For the First Time in History, Women Will Have Serious Philanthropic Power. Will They Choose to Use It?

As wealth and power increasingly grow in the hands of a few, it is clear how the world of philanthropy has been overwhelmingly shaped and guided by men. However, with today’s pressing global challenges—from economic inequality to climate change—if women philanthropists don’t step up now, when will they? It’s time for women to not just participate, but to lead with bold, transformative giving.

The stakes are higher than ever, and history will remember whether we seized this moment or let it slip out of our grasp. Progress is all about the power of the collective—how are we all working together to bring our unique skills, resources and networks to these issues in order to achieve a mission bigger than all of us?

Women are uniquely positioned to make the most of this moment for the following reasons:

• Women are leading collaborative giving. From 2017 to 2023, nearly 4,000 groups mobilized approximately 370,000 philanthropists to donate more than $3.1 billion collectively in the U.S. with the vast majority of those participating being women,, according to a 2023 report from The Dorothy A. Johnson Center for Philanthropy and Colmena-Consulting, in partnership with Philanthropy Together on collective giving from 2023.
• Women are already decision-makers with philanthropic capital: 85 percent of wealth-owning women made or influenced giving decisions, and when they did move that capital, they were far more likely to have women’s and girls’ issues as one of their top three most important causes/issues compared to men (17 percent and 5 percent, respectively), according to Bank of America’s 2022 “Giving With Purpose” findings.
• Women are at a historic moment financially. In 2020, McKinsey reported that by 2030, $30 trillion of assets would be passed down into the hands of women—this is called The Great Wealth Transfer. For the first time in history, women will have a serious seat as a cohort to make financial decisions and donations.

I’ve lived and seen this leadership up close. I come from a family of entrepreneurs and am a founder myself, so when it came time to start and lead my family’s foundation, I brought my hunger to learn, the humility to listen and the commitment to use an approach that aligns with how my family and I approach investments—boldly. 

However, with today’s pressing global challenges—from economic inequality to climate change—if women philanthropists don’t step up now, when will they?

The best and most significant sign of success when investing in companies and organizations is having the right people around you. But in philanthropy, it’s imperative to remember that those people closest to the problems are closest to the solutions. This means the experts aren’t the funders, but the communities themselves. This is a core tenant of trust-based philanthropy by The Trust-Based Philanthropy Project, alongside unrestricted and multi-year funding, transparent and trusting relationships and mutual accountability.

I’ve seen this cohesive funding model of values-aligned individuals bring extraordinary results for impact. A couple of highlights in the past four years from collective giving include raising over $30 million in two years for cancer research for the V Foundation and $7 million in a week to get women on the Taliban’s kill list out of Afghanistan in August 2021 through the work of Vital Voices and Maverick Collective, a group of over 50 risk tolerant women who each commit to giving $1 million to reproductive health innovations globally.

In philanthropy, it’s imperative to remember that those people closest to the problems are closest to the solutions.

I now take on a new mission as the founder of AtlasDaughters, a social venture dedicated to nurturing the next generation of philanthropists through immersive, educational travel experiences. We have big things to accomplish on behalf of women in 2025 and beyond. The easiest way to move capital as a group is through events and experiences, which is exactly why AtlasDaughters exists. Our goal is to raise at least $250,000 from each trip to a specific project focused on people and the planet.

However, you don’t have to hop on a plane to create positive change in your community today. Over my 20 years of experience in hospitality, philanthropy and startups, here are the five components required for live events and experiences to drive valuable dollars:

1. Prospecting: It’s imperative that everyone in the room should be in the room—the guests should share the same values and vision for impact. Organizers must be disciplined in only inviting individuals who are a fit because otherwise, it won’t be easy to unlock capital from the group.
2. Education: Attendees must learn about the mission, the approach and the issue. This could be learning from experts, the team or seeing the work first-hand.
3. Personal Storytelling: There must be someone in the room who can bring the outcomes of the work to life. This person could make you laugh, connect or even cry, but most importantly, they must make you feel.
4. Entertainment: Music, dance, film or moments of wonder evoke joy and inspiration. These are the effusive emotions that will trigger hope, gratitude, and yes, giving.
5. Invitation: You can’t get what you don’t ask for and if you truly believe in what you’re supporting, it’s not an ask, but an invitation and opportunity. Be bold in your invitation. Make it clear, easy to understand, and based on your impact goals, and you’ll get capital. Lots of it.

As a full team effort, women with the tools to use the power of gathering can progress women’s rights locally, nationally and globally. Let’s get to work and move mountains.

Editor’s note: You may also like our multimedia essay collection, “Feminist Philanthropy Is Essential to Democracy.”