Board Resolution on Gift Planning (pdf)

Women & Philanthropy

The Dallas Women’s Foundation seeks to promote women’s philanthropy and provide women opportunities to share their generosity. As you seek to make a difference, consider the following information:

10 Strategies for More Effective Giving

• Begin your philanthropy early. Every gift helps as you begin to form your legacy.
• Find your passion, and focus your gifts. Think about two or three areas or causes you want to support. Make this your philanthropic mission. Not only will your gifts have more impact, but you’ll find your giving more satisfying.
• Become an advocate for the causes that you support. Learn everything you can about them, tell others, and create change through your giving.
• Work for parity in giving in your household. You and your partner should have equal say about which causes your contributions support and the amount given.
• Give while you live, so you can see the benefits of your action.
• Consider the strength of numbers. Organize others to provide a pooled gift that can create even more impact.
• Leverage your giving. Increase your impact by challenging others who support the same causes.
• Teach the art of philanthropy to the next generation. Instill in your children, and other young people, your values and your commitment to support them. Become a philanthropy mentor.
• Consider your philanthropy another child, your investment in the future of our world. If you have two children, plan to divide your trust into three, leaving one-third to each child and one-third to philanthropy.

Source: Martha A. Taylor, c 2001.

Why Women Give Change: Women have a desire to make a difference.

Create: Women are a part of developing creative charitable solutions.

Connect: Women want to establish relationships with an organization and with one another.

Commit: Women are committed to giving, traditionally expressed through volunteer work and financial support.

Collaborate: Women understand the necessity and enjoy the process of working with others to solve problems.

Celebrate: When women enjoy the process of giving, the act becomes a joy more than a responsibility.

 

Source: Reinventing Fundraising, Shaw-Hardy and Taylor.