Monday, October 19, 2015
BofA Charitable Foundation Supports Women's Giving Network Conference; Women Pool Dollars for Innovative Community Transformation
Philanthropy is trending in a new direction and women are leading the way. The newest trend, however, is not just about a woman's donation, it's about women's collective philanthropy -- pooling funds together to exponentially increase community impact. Women make over 60 percent of their families' charitable contributions and when contributing together, have literally moved millions to catalyze community improvement.
More than 300 leaders of the women's collective giving movement gathered in Charlotte, North Carolina, this week to share insights and inspiration during the three-day Women's Collective Giving Grantmakers Network (WCGN) 2015 National Leadership Forum. This network boosts over 10,000 members across the nation. All member organizations use a similar democratic grantmaking process to award local non-profits with individual grants ranging from tens of thousands to $100,000 to local non-profit organizations. Of the 46 member organizations that belong to this network, many have given over $500,000 in total grants to their community each year. These contributions help nonprofit organizations catalyze community programs across five general categories: Arts & Culture, Education, Environment, Health, and Human Services. . .
In the words of Kerry Sullivan, President of the Bank of America Charitable Foundation, a supporter of the conference, "Money matters, voices are essential, and connection to community are vital." Women's collective giving grantmakers have demonstrated their responsible use of all three. . .