and girls, contact Allison Mitchell at amitchell@wawf.org or call 202.347.7737 x207.

You don’t have to be a millionaire to give a million, or to feel like it, when you’re part of the power of giving together.

No one knows this like the founding members of Washington 100, The Women’s Foundation’s premier group of supporters who give $10,000 each over two years, generating a collective $1 million that is changing the way The Women’s Foundation works by supporting the efforts that are changing lives and our community.

Phyllis Caldwell, a founding member of Washington 100, explains that her commitment stemmed precisely from this, saying, “I liked the idea of being part of a $1 million donor pool. It’s more than I could ever donate as an individual.”

Co-chaired by Barbara Strom Thompson and Doreen Gentzler, Washington 100 met its charter membership goal in July with 118 founding members. This achievement was due in great part to the enthusiasm and dedication of its co-chairs and early members who reached out and brought people into this esteemed network.

Strom Thompson describes the fulfillment of this network of leaders as a natural outshoot of the desire among women philanthropists to find innovative, effective ways to invest their gifts.  “Women are looking for new ways to give,” she says. "Women don’t want to just support the status quo, particularly Washington women. They want to be very savvy about where they’re investing their time and their money, and they value the camaraderie of giving collectively.  Washington 100 is a perfect match for these women.”

Washington 100, which is made up of a diverse, engaged community of women and men representing industries, neighborhoods, interests and talents throughout our region, is a unique opportunity for philanthropists who want to broaden their engagement with giving, but on their own terms.

“Women have chapters in their lives, and Washington 100 provides a really important way that women can get involved in The Women’s Foundation and have it meet their own needs, as well as doing really important work,” Strom Thompson says.

She explains that one of the advantages of Washington 100 is that it provides an opportunity to make an impact through various levels of involvement. It’s fine to give a check, or, for those who want to be more involved, the networking with like-minded community leaders and the philanthropic education opportunities are plentiful and meaningful.

“One of the reasons I got involved in The Women’s Foundation was that I felt like I didn’t even know my hometown,” Strom Thompson says. “It felt odd to live in a place for decades and not know such huge parts of the city. A lot of women are drawn to the opportunity to broaden their sense of home.”

Opportunities like this exist for Washington 100 in the form of networking events with other top leaders from the region; private receptions and forums on key philanthropic, community issues; personalized assistance from The Women’s Foundation with creating giving plans, connecting with other community organizations and leaders and finding additional ways to become involved in our community; and more, including site visits to see firsthand the work being done by The Women’s Foundation’s Grantee Partners.

Cathy Isaacson, a founding member of Washington 100, gains perspective from these opportunities. “It is a much deeper understanding,” she says. “Hearing from the women who benefit from those programs so that you can—in a very concrete way—learn about the impact is so valuable.”

In turn, the commitment and support of Washington 100 is invaluable to The Women’s Foundation, providing the core support that enables its grantmaking, leadership development and technical assistance to Grantee Partners, research and community education efforts and the long-term social change that is the goal of its work.

“We’re not funding band-aid efforts,” Strom Thompson says. “This is about institutional, societal, cultural change. We’ll be able to exponentially grow and expand on the progress The Women’s Foundation has made in less than 10 years. It’s been amazing what The Women’s Foundation has accomplished, and it’s our job to provide the financial security for that work to continue.”

Caldwell sees it also as an important force in our region’s growing wave of women philanthropists. “The founding members of Washington 100 all believe in the vision of The Women’s Foundation as part of the new wave of women as philanthropists,” she says.

Strom Thompson agrees, saying, “There is a certain alchemy when women get together, and we’re creating new ways of engaging in the community that go beyond just the money we give. And not only are we helping change others, but we’re changing ourselves.”

Learn more about this powerful network of women and men investing in women and girls in our region.

(Photo: Washington 100 co-chairs Barbara Strom Thompson and Doreen Gentzler. Courtesy of Michael Colella.)