Book Description

"As an advocate, expert and evangelist for women's philanthropy, Lois Buntz provides a comprehensive and thoughtful case for why engaging more women as donors is a smart strategy. Gender and Generosity leverages what the research tells us with real-life examples, practical applications, and recommendations to help fundraisers confidently approach, encourage, and celebrate women donors."Jeannie Infante Sager, Director, Women's Philanthropy Institute "Lois Buntz's excellent new classic on women's philanthropy updates fundamentals in the field, adds illuminating insights, and offers inspiring stories from women philanthropists. Fund development professionals and women donors will benefit from this wonderful guide written by a seasoned professional who has a deep commitment to advancing women and women's philanthropy." Martha A. Taylor and Sondra Shaw-Hardy, Co-Founders, Women's Philanthropy Institute and Co-Authors, Women and Philanthropy: Boldly Shaping a Better World The social, political, and economic environment is ripe with opportunity to engage women and their philanthropy. Professionals working in the field of philanthropy want ideas, practical information, research, and guidance about how to work with women donors, how to build women's philanthropy initiatives, and how to integrate this subset of donors into their current fund development departments. This book offers insight into the three historical waves of women's philanthropy and provides a summary of current research and inspiring stories collected from interviews with more than 70 women philanthropists and leaders. Each chapter begins with current research, followed by interviews and examples, and ends with suggestions for fundraisers on how to implement the information into a women's philanthropy initiative using a six-step process: Awareness, Assessment, Alignment, Action, Acknowledgement and Achievement. The last several chapters focus on lessons learned from successful programs in traditional organizational settings-healthcare, higher education, and environment-and what we have yet to learn from the new and emerging philanthropic models led by Laurene Powell Jobs, Priscilla Chan, Melinda Gates, Nancy Roob, and MacKenzie Scott. Throughout the book, themes of equity, diversity, and inclusion are evident and featured in stories and programs led by women of color and younger donors. Additionally, COVID has impacted how fundraisers work, requiring the philanthropy community to adapt and create new ways to reach women donors. The final chapter is a call to action to all women, to give bigger and bolder as the fourth wave of women's philanthropy rises. Lois A. Buntz is a veteran fundraiser, nonprofit executive, and educator. As a highly successful CEO of a midsized United Way, she has coordinated numerous annual and endowment campaigns raising more than $110 million dollars in 12 years. She has coordinated two capital campaigns, totaling $16 million dollars and helped build nonprofit facilities, including a Human Services Campus. As a nonprofit consultant she provides strategic planning and fund development services and helps develop and implement women's philanthropy initiatives.