Women, Philanthropy, and Social Change

Divided into two parts, this collection celebrates women's power to influence social constructs and political policies - finally changing the foundations of society. The author and the contributors make the case for the passion and potential of women's giving. The chapters in the first section address the history of the women's funding movement.

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The seldom-heard "voice" of women's philanthropy speaks in this highly readable and richly contextualized collection of new writings. Elayne Clift, in her quest to demystify and honor women's philanthropy, turns to an impressive array of the movement's current leaders. As these remarkable women share their reflections and knowledge on the women's funding movement, it becomes clear that "women and philanthropy" - not so long ago a seeming oxymoron - harbors the marvelous potential for global social change across gender, race, and age barriers. Following Sunny Fischer's introduction on the power of women's giving, the chapters in the first of two sections address the history of the women's funding movement (Carol Mollner and Marie C. Wilson), focusing on key topics, including the difficult task of documenting women's contributions (Mary Ellen Capek), women as donors (Jo Moore and Mary Ann Philbin), volunteerism (Katherine Acey), partnering and stewardship (Kimberly Otis and Anne B. Mosle), the role of girls and young women (Stephanie Yang), educational and endowment strategies (Tracy Gary), and an insider's critical look at the state of the movement (Marsha S. Rose).
Part 2 takes an intimate look at women and social change: achievements, challenges, and future directions. An overview (Chris Grumm and Emily Katz Kishawi) sets the stage for chapters on the model of the Ford Foundation (Barbara Y. Phillips), international giving (Patty Chang and Kavita Ramdas), inherited wealth (Cynthia Ryan), sharing earned income (Peg Talburtt, Judy Bloom, and Diane Horey), small-scale woman-to-woman support (Zainab Salbi), role models and inspiration (Helen Hunt and Kanyere Eaton), the future of funding (Christine Kwak, Gail McClure, and Anne C. Petersen), and "the next wave" (Kalpana Krishnamurthy). Jing Lyman sums up in a thoughtful afterword. In this insightful collection, Clift and the contributors make the case for the passion and potential of women's giving. "Women, Philanthropy, and Social Change" celebrates women's power to influence social constructs and political policies - ultimately changing the very foundations of society.